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.

As 2025 draws to a close, this report examines how the UK and Attleborough property markets have performed and what may lie ahead in 2026. By comparing listings, sales, and prices with previous years, it reveals a market driven more by activity and confidence than by rising house prices.

A new £2m-plus home surcharge is billed as progressive, but its impact falls mainly on London and the South East, where many owners now face an annual bill from 2028. Critics warn it punishes long-term residents, cools the prime market and deepens regional divides, even as households weigh downsizing. Many fear a new cliff edge at £2m too.

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