Has my house gone up in value since I bought it?

It is one of the most natural questions a homeowner asks, and you do not need to wait for a sale to answer it. The instinct is to type your address into an online estimate and take the number at face value. A steadier approach gives you something you can trust: start from what you actually paid, see how your area has moved since then, check what similar homes nearby have genuinely sold for, and then adjust for your own home's condition and improvements.

Has the average UK house gone up in value?

Modestly, and unevenly. The UK House Price Index is the official government measure of house prices, published monthly by HM Land Registry and the Office for National Statistics. Its February 2026 release, published on 22 April 2026, put the average UK home at £268,000, up 1.2% over the year. The more recent Nationwide House Price Index reported annual growth of 1.7% in May 2026. Those are national figures, and a national average can hide the fact that two homes bought on the same day, in different parts of the country, may have moved in opposite directions since.

Why does it depend so much on where I live?

Because regional markets have pulled apart. In the year to February 2026, northern regions and Northern Ireland rose while London and much of southern England were flat or falling. If you bought recently in the capital, your home could be worth slightly less than you paid; if you bought in the North East or Northern Ireland, it has very likely gained. The table below shows the spread.

How do I work out what my own home is worth now?

1. 1. Find what you paid and when

   Your completion statement, or the free Land Registry sold-price record for your address, shows the price and the month you bought. That is your starting line.

2. 2. Check your area's price index since then

   Use a house price tracker or the UK House Price Index for your region or local authority to see how prices have moved from your purchase month to now. This gives you a rough first estimate.

3. 3. Look at recent sold prices on your street

   A comparable, or comp, is a similar property near yours that has recently sold. Actual sold prices, not asking prices, are the closest public guide to what your home would fetch today.

4. 4. Adjust for what you have changed

   A new kitchen, an extension, a loft conversion or, conversely, a tired state of repair, moves your home off the area average in one direction or the other.

5. 5. Get free, side-by-side valuations from local agents

   An agent who knows your street prices the specifics that an index and an online estimate cannot: the exact road, the layout, the condition, the local demand right now.

A national average tells you about the country. Your street, your home and the month you bought tell you about your house.

Where ValuQ fits

When you want to move from a rough idea to a real number, ValuQ gives UK homeowners free, side-by-side property valuations from competing local estate agents, so you can see what your home is worth today and stay anonymous until you choose to speak to one. It is the difference between an average and an answer.