House sales held steady in October

HMRC figures reveal that house sales held steady in October, with the volume of transactions rising by 2% month-on-month. Data shows an estimated 108,480 sales took place, 38% higher than in October 2021, when a stamp duty holiday in England and Northern Ireland ended. However, Lewis Shaw, founder of Riverside Mortgages, said the figures lagged behind economic reality.  He added: “On the front line, it’s now a very different story. The phones have stopped ringing, buyers are holding off, and with the World Cup and Christmas upon us, most people have decided to sit tight and wait until next year.”  

The Times