Investec research reveals that the average price reduction on £1m+ homes in the Home Counties was 10% in H2 2023 vs 8.6% for a sample of equivalent properties in London.
Data was gathered from tens of thousands of properties between 1 June and 1 December 2023.
- Berkshire saw the smallest average reduction in price (8.5%) whilst also being the slowest market, with £1 million+ homes taking 111 days on average to sell. Prime properties sold fastest in East Sussex (just 74 days).
- West Sussex saw the largest average price reductions by both absolute value (£187,805) and percentage (12.6%).
- Surrey had most new listings of homes over £1m, almost double that of Hertfordshire, which had the second most listings.
- Crucially, the availability of prime property, time taken to sell and average price and reduction varies significantly between the counties Investec explored – meaning that buyers who want to capitalise on opportunities should get to know their target market.
13 February 2024: Prime residential property in the Home Counties has seen significant price reductions of 10% on average since June 2023, as the impact of interest rate increases begins to be felt, according to new research from Investec, the leading private bank.
The figures – based on data from tens of thousands of UK addresses – also cover several postcodes in prime central London and show that discounts on high-end property have been less significant across these areas of the capital (8.6%).
Anecdotally, Investec is seeing high levels of interest in prime property in the Home Counties – particularly in locations within commuting distance of London. The recent price discounts could therefore create opportunities for potential buyers.
West Sussex saw the largest average price reduction both by value (£187,805) and as a percentage (12.6%) over the period, followed by Essex (11.2%) and Kent (10.6%). London generally proved more resilient, with an average reduction of 8.6% and reductions as small as 4.8% in postcodes such as NW3. However, there was variation in the capital too, where sellers in W2 and W8 postcodes reduced prices by an average of 12% and 11.5% respectively.
Across the Home Counties, prices in Berkshire were the most robust, with an average reduction of 8.5%. However, it was also the slowest market, with £1 million+ properties taking 111 days on average to sell, followed by West Sussex (100 days) and Kent (99 days). Prime properties sold the fastest in East Sussex where the process took 74 days on average.
Unsurprisingly, London properties over £1 million had the highest average sales price at £1.85 million, followed by Buckinghamshire (£1.65 million) and Oxfordshire (£1.62 million). The lowest average was East Sussex with £1.34 million.
Oxfordshire had the smallest amount of new supply, with just 719 new listings of properties over £1 million in the period. At the other end of the spectrum, Surrey has the best new supply – with 2,928 new listings (more than double the Hertfordshire, the next best supplied market with 1,670 listings). This reflects the large amount of prime property in Surrey.
Carlos Mendes, Private Banker at Investec, said:
“The Home Counties are often referred to as a collective, but our research shows that there is a significant variation in the availability and price of prime property in these areas. The gradual return to office-based working has brought the commute time firmly back into focus, so we’ve seen greater client demand for the established commuter towns on the outskirts of London. Proximity to top-performing schools also remains a key priority, as does access to good local restaurants and amenities. In the current interest rate environment, it is perhaps unsurprising to see the larger price reductions occurring further afield, in locations such as West Sussex, where second homes are more prevalent.
“Every property purchase is unique, and every person’s financial situation is unique. It’s therefore important that high-net-worth individuals work with lenders who understand their ideal home and location so they can access a mortgage that meets their needs, in a timeframe that allows them to seize opportunities.“
The findings from Investec’s private banking team covered residential properties for sale from 1 June to 1 December 2023 across the Home Counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex and Oxfordshire, and eight prime central London postcodes (NW3, SW6, W8, SW3, W2, W11, SW11, NW8).
Investec’s Property Index 2024 can be found here: Investec Property Index 2024.
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