Asking prices for homes coming to market are still edging higher despite renewed mortgage volatility, according to Rightmove, in a sign that the sales market remains steadier than many landlords might have expected after this month’s rate repricing.
That matters for landlords because sale market resilience affects both entry and exit decisions. Owners weighing disposals are less likely to cut aggressively if buyer demand is still holding up, while investors looking to expand face a market that has not cracked even after fixed mortgage rates moved higher.
House prices stay firm as buyers keep moving
Rightmove says the market has remained surprisingly resilient in the face of global and borrowing-cost pressure, with activity still holding up better than many expected. For landlords, that means the hoped-for window of weaker asking prices may not open quickly, even if mortgage rates remain awkward for buyers and investors alike.
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s earlier coverage of spring asking prices holding up and our more recent report that landlords are losing pricing power in the lettings market. Taken together, the latest Rightmove view suggests a split market: rental growth has cooled, but sale prices have not rolled over in the same way.
That creates a practical problem for landlords hoping to trade up. Buying conditions are not distressed enough to produce easy bargains, yet financing remains more expensive than it looked a few weeks ago. Rightmove’s House Price Index archive remains one of the clearest regular reads on where asking-price sentiment is heading.
Asking prices still need a reality check
The more useful point in the current market is not simply that prices are rising, but where resilience is concentrated. Top-end and better-presented homes tend to hold up first, while stock that needs work or is priced too optimistically can still sit. That distinction matters for landlords planning disposals before the Renters’ Rights Act changes or trying to buy stock with refurbishment potential.
There is also a warning here for investors banking on forced landlord selling to create widespread discounts. Some landlords are exiting, but if mainstream buyer demand stays active, many of those homes will still sell at respectable prices. That weakens the case for waiting passively for a flood of cheap stock.
What this means for landlords
- If you’re buying: do not assume broader mortgage nerves will hand you major discounts across the board.
- Watch for: local markets where supply rises faster than demand – that is where pricing pressure is more likely to appear first.
- Bottom line: resilient asking prices keep expansion expensive and support cleaner exits for sellers.
Editor’s view
Landlords waiting for a sharp correction may be waiting a while. The sales market is not booming, but it is proving stubborn. In practice that means portfolio decisions still need to work on realistic prices, not on the hope that vendors will soon panic.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 20 April 2026
Sources: Rightmove
Related reading: Landlords lose pricing power as rents stall
