1 Bradford retains top hotspot crown in Q1 2024

Two announcements made today (Wednesday, 30 April) highlight the impact of the Stamp Duty Land Tax holiday ending on the UK property market. Firstly, HMRC’s Monthly Property Transactions commentary shows a sharp rise in transactions during March, as buyers rushed to complete purchases before the tax holiday ended. According to the data, 177,370 property transactions took place in March 2025—an increase of 104% compared to March 2024 and 62% higher than in February 2025. Non-residential transactions also rose, reaching 11,200—up 12% year-on-year and 10% from the previous month. This surge is widely attributed to buyers aiming to avoid the higher tax costs reinstated at the end of March. In contrast, Nationwide’s April figures show signs of cooling in the housing market. Annual house price growth slowed to 3.4% in the 12 months to April, down from 3.9% in March. Average house prices also dipped slightly, from £271,316 in March to £270,752 in April—a monthly decrease of 0.6%.