Tag: market update

Here at Robinson & Hall Auctions, we’re thrilled with how 2025 played out. We achieved an average success rate of 85%, significantly ahead of the industry average of 67.6%, making us one of the most consistently reliable auctioneers in the country in terms of sale rates against lots offered.

Over the year, we offered 194 lots. We successfully sold 165, giving our future clients strong reassurance in the certainty of sale when choosing to instruct us. Speed of sale is also a key benefit of the auction route – in 2025, the average time from instruction to exchange with us was just 45 days, compared to over 200 days on the open market through a traditional estate agent.

We also experienced year-on-year growth, offering 44 more lots and achieving 35 more sales than we did in 2024 – a clear sign that demand for the speed and certainty of auctions continues to rise.

Property Market Outlook – The Year Ahead

The overall property market saw a subdued end to 2025 in which Nationwide noted that UK house prices fell by 0.4% month-on-month from April to December. As we progress into January, the property market appears to be transitioning into a period of cautious optimism. Visits to Rightmove nearly doubled (a 93% increase) between the quietest day of the year, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day, as house hunters swapped board games and Christmas treats for property searches online. Indeed, Rightmove recorded its busiest ever Boxing Day for website visits in 2025, signalling a bigger-than-usual housing market bounce, with London and south-east movers most active.

Experts predict modest growth for 2026, with estimates ranging from 1.5% to 4%. Halifax reports that while prices hit a six-month low in December 2025, falling interest rates and easing inflation are expected to increase buyer purchasing power this year. 

The Bank of England base rate was cut to 3.75% in late 2025 and markets anticipate further cuts in 2026, potentially reaching 3.25% by mid-year. As a result, major lenders like HSBC and Barclays have begun the year by cutting mortgage rates to compete for buyers. Average 2-year fixed rates have dropped to approximately 4.31%, down from nearly 6% in early 2024.

Regulatory and Legislative News

Renters’ Rights Act

Implementation remains a major focus for 2026, although some industry voices are calling for a delay to give the sector more time to adjust. Please read our recent article about the changes here.

Mansion Tax

A new surcharge now applies to properties in England valued over £2 million. Charges start at £2,500 and rise to £7,500 for properties over £5 million.   

Leasehold Reform

The long-promised Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill was delayed at the end of 2025, with a new push for publication expected in early 2026.

Regulation for Estate Agents

There are renewed calls, this time from the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, for estate agents to be regulated. Otherwise, they say homebuying reforms will fail. They argued in response to the Government’s recent consultations on the Home Buying and Selling Reform that estate agents must be subject to the same professional and ethical framework as conveyancers.

The regulator warns that uneven standards across the transaction process risk undermining efforts to fix a system in which around £400m is lost annually to failed deals, and roughly one in three private treaty transactions fall through.

It is no wonder then that selling at auction continues to grow as sellers look for speed and certainty of sale. Here at Robinson & Hall Auctions, we are delighted with our 2025 performance and look forward to offering a streamlined service to sellers and buyers alike this year. Our first auction is on 25^th February at 12 noon at the Delta Marriott Hotel, Milton Keynes.

If you have property or land that you wish to sell quickly, please contact our team to obtain a free auction appraisal on 01234 362899 or email auctions@robinsonandhall.co.uk

The Labour Government came to power around a year ago, loudly trumpeting that they would free up the residential development land market. For years, the allocation of new residential development sites has fallen woefully short of the numbers required for our growing population. This results in inflated house prices and real difficulties in providing adequate housing for those with the least resources.

Labour’s target was to build 1.5 million homes in their first 5-year term, but 300,000 dwellings a year is double the level achieved in some recent years. The Government is perhaps just beginning to realise the magnitude of the task facing them.

There is no doubt that positive steps have been taken. Requirement for authorities to have adequate housing land supplies has been reinstated, funding has been made available for additional planning officers, inspectors are instructed to deal harshly with draft Local Plans which do not adopt the latest housing requirements, and the appeals process has license to grant opportunistic applications where the local authority’s provisions are not up to scratch.

There is no doubt that problems persist – at Robinson & Hall, we are sitting on two major planning applications of in excess of 400 dwellings each where the local authority resolved to grant planning consent more than a year ago but where the formal planning consent is still not issued – but it seems that a greater number of consents are at last beginning to come forward. Locally, we have benefitted from a positive appeal decision for 50 dwellings where the draft Local Plan has recently been deemed to be unsound, and another unallocated site for in excess of 300 dwellings is now being recommended for approval by planning officers.

What does all this mean for the value of land with the benefit of a planning consent?

There is always a delicate balance between supply and demand in the housing land market, and of course there are significant regional variations. Prices can be sensitive to the cost of materials and labour, prevailing interest rates, the growth or decline of the economy, and to public sentiment. The supply of planning permissions is also an important factor.

Locally, prices for development sites fell off a cliff after the Truss Government, but they have recovered well since, and they appear to have strengthened further over recent months. The return of funding to the affordable housing sector has helped greatly. ‘Pub talk’ of £1,000,000 per acre might be wishful thinking. However, our farmer clients who have a robust promotion agreement in place can often achieve many hundreds of thousands of pounds per acre for a good planning permission.

Sadly, we also come across landowners who have entered into unwise agreements, who end up with less than expected. It is vital to take good advice from the outset.

Opportunities abound for making opportunistic applications at the current time, on the back of the steps taken by this Government. We are putting many new promotion agreements and option agreements into place between landowner clients and professional promoters, and we fully expect that more planning consents will be seen over the next year or two.

Increased supply might put pressure on land prices, but we have confidence that the overall shortfall in housing supply will take many years to put right. For as long as middle-income families have access to mortgages at acceptable rates, housebuilders will continue to build houses, and they will continue to need further land to remain in business.

At Robinson & Hall, we act for landowners and farmers across the region, helping them through the difficult task of dealing with local authorities, developers and housebuilders. We have had many notable successes over many years.

If you would like to find out more about how we can help you, then please contact David.

2025 seems markedly different to 2024. The incessant rain of the last two years continued into the spring… then halted abruptly, seemingly never to return. Where there were puddles, there is now dust. Crops drilled into sodden ground are dying on their feet from a lack of water and the grass has not grown. It will be an early harvest, hopefully with low drying costs, but yields will be unremarkable. Straw and fodder will be in short supply.

High input prices and low commodity prices persist (although strong livestock prices continue), and of course the industry is still coming to terms with the inheritance tax changes, which may or may not bring a few holdings to the market.

There has been a modest but noticeable increase in the amount of land which has come forward this year (the Farmers Weekly estimates this as a rise of 14% over 2024). This is hardly a flood, but mobile buyers certainly have more choice.

So how has this news affected the agricultural land market? Surely, diminished profitability, increased supply and unwelcome tax changes must cause prices to drop?

Certainly, guide prices appear to be set slightly more cautiously this year. Agents and landowners are perhaps keen to get any sale off to a good start.

However, sale prices do not seem to have fallen noticeably. Decent arable land continues to make something in excess of £10,000/acre, with £12,000/acre not uncommon. Perhaps some of the higher outlying prices from last year, where there was local competition, has calmed down, but it really isn’t very different to 2024.

How can this be so?

Most importantly, the increase in supply is modest compared to the backlog of unsatisfied demand from last year. We do not see that the tax changes have brought that much land forward, yet at least, perhaps because farmland still holds tax advantages over other investments. The supply of rollover buyers continues to be replenished, and larger units will attract interest from all over the country.

Of course, there are many regional variations. Some parts of the country have seen a number of farms come forward, while farms remain in short supply in other areas. The financial capacity of the local farming community is always a factor, and as usual I would expect to see a variation of several thousand pounds per acre for very similar land based solely upon that local demand. This is particularly the case for smaller blocks.

It is also a truism that farming is a long-term venture, with time horizons of decades or even generations. Farmers do not get too carried away by a few easy years, and likewise they are used to living with a few difficult years. If the right land comes up locally then it can be hard to ignore. When will the chance come again?

This season, we have offered Grange Farm, Weston Underwood in North Buckinghamshire, being a 356-acre arable farm with buildings and planning consent for a farmhouse.

We have also launched to the market Halse Farm, Taunton, Somerset, being an 843-acre arable farm with farmhouse, holiday lets and farm buildings. The guide price for the whole is £10,180,000, and we shall see over the next week or two what interest is received. Even before going to the market, we have received approaches.

In summary, there is a little caution with a slightly increased supply of land, but the latent demand for farmland persists, and it seems that the market is not greatly changed from last year.

For more information or to discuss selling your land or farm with our agency team, please contact David.

Robinson & Hall continues to experience demand outstripping supply in the residential lettings market, leading to a continuing increase in rental levels. Frequently, our residential lettings department receives multiple offers on each property, and on average we are letting properties within a week of them coming onto the market. Subsequently, tenants are offering over the asking price to secure their next home.

Zoopla property news says that: “Average rents for new lets across the country have risen 9.7% since last year”. Bedford and the surrounding villages are well located for offering housing to the overflow of London tenants who are used to paying high rents but want a larger property and the ease of an under an hour commute to central London. 

The increase in rents is not just introduced for new lets either. Robinson & Hall recognises it is essential that comparable information is supplied to our landlords each year to determine if a rent increase is required to ensure the property keeps up with market values.

Due to the growing rents and the cost-of-living crisis, we suggest protecting your rental income by considering taking out a rent and legal policy. This then means that a landlord would receive the rent if a tenant defaulted on payments, and repossession legal costs are covered by the insurers.

If you would like to benefit from a free lettings appraisal to find out what rental value your property could achieve or for more information, please contact Calum.

Calum Weaver, Head of Residential Lettings at Robinson & Hall, provides a useful update on the residential lettings market…

Buyers are staying in the rented sector for longer to save for a higher deposit.

New statistics from the Mortgage Advice Bureau show first time buyers are aiming to save for a higher deposit before purchasing a property. Subsequently, many would-be buyers are staying in the private rented sector for longer and adding to an already crowded market.

Demand is outweighing supply.

Due to buyers staying put in the rental market, there is a large influx of people turning to lettings in comparison to a low number of rental properties coming to the market, resulting in huge demand for rental properties.

Record rents are being achieved.

The demand and supply issue is one of the many reasons we are achieving record rental figures for our clients. For example, we let a two-bedroom property in Kempster Court in Bedford last year for £850 pcm; this year it is achieving £1000 pcm. As part of our management service, we supply our clients with comparable property reports and market value figures annually. We then contact the tenant(s) to discuss the rent review.

Continue to maintain your property.

Another opportunity to maximise your investment is to, if required, carry out refurbishment works to the property once a tenant has vacated. As part of our managed service, we will attend the property with a company approved contractor when notice has been received to obtain quotes, meaning refurbishment works are scheduled to start as soon as the tenant vacates. This is in conjunction with contacting our database of prospective tenants to secure a replacement with the intention to eliminate or reduce a void period.

To find out more information about our residential lettings service or to book a no obligation lettings appraisal, please contact 01234 351000 or email lettings@robinsonandhall.co.uk

Charles Lovell, Head of Auction at Auction House Robinson & Hall, says: “The auction industry could end up benefiting from the forthcoming downturn in the property market because it provides the quickest and simplest solution to selling unwanted property.”

“Earlier this month the Bank of England announced a rise in interest rates of half a percent, the biggest increase in the cost of borrowing for 27 years. Many experts are predicting that inflation could hit 15% by the middle of next year. The UK is predicted to fall into recession later this year, with the longest downturn since 2008 expected and gross domestic product falling by as much as 2.1%. Together, this will inevitably have a significant impact on the mortgage market and the housing market in general.”

“But it also means that some buy-to-let landlords and investors will decide to divest themselves of part or all of their portfolio and the most obvious route for them to do so is by auction. In fact, it might mean an increase in the number of sales and amount of money raised on behalf of our clients.”

“If inflation reaches 15% as predicted, the only way to get it down is to increase interest rates. Last week’s rate rise of half a percent is going to pale into insignificance in the next 16 months, as rates will inevitably continue to climb.”

“We are starting to see more caution in the market, although attractively priced lots are still achieving strong sale prices. We are also hearing reports within the private treaty market of valuations being downgraded by lenders and deals taking much longer to complete.”

“That is not the case at auction, where both buyers and sellers appreciate the speed and certainty of the process, and the deal is done on the fall of the hammer. This is evidenced by our success rate of 88% year to date.”

“This is not to suggest that there will not be challenges ahead for the auction sector but we do have a degree of resilience not evident elsewhere. So, despite the softening of the market, we are predicting that the supply of lots to our auction and high rate of success of sale will continue in these uncertain times.

We are now taking lots for our next auction. To find out how Auction House Robinson & Hall can help you or to book a no obligation auction appraisal, please call 01234 362899 or email robinsonandhall@auctionhouse.co.uk

You may already be too late, says Auction House, after record sales 

Auction House, operating as Auction House Robinson & Hall in your area, is reporting its best ever half year results in lots sold and money raised.

In the first six months of 2022, the group sold 1,975 lots from 2,338 offered; a success rate of 85% and raised over £316m in the process. This marks a 12% increase in sales since the company’s previous best figures in 2019 when 1,752 lots were sold.

Commenting on the figures, Charles Lovell, Head of Auction House Robinson & Hall, said: “These latest figures represent yet another important milestone in our success story. To continue to beat previous records year on year like this is nothing short of remarkable.”

“Not only do buyers and sellers increasingly appreciate unconditional auction as a method of sale, it’s providing the perfect answer for those looking for that essential combination of speed and certainty, which the private treaty market simply cannot provide.”

Charles’ comments come as the latest figures from Zoopla show the average time taken from searching for a home to exchange via the traditional private treaty method is rising – currently standing at around 170 days, or five and a half months.

Charles added: “In the height of the British summer, it seems ridiculous to suggest that those wanting to sell their home via private treaty before Christmas may already be too late. But that’s the unfortunate reality.”

“Contrast that with unconditional auction when a few weeks of active marketing before the date of the auction can lead to the deal being done on the fall of the hammer. Whilst selling prices in estate agency often end up lower than the quoted guide price, the bidding process in the competitive environment of an auction means the final selling price is often higher. For many properties out there, there’s no better way!”

We are now taking lots for our next auction. To find out how we can help you or to book a no obligation auction appraisal, please call 01234 362899 or email robinsonandhall@auctionhouse.co.uk

Auction House Robinson & Hall believes activity within the property market will remain strong in the coming months, despite the global uncertainty caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The UK’s biggest property auctioneer says that traditionally, in times of world upheaval, people invest in property rather than in the stock market.

Charles Lovell, Head of Auction House Robinson & Hall, explained: “Of course the first thing to say is that our hearts go out to the Ukrainians and the horrific suffering they are currently going through. All of us want to see a speedy and safe resolution to the conflict and an opportunity for those individuals to be able to return home.

However, for the rest of us, in times of global volatility it is important to keep calm and make measured decisions, as opposed to knee jerk ones which often come back to haunt us. And it’s true that in moments such as these, investors tend to choose bricks and mortar rather than stocks and shares.

In difficult times, investments which you can see, touch and feel tend to be the safest and most popular, which is why property does so well. History shows us that it’s happened before and we have no reason to believe it won’t happen again.”

His comments come as Auction House release its results for the first two months of the year, which indicate a rise even on the group’s healthy performance in 2021.

Auction House Robinson & Hall has offered 103 lots in the last 12 months and sold 92 of them; an 89% success rate. Commenting on the figures, Charles said: “Our sales continue to be strong, the market remains robust and demand continues to outstrip supply. We also now offer in-room and online auctions, so the best of both worlds for our clients.”

To find out how Auction House Robinson & Hall can help you or to book a no obligation auction appraisal, please call 01234 362899 or email robinsonandhall@auctionhouse.co.uk

A surge in the number of family homes being sold by Auction House has seen its average selling price rocket by 40% year on year across the country, from £103,400 in 2019 to £145,500 now.

The group, operating as Auction House Robinson & Hall in this area, has made over £300 million worth of property sales in the year so far, well ahead of any other residential auctioneer. Cumulative sales for 2020 currently stand at 2,300 lots sold from 2,913 offered, at a strong success rate of 79%.

Commenting on the figures, Charles Lovell, Head of Auction House Robinson & Hall, said: “The pandemic has certainly been challenging, however we have adapted and introduced working practices to keep buyers, sellers and ourselves as safe as possible so that not only are we listing more lots, we are also selling more family homes.”

At £63 million, last month’s total value of sales was the highest the group has raised in any September over 12 years of business. During the month, Auction House sold 433 lots from 533 offered, and delivered an impressive success rate of 81.2%.

Charles explained: “Clearly, the auctions market is returning to pre-Covid levels of activity. Remote bidding is now fully accepted as the norm around the country, and buyers have grown in confidence with bidder numbers continuing to rise. Sellers too are again choosing auctions, where the selling prices achieved are regularly well beyond expectations.

Sellers are demonstrating their trust in auctions, and understandably have a growing desire to sell in the current high-demand environment.”

October was one of our largest auctions to date, selling a variety of lots resulting in an impressive success rate of 88%. The full results can be viewed here.

Charles continues “We are entering the colder months, so now is a great time to sell any empty property, and with auctions you will get a quick sale.”

We are now taking lots for our live streamed 3rd December auction at 2.30pm. Deadline to enter a lot is Friday 6^th November so don’t delay! Please call 01234 362899 or email robinsonandhall@auctionhouse.co.uk