12:01 AM, 23rd July 2026, 54 seconds ago
Annual house price growth has become the exception rather than the rule, with fewer than one in seven homes rising in value in each of the past five years.
That’s according to Zoopla, which found that 14% of homes, equivalent to 4.2 million properties out of 30 million, recorded consecutive annual increases between June 2021 and June 2026.
The average UK property still gained 15.3% over the five-year period, adding £36,100 to its value, but those increases were not delivered evenly each year.
The period covered the end of ultra-low mortgage rates in 2021 and the move towards borrowing costs of between 4% and 5%.
Mortgage rates are now two to three times higher than five years ago, increasing the cost of buying a home.
Equity and affordability
Zoopla’s executive director, Richard Donnell, said: “The last five years have seen local housing markets adjust differently to the impact of moving from record-low borrowing costs to higher rates today.
“Housing markets across Northern Ireland, the North and Scotland have seen homeowners keep building equity in their home because the local housing market was less exposed to the affordability pressures that higher mortgage rates bring.”
He added: “For homeowners, this analysis highlights why you cannot rely on national or regional averages when assessing what your home is worth.
“Understanding whether your local area has consistently built equity or flatlined is essential information, if you want to understand what you can afford to buy next or you are actively planning your next move.”
The North West tops list
Zoopla also highlights that higher borrowing costs have had a greater effect in areas where property prices are already high, while more affordable markets have continued to support buyer demand.
The North West recorded the highest proportion among the UK regions, with 30% of homes increasing in value during every year of the period.
In Yorkshire and the Humber, 22% of properties achieved annual growth in each of the five years.
Across southern England, fewer than one in 20 homes recorded uninterrupted yearly increases, according to the analysis.
Where prices rose
Bonnybridge in Scotland had the highest proportion in the UK, with 60.8% of homes rising in value every year.
The average property value in the area was £220,000, while Falkirk, Stirling and Glasgow are within a journey of between 15 and 40 minutes.
In Dagenham, average home values of about £400,000 were around 25% below the London average of £525,000.
Zoopla said the area’s relative affordability, alongside the Elizabeth line and the Overground extension to Barking Riverside, had supported its performance against London as a whole.
Bicester also recorded consistent gains, with 28% of homes increasing in value each year.
Areas with house price falls
Consistent house price falls were much rarer with just 0.2% of UK homes, approximately 56,000 properties, declining in value during every year of the five-year period.
Aberdeen recorded one of the highest concentrations, with 5.9% of homes falling in value annually.
Zoopla linked the figures to the long-term transition of the North Sea oil and gas industry.
