UK House Prices See Biggest August Fall Since 2018
Listen to the story
British house prices have recorded their biggest August fall since 2018, according to property website Rightmove.
Rightmove says prices are expected to drop further this year, even though some areas have seen small local rises, nicknamed the 'Burnham bounce'.
The term refers to a short-term increase in prices linked to a specific area, though the overall national trend is downward.
One example of falling prices is Kensington and Chelsea, the richest borough in the UK. Asking prices for newly listed homes there dropped by £100,000 in just one month.
An asking price is the amount a seller hopes to get, though buyers often make lowball offers, which are much lower than the asking price.
This suggests that even in wealthy areas, sellers may need to lower their expectations to attract buyers.
In other business news, Jamie Dimon, the head of JP Morgan, one of the largest banks in the world, has warned the UK government against raising bank taxes.
Bank taxes are extra charges that financial institutions must pay to the state, often used to raise government revenue.
Dimon's comments suggest concern among major banks that higher taxes could affect their operations or investment plans in the UK.
These two stories were part of a wider live business update covering markets, interest rates, and economic news on the same day.
Vocabulary10 words
- Rightmove
- a well-known UK website for buying and selling homes
- Burnham bounce
- a short, local rise in house prices
- borough
- an official area within a large city
- asking price
- the price a seller first wants for their property
- lowball offer
- an offer that is much lower than expected
- bank taxes
- extra payments banks must give to the government
- revenue
- money that a government or company receives
- financial institution
- a company, like a bank, that manages money
- trend
- a general direction something is moving in
- investment
- money put into something to make more money later
Quiz
Answer key
1. They are expected to fall further 2. They fell by £100,000 in a month 3. Rising bank taxes in the UK
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
British house prices have recorded their biggest August fall since _____, according to property website _____.
Rightmove says prices are expected to drop further this year, even though some areas have seen small local rises, nicknamed the '_____'.
One example of falling prices is Kensington and Chelsea, the richest _____ in the UK.
Asking prices for newly listed homes there dropped by _____ in just one month.
An asking price is the amount a seller hopes to get, though buyers often make _____, which are much lower than the asking price.
Jamie Dimon, the head of _____, has warned the UK government against raising bank taxes.
Bank taxes are extra charges that financial institutions must pay to the _____.
Dimon's comments suggest concern among major banks about higher _____ in the UK.
Discussion questions
- Why might house prices in expensive areas like Kensington and Chelsea be falling?
- What could be the effect of higher bank taxes on a country's economy?
- Do you think local price rises, like the 'Burnham bounce', can change the overall national trend? Why or why not?
- Why might a bank leader like Jamie Dimon publicly comment on a government's tax policy?
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