It may only be a dip but it is “unusual” according to Rightmove – the average price of a home coming to the market for sale dropped 0.3% (-£1,277) this month to £378,240. 

This compares to an average increase in June of 0.4% over the last ten years. 

The portal notes that this follows stronger than expected price growth in April and May ,and appears to be in part a delayed response to increased stamp duty tax in England from April. 

The continued decade-high volume of homes on sale is also continuing to put downwards pressure on prices. 

Rightmove says that more competitive pricing – lower asking prices and in some cases reductions – help sales activity, with May seeing the strongest month of sales agreed since March 2022. 

“Agents have been telling us that sellers need to set a competitive price to have a better chance of finding a buyer in the current market, and it looks like many are listening and responding to that message” says Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert.

“Such realistic pricing will remain key in the coming months. Underneath the headline figures, we can see regional variations in price changes this month, which appear closely linked to buyer affordability and supply levels.”

The higher-priced South West, South East and London regions have seen the largest price drops this month. 

The portal suggests that buyers in these regions are disproportionately affected by April’s stamp duty changes, and some sellers may be adjusting their prices downwards to account for this. 

These three regions have also seen the largest increases in available homes for sale compared to last year, with rising supply levels putting downwards pressure on prices. Increased stamp duty charges on investment and second homes, as well as higher council tax on second homes in some coastal hotspots like Cornwall and Devon, are likely contributing to the higher number of properties now up for sale. 

By contrast, prices have risen the most this month in the more affordable North West, Wales, and Yorkshire & The Humber. These regions are less affected by stamp duty increases, and in the case of Wales, not at all affected. The number of available homes for sale in these regions is also up less substantially versus last year than in southern England. 

The overall average asking price for a home is still 0.8% ahead of this time last year

Buyer activity remains resilient, with affordability improving for some. Average wages are rising faster than house prices, and many lenders are loosening their affordability criteria. 

May was the strongest month for the number of sales being agreed since March 2022, and 6% ahead of the same month last year. This suggests that despite the high volume of homes for sale, properties that are priced right and presented well are continuing to attract serious buyers. 

The number of new buyers entering the market in the month of May was also 3% ahead of the same period last year. 

However, the number of homes coming onto the market for sale is 11% ahead of the same period last year, with the number of new buyers still being outpaced by new sellers.

With buyer choice so high, the market is very price sensitive, especially with some mortgage rates slightly rising over the last few weeks. 

Rightmove’s weekly mortgage tracker shows that the current average five-year fixed interest rate is 4.61%, only slightly down from last year’s 5.04%. Sellers need to continue doing all that they can to make sure that their listing stands out to potential buyers as better value than similar properties. 

Rightmove’s data shows the impact of coming to market with a competitive price, a well written description, and attractive images that encourage a potential buyer to enquire about a viewing immediately. 

Homes that receive an enquiry on the first day of marketing are 22% more likely to successfully find a buyer than homes which take more than two weeks to receive their first enquiry.

Babcock continues: “It’s an encouraging market for those looking to buy, with a very good choice of homes for sale, which also means they have good negotiating power. 

“Some buyers with a home to sell in the current high-supply market may achieve a lower price on their own sale, but could look to offset that by negotiating a comparable discount on their purchase. 

“The fact that sales are being agreed not only at a good level, but at the strongest level since March 2022, is a really positive sign that many are getting their sales tactics right. 

“Rightmove’s analysis shows that homes which are marketed as effectively as possible and priced right at the start of marketing will get the all-important early interest that vastly increases the likelihood of finding a buyer.”