May house sales down around 5%

House sales were down by 5% in May this year than in the same month in 2021, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) figures. Some experts said it could be a sign of the impact of rising mortgage rates and living costs on the housing market. Across the UK, 109,210 homes changed hands last month, marking a 5.1% fall compared with May 2021. However, the total did edge up by 1.3% compared with April 2022. The total for May this year is also up compared with the 96,500 house sales recorded in the same month in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic. 

Evening Standard (21/06/2022)