UK house prices broadly flat in May as Halifax records 0.5% annual growth

Halifax reported the average UK home cost £298,806 in May, a 0.1% monthly dip with annual growth edging up to 0.5%. Higher inflation expectations have kept mortgage costs above where they started the year, stretching affordability and tempering demand even as activity holds up. For buyers, that means little pricing urgency; for sellers, realistic asking prices still matter more than holding out. This is resilience, not recovery — a flat market rather than a turning point.