Hello there! I’m David Hallas, your local estate agent. I was walking past the bakery on the high street this morning and noticed that the price of a sourdough loaf has stayed exactly the same for three months. It reminded me that while we often focus on the "big stuff"—like moving house—it’s the little things that tell us the most about what’s happening with our money.
Balancing the Scales, June 2026 Inflation & Affordability Update
I’ve got a "good news, bad news" sandwich for you today. Let’s start with the bit that might make you pull a face: the bad news is that things are still getting more expensive. But—and this is a big "but"—the good news is that for the first time in a while, your piggy bank might actually be winning the race.
What is this "Inflation" thing anyway? Imagine you have a basket of your favourite things: a pint of milk, a tank of petrol, and those biscuits you like. Last year, that basket might have cost you £100. This year, because of something called "inflation," that same basket costs £103.
Right now, the inflation rate is 3%. In simple terms, this means that generally, the things you buy every day are about 3% more expensive than they were this time last year. It’s like a tiny, invisible tax on everything you touch.
The Tug-of-War: Pay Cheques vs. Prices Did you know that back in May, prices were rising even faster? We’ve seen them slow down from 3.4% to 3% this month. At the same time, the money people are earning at work is going up by 3.7%.
This is huge! Because your pay is growing faster than the cost of your shopping (by about 0.7%), you actually have a little bit more "wiggle room" in your budget. You’re effectively a tiny bit richer than you were a few months ago. We call this "positive purchasing power," but I prefer to think of it as finally having enough left over for a nice Sunday roast without worrying.
What does this mean for your move? The big bank in London (the Bank of England) has kept its main interest rate at 3.75%. Because of this, and the fact that wages are beating prices, people feel a bit more confident. We’ve seen about 63,500 people getting their home loans approved this month—the highest number we’ve seen all year!
House prices have dipped very slightly (down 0.4% over the last year to an average of £284,862), but because people are earning more, houses are actually becoming more "affordable." It’s like the house is standing still while you’re standing on a taller box to reach it.
How does this feel in null? While the national picture looks bright, things are a bit different right here in null. We are currently in what we call a "buyer’s market." With 272 properties for sale and an average asking price of £826,269, there is plenty of choice, but homes are taking a bit longer to find new owners—about 507 days on average.
Because prices in null are higher than the national average, that little boost in your pay cheque is even more important. It helps local buyers feel more comfortable with their monthly bills, which eventually helps the whole market keep moving.
The Sunny Side of the Street It can be scary to hear about "rates" and "inflation" on the news, but the bottom line is this: the gap between what you earn and what you spend is finally moving in the right direction. It’s a slow and steady climb, but we are definitely heading toward more stable ground.
If you’re wondering what your own "shopping basket" looks like these days, or just want to chat about the local market, my door is always open!