Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Research at the National Association of Realtors
Prices have fallen across major Israeli cities amid war-related uncertainty. April data show a 19% drop in apartment transactions and a sharp decline in investor purchases, while foreign buyers led Jerusalem's 2025 acquisitions.
Existing-home sales have fallen by 1.7% to a 4.06 million annual pace, while prices reach record highs for July. The 30-year fixed rate sits at about 6.69%, and mortgage-rate trends are weighing on buyers as supply remains tight.
July saw only modest 0.1% month-on-month growth in UK house prices, with annual growth slowing to 1.8%. Affordability remains a challenge as mortgage rates rise amid geopolitical tensions. Northern Ireland leads price gains while the south and London lag. The Bank of England cautions inflation pressures could rise if the Iran conflict persists.
Mortgage costs are drifting higher amid rising swap rates and gilt yields driven by inflation and geopolitical tensions. Homebuyers are urged to fix rates now as remortgaging comes due for hundreds of thousands in 2026.
Mortgage rates have moved higher, suppressing loan demand and weighing on home sales and refinancing. The mortgage market remains pressured by inflation, oil price dynamics, and policy expectations, with several reports showing rates near or above 7% and inventories rising.