The latest 0.25% interest rate cut may look modest on paper, saving the average variable mortgage holder around £31 a month, but its real influence runs deeper. Property markets are powered by confidence, and with mortgage rates easing and lenders competing again, sentiment is shifting. That change in mood is starting to matter.

If you want to move in 2026, positioning yourself as a serious buyer is essential. Here’s how to put yourself ahead of the competition and be taken seriously by sellers.

The Autumn Budget brought predictable housing and tax shifts, headlined by a 2028 levy on £2m+ homes that affects under 1% of properties but will shape behaviour for years. Landlords face tighter margins as taxes rise, while Attleborough’s market absorbs uncertainty. The measures add clarity rather than comfort as pressures build.

Private renting has grown across every UK region over the last 40 years, but the scale and pace are often misunderstood. This graphic shows how uneven that growth has been, shaped largely by the decline in social housing. Understanding this shift helps explain today’s housing balance and the choices ahead.