One of the biggest talking points this week has been the 11% week-on-week drop in sales agreed and a drop of 2% on the average asking price of a newly listed properties. While some seasonal softening is entirely normal during the summer holiday period, the scale of this fall has caught the attention of the property industry.

The UK mortgage market is moving once again, with a number of major lenders increasing their mortgage rates as wholesale funding costs and swap rates rise. For anyone planning to buy, sell, remortgage or invest in property, this is an important development to keep an eye on.

Britain’s ongoing housing shortage has once again come under the spotlight, with new research highlighting that the issue is not one of demand or land availability—but rather decades of underbuilding.

August does not have to be a quiet month for your property search. With the right financial preparation and viewing strategy, summer buyers can uncover opportunities others may miss.