Rightmove: Housing market off to record start in 2022

Property market gets off to record start for 2022 as estate agents report potential sellers are asking for 44% more valuations than last year

  • Valuation requests up 44 per cent in January compared to same time last year
  • The number of buyers inquiring about properties was also up 15 per cent
  • Prices soared through pandemic and shortage of homes is pushing prices higher
  • Estate agents on average have only 12 homes to sell, according to Rightmove


The housing market recorded its busiest-ever first week of the year while average asking prices underwent their fastest growth since May 2016, figures show.

Data from property website Rightmove showed January kicked off with a 44 per cent jump in valuation requests from the same time last year.

It also showed a 15 per cent increase from last year in the number of buyers inquiring about homes.

Prices have soared throughout the pandemic and the continuing shortage of available properties has pushed prices even higher. 

Estate agents on average have only 12 homes to sell, a record low, according to Rightmove.

Meanwhile, cheap mortgages and savings built up in lockdown have added to demand.

Estate agents currently have only 12 homes to sell on average, according to data from property website RightMove

According to last year’s Budget forecasts, the house price rally will last five more years, with average prices rising 13 per cent by 2026.

Prices for homes in the ‘first-time-buyer’ bracket hit a record level with an average of £214,176 needed to get on the property ladder.

Rightmove property data director Tim Bannister said: ‘All of the signs suggest that prices are likely to continue to rise until more choice is available.’

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