After a subdued end to 2025, the first quarter of 2026 has quietly rebuilt confidence in the housing market. March may be the strategic launch point sellers have been waiting for.

Over the past 25 years, UK house prices have risen significantly, quietly building wealth for homeowners along the way. While markets move in cycles, the long-term trend remains clear. For many households, their home has become one of the most consistent and powerful drivers of personal wealth.

In early 2023, forecasters warned of a steep UK housing slump, predicting falls of up to 15% after rising rates and political turmoil. Three years on, the data tells a calmer story. HM Land Registry shows prices nearly 4% higher nationally, with Attleborough steady. As 2026 begins, is crash talk fact or just headlines?

Global events can ripple into the property market in surprising ways. Recent tensions involving Iran have nudged oil prices, inflation expectations and mortgage funding costs. But what does that really mean for UK home buyers and sellers? This article looks at the link between geopolitics, interest rates and property prices.