UK house prices fall in festive lull but property market activity stronger than 2023

A seasonal lull was identified in Rightmove's house price index, while stamp duty changes could be a weight on the market next year

Estate agent showing a house for sale to a couple
(Image credit: andresr via Getty Images)

Average new seller asking prices fell by 1.7% to £360,197 this month, in line with the usual December lull, the Rightmove house price index (HPI) has shown.

This drop was lower than the 1.9% fall in average house prices that the index revealed this time last year.

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Dan McEvoy
Senior Writer

Dan is a financial journalist who, prior to joining MoneyWeek, spent five years writing for OPTO, an investment magazine focused on growth and technology stocks, ETFs and thematic investing.

Before becoming a writer, Dan spent six years working in talent acquisition in the tech sector, including for credit scoring start-up ClearScore where he first developed an interest in personal finance.

Dan studied Social Anthropology and Management at Sidney Sussex College and the Judge Business School, Cambridge University. Outside finance, he also enjoys travel writing, and has edited two published travel books.