The UK RICS house-price balance fell to -32% in September from -28% in August, showing increased downward pressure on property prices. Higher interest-rate expectations made buyers more cautious, while sales activity also weakened.
The September RICS residential survey showed renewed weakness in housing demand, with the headline house-price balance falling to −32% from −28% in August. Buyer enquiries weakened to −22% from −18%, while agreed sales slipped to −18% from −16%. These are survey net balances measuring the share reporting increases minus the share reporting decreases, rather than percentage changes in prices or activity. The headline figures cover England and Wales. RICS attributed the softer results partly to rising interest-rate expectations.
| Item | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | CONFIRMED_FACT | September headline house-price net balance was −32%, versus −28% in August. |
| F2 | CONFIRMED_FACT | Buyer-enquiry balance weakened to −22% from −18%; agreed sales to −18% from −16%. |
| F3 | CONFIRMED_FACT | Headline readings cover England and Wales; net balances measure survey breadth rather than the magnitude of price changes. |
