TDB EXCLUSIVE – The Dale Blues Property Desk
By Sam Dublin, Property Consultant
UK PROPERTY MARKET HEADING FOR A CORRECTION – OR A CRASH?
There’s no easy way to say it: the UK property market is on the brink of a serious correction — and in some areas, what’s coming could look very much like a crash.
As a property consultant with over two decades in the game, I’ve seen cyclical slowdowns before — 2008, 2011, 2020. But this one feels different. The warning lights are flashing across the board: volatile global markets, domestic political instability, rising borrowing costs, and a lack of real wage growth are all converging to form what I can only describe as a perfect economic storm.
While certain pockets of the country — particularly London’s elite zones, select areas of the South East, and parts of Manchester and Edinburgh — may continue to hold their value due to limited supply and strong demand from international investors, the majority of the UK is heading for a significant downturn.
In plain terms, we’re looking at potential drops of up to 30% in residential property values in some regions over the next 18–24 months. That includes towns and cities already struggling with affordability, regeneration stagnation, or over-leveraged local economies.
The warning signs are everywhere:
Mortgage arrears are quietly ticking upward as households buckle under higher interest rates.
Buy-to-let portfolios are being offloaded at scale as landlords face untenable costs.
Construction projects have slowed, leaving half-built developments in limbo.
Auction rooms are filling with “distress stock” — properties repossessed or urgently liquidated.
Add to that a banking sector increasingly cautious about lending, and you have a nationwide squeeze.
But this isn’t just an economic issue — it’s a social one. A property crash doesn’t just affect homeowners; it affects renters, small businesses, and entire communities. Local economies that rely on the movement of property — from tradesmen to surveyors to conveyancers — are about to feel the pinch.
The reality is simple: the UK property market has been artificially inflated for too long. The correction is overdue. The question now isn’t if it will happen, but how hard the landing will be — and where.
For those holding property in strong economic centres, there’s still safety in long-term fundamentals. For everyone else, it’s time to brace for impact, reassess portfolios, and prepare for turbulent times ahead.
Because make no mistake — the UK’s bricks and mortar are about to be tested like never before.
By Sam Dublin
Property Consultant & Market Analyst
For The Dale Blues – Independent Voice in Football, Property & Society