(Bloomberg) -- House prices in London's most expensive areas rose for the first time since the height of the coronavirus pandemic as demand started to pick up following the lockdown.
Prices were up by 0.3% in August, the first monthly increase since February, according to a report from broker Knight Frank. Looking ahead, a sales tax break and the lifting of international travel restrictions could give a boost to sales in prime London neighborhoods, particularly those popular with overseas buyers such as Knightsbridge and Mayfair.
U.K. house sales collapsed after the government effectively froze the market for about six weeks through mid-May as part of its efforts to slow the Covid-19 outbreak. The luxury market has been slow to recover, even as prices for less expensive homes have surged. Prices in the capital's prime areas have fallen by 17% since mid-2015, according to the report on Thursday.
“Such declines are more marked than anywhere else in the U.K., which underpins our belief that there is scope for price rises in future years,” Tom Bill, head of U.K. residential research at Knight Frank, said in the report. The broker sees prime central London prices increasing by 4% next year.
High-end sale prices in outer London rose by 0.5% in August, a reflection of growing demand for outdoor space and greenery, according to Knight Frank.
Read more: London's Housing Market Lures Hong Kongers Seeking Safe Haven
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
