House prices in Britain have held steady in February, with the average price of a newly listed home coming in at £368,019, according to Rightmove (RMV.L).
That represented a fall of just £12 on the previous month, the property portal’s latest house price index showed.
Rightmove said that despite the standstill in prices in February, January’s record asking price increase for the time of year means that it is still the strongest start to a year for asking prices since 2020. It said that house prices have risen by 2.8% since December.
Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove, said: “Virtually flat prices in February really needs to be viewed alongside what happened in January. After the prolonged uncertainty in the run up to the late November budget, plus the usual Christmas slowdown, we saw activity pick up again from Boxing Day.”
“Many sellers, some of whom had been holding back because of the budget, came to market in early 2026 with renewed confidence, which helped to drive that bumper January price rise,” she said.
At the same time, Babcock said that market fundamentals hadn’t changed, pointing out that buying activity isn’t as strong as this time last year, when many were rushing to move before the stamp duty increase in England.
“So in February, sellers have taken a more cautious approach by holding onto January’s gains rather than pushing prices higher, at a time when competition is high and the market is still very price-sensitive,” she said.
Rightmove said that 2026 was shaping up to be a good year to buy, thanks to improved affordability and plenty of choice on the market. Steadiness in house prices is particularly beneficial for first-time buyers saving for a deposit, it said. In addition, Rightmove highlighted that the number of homes for sale is at an 11-year high for this time of year, giving buyers more choice and negotiating power.
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According to Rightmove’s latest index, the average asking price for first-time buyers has risen slightly to £226,050, compared to £225,544 in January. For those making their second step on the property ladder, Rightmove said that average asking price has increased 0.7% month-on-month to £343,603, while the cost of a home at the top of the ladder dipped 0.2% to £657,604.
On a regional level, Scotland has seen the biggest month-on-month growth, with the average price rising 4.1% to £194,815. That was followed by 2.2% growth in property prices in the East Midlands to £286,666.