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In this month’s property market report from Richard, he talks about the current state of play in the housing market – from rising new listings to the uncertainty surrounding November’s Budget. Watch the video below to hear his full take on where things stand and what might be coming next. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWo1gmiEH3s

The typical first-time buyer home in Melksham costs £259,377, which is a lot of money in anyone's book. For years, the housing affordability debate has been framed in terms of house prices compared to average incomes. That makes a neat headline, but it isn't how first-time buyers think. When you are weighing up your first home in Melksham, the question isn't "how many times my salary is the house worth?”. It’s “what slice of our take-home pay will the mortgage swallow…

The Numbers Every Melksham Homeowner Must See If you’re a Melksham homeowner or landlord thinking about selling in the next couple of years, the question on your mind is simple. How long will it take to find a buyer? New data on the 143 Melksham homes sold in the last 3 months has revealed some striking differences depending on the type of property and the number of bedrooms. On average, it takes 48 days to find a buyer. But dig…

With the summer now appearing to be behind us, we turn our attention to the Autumn property market and here's Richard to talk about where we are today and help guide us with what to expect in the months ahead. If you are considering a sale in 2027, you may want to start discussions sooner with your local friendly estate agent. https://youtube.com/shorts/oUetLL490l4?si=4KdvHYbwLgpOeCZc

Are you considering moving home in Melksham during the next 6 to 12 months? You may be a Melksham landlord deciding whether to grow your portfolio or sell off a few properties. Or you're a Melksham first-time buyer wondering if now is the right time to move. Understanding whether the current property market favours buyers or sellers is key to making the right call. If you follow my regular Melksham property updates, you'll know one of the most reliable ways…

A step-by-step guide for Melksham homeowners You want more space. The kitchen bleeds into homework time. The spare room became an office, then a dumping ground. The obvious answer used to be to extend. Yet over the last few years, the sums have changed. This is an article for Melksham homeowners who are weighing up an extension against moving. It gives you the maths, the practical snags, and a simple checklist so you can make a confident decision for your…

In the summer of 2020, Melksham's property market, like the rest of the UK, roared back to life after weeks of pandemic lockdown. It was a strange moment in history. The pause in the British housing market had created a bottleneck of pent-up demand, and when the doors reopened, homes that might have taken months to sell were suddenly attracting multiple offers in a matter of days. Average asking prices jumped sharply, fueled by a combination of limited supply, government…

If you’re a homeowner in Melksham thinking about selling, brace yourself for a bit of uncomfortable truth. There is a growing gap in our town between what Melksham home sellers want and what buyers are actually willing to pay. And the evidence for this is laid out, month after month, in cold, hard numbers. Since the summer of 2020, we’ve been tracking two key numbers: the average asking price of homes coming to market in Melksham, and the average sale price of homes that…

Once mocked as middle-of-the-road suburbia, Melksham's semi-detached homes have quietly become one of the strongest performers in the property market. Looking at Melksham house price data has given the humble semi the last laugh, with an astounding average price increase of 437% over the past three decades. This impressive rise in house prices has made the humble semis a wise investment and underscores their enduring appeal in the broader British housing market. This article will examine the appeal of semi-detached…

Here's Nigel with his latest update for the property market in August 2025. With the Bank of England cutting the interest rates this month, what is in store for those looking to make their next move or step onto the property ladder for the first time? If you would like to discuss the local property market in Melksham and/or selling your home this summer, reach out and book your valuation online. 

Here's Richard with an update on the property market for August and whilst many are away on their holidays, the property market is still in full swing. Estate agents are holding 8% more stock than we saw in 2024 but sales are up 14% on the pre-Covid average. https://youtube.com/shorts/b_eg8Qw0g4U?si=aq-_Nkdu2qJ_Bnni 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆? Book your valuation here online.

Why Melksham’s Under-34s Are Taking Longer to Buy a Home It’s no great revelation that young people in Melksham are finding it increasingly difficult to buy a home. Rising living costs, modest wage growth, and stricter mortgage lending rules have all contributed to a noticeable shift in the housing landscape. For many under 34, homeownership feels more like a long-term goal than a near-term reality. But just how challenging is the situation? And what might the future hold for younger…

Why it's back in fashion (and why it never really went out) In an age of towering new build flats and sprawling three-storey town homes, there is something refreshingly honest about a bungalow. No stairs. No split-level gimmicks. Just a simple, all on one level home that offers practicality, privacy, and increasingly, prestige. If you had asked the average house hunter a decade ago to rank their dream home, the bungalow might have appeared low on the list. Today, that…

As we are now half way through 2025, it's certain the Melksham housing market has been more restrained than the post pandemic 24 months of summer 2020 through to July/August of 2022, and I believe that the ‘steady as she goes’ outlook will continue into the rest of 2025 and beyond. As I always say in my Melksham property market updates, home ownership is a medium to long-term investment, so I feel it’s always important to measure what has happened…

Back in early 2023, several property commentators suggested the UK housing market might face a notable dip. Forecasts from Halifax, Savills and Nomura Bank ranged from an 8% to a 15% fall in prices. These predictions naturally caught the headlines at the time, but the reality has been far more balanced. According to the latest Land Registry data, UK house prices are actually 1.76% higher than they were in January 2023, with Melksham prices following closely behind at 1.62% up…

'Stable' and 'Active' are the two buzz words for the property market in July 2025. Here's Richard with a closer look at how things are for us as the weather hots up for us this summer. Looking to discuss selling your home in July? Reach out to us here online to get your valuation booked in. Watch Richard's latest video here: https://youtube.com/shorts/ke-EGFr52ZQ?feature=share

If you have ever thought about selling your Melksham home, chances are you have been tempted to push the asking price a little higher than advised. After all, it’s your biggest tax free asset. A few extra thousand on the asking price of your Melksham home sounds like a smart move, doesn’t it? But here’s the rub: in property, chasing too much can often mean getting nothing at all. Since the start of 2020, over 1,431 homes, listed for sale…

Over the past five years, Melksham's private rental market has experienced a significant growth in rents. The average monthly rent has increased from £855 in 2020 to £1,174 in 2025, representing a 37% rise. These local trends are interesting when compared with the national picture, where the average monthly rent increased from £1,331 in 2020 to £1,803 in 2025, a rise of 35%. Regionally, in the South West, the rent rose from £913 to £1,375, a 50% increase. Yet, as…

For many local Melksham homeowners, the jump from a 2-bedroom to a 3-bedroom home marks a major life milestone — a growing family, the need for a home office, or simply the desire for more space. But how much does that next bedroom really cost? I ran the numbers using regional averages, and the results are striking. On average, that third bedroom adds anywhere between £50,000 and £140,000 to the cost of a home, depending on where you live. While…

At first glance, that number stands out. More homes. More choice. But that's only half the story. Although the number of properties for sale locally has increased since 2022, the number of homes selling has also increased. Nationally, regionally and locally in Melksham, activity is up, prices are fluid, and buyer behaviour is evolving. This isn't just a market with more homes for sale; it's a market on the move. If you're buying, selling or just watching from the sidelines, the first…

We are delighted to welcome a new team member here at Lock & Key. Say hello to James Canty, Melksham born and bred and brings a real buzz of energy, a genuine love for property, and a passion for connecting people with the right place to call home. Read more about James here on his bio.  Nigel said "It's great to have James join our team. Being local was extremely important to the team because local knowledge is an important…

Nigel is back with an update on the Melksham property market as we get closer to completing the first half of the year. Watch what Nigel has to say about what he is noticing in the local market and he also introduces a new team member to Lock & Key. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It9aXt1US4Q

Activity, Activity, Activity is the name of the game for the month of June and here's Richard to explain in a little more detail in our June 2025 Property Market Comment. Watch Richard's video below and get in touch if you would like to book a valuation of your Melksham home. https://youtu.be/eZbYGSirg2Y

How do you beat those odds? When most people decide to put their Melksham home on the market, they assume one thing. That it will sell. After all, why wouldn’t it? You instruct an estate agent, the board goes up, photos appear on the portals and viewings get booked and offers made. Simples! Except it is not. Because what most Melksham homeowners never get told is the real probability of you selling and moving. Looking at every Melksham estate agent……

It surprises many people just how few £1 million homes actually sell. Just because a property carries a seven-figure price tag, it does not guarantee a successful move. Nationally, across all property price bands, around 54 percent of homes sell and complete. Yet for homes priced over £1 million, the picture changes sharply. Over the last two years, the highest success rate has been in Scotland, where 58.4 percent of £1 million homes successfully sold. This is partly due to the different legal system in…

If you are a Melksham homeowner or landlord and considering selling your Melksham property soon, you may have wondered how long it will take to find a buyer and sell. The time it takes to sell a home varies depending on location, property type, price range, bedrooms, and market conditions. For interested Melksham property owners, I have compiled the latest data and statistics for the 144 Melksham homes that have sold stc in the last 3 months, split down by…

The Hidden Crisis Facing the Area’s 50- and 60-Something Renters You’ve heard of retirement. But what about ‘rentirement’? It’s not a typo. It's a ticking time bomb. There are 8,661 households in Wiltshire, aged between their early 50s and mid-60s, renting privately, not owning the Wiltshire homes they live in. They're heading towards retirement age with no bricks and mortar, and the implications for them, their families, and Melksham's social and economic infrastructure are vast. Let’s call this what it…

Are you considering moving home in Melksham over the next 6 to 12 months? You may be a Melksham landlord deciding whether to grow your portfolio or sell off a few properties. Or you're a Melksham first-time buyer wondering if 2025 is the right time to move. Understanding whether the current property market favours buyers or sellers is key to making the right call. If you follow my regular Melksham property updates, you’ll know one of the most reliable ways…

Spring has well and truly sprung and the property market in May is healthy. Here's the latest update from Richard with his monthly property market update. Watch the video below and get in touch if you would like to discuss selling your home ahead of the summer. https://youtube.com/shorts/ovNRLZNxaNU?si=YVL4TK9qkYzGvIFX

The Bank of England has just reduced the base rate by 0.25% yesterday. But what does that really mean for the Melksham housing market? Here are six reasons why this is good news for homeowners and landlords. 1️. More Melksham First-Time Buyers Lower borrowing costs mean more affordable monthly payments. This could help Melksham first-time buyers step onto the ladder and bring extra energy to the Melksham property market. For example, a 0.25% drop on a £250,000 29-year mortgage will…

As we move into early summer 2025, Melksham's property market paints a bleak picture—especially for first-time buyers. Headlines scream that getting a foot on the ladder is harder than ever, and for many, that feels painfully true. With the average first-time buyer deposit in 2024 hitting a staggering £61,000, dreams of homeownership are slipping further out of reach. Soaring rents and the ever-rising cost of living have created a perfect storm. Young buyers are told to save more, spend less,…

In today’s Melksham housing market, property market data isn't just helpful – it's essential. For Melksham homeowners and landlords looking to buy or sell a home, understanding the latest Melksham property trends, buyer behaviour, or house pricing movements is the difference between making a confident move and flying blind. Data reveals where the market has been, where it’s heading, and how to position a home for success. It cuts through the noise, replaces guesswork with insight, and empowers better decisions…

As Melksham’s property market shifts and grows, sellers who've been on the market a while often face a tricky question: when to tweak the asking price—and by how much—to spark new interest. With the number of homes for sale in Melksham’s SN12 postcode jumping from 156 in March 2022 to 236 by March 2025, the playing field has become more crowded. That means smart, strategic pricing is now more important than ever if you want to stand out and get…

Understanding what’s really going on in the Melksham property market is key to cutting through the noise and seeing the true picture­—both locally and nationally. Despite the near constant doom and gloom headlines predicting a housing crash since September 2022, the stats tell a very different story. The British property market—and Melksham in particular—is holding up remarkably well. So, let’s investigate those property market stats, starting with the life blood of the housing market – new properties coming on to…

You might have heard that although annual house prices are about 2.8% up on this time last year, they dipped by 0.5% last month (Source Halifax). This is no means a pointer to a falling market, but is simply a short-term correction, as so many sales were brought forward during the SDLT stamp duty frenzy earlier in the year. There was huge activity to beat that deadline, including the busiest single day on record for completions so it was only…

In today’s Melksham property market, the Bank of Mum and Dad remains a powerful force — and it’s only grown more influential. For many first-time buyers in Melksham, parental help is not just a boost, it’s often the key to the front door. But is this a sign of generosity? Or a symptom of something much deeper going on in our housing system? In Melksham (SN12), the bank of Mum and Dad has given £2,296,609 in deposit contributions in the…

A Melksham landlord recently asked me why the brand new property she was considering was noticeably more expensive than a similar second-hand home in the same location. It's a common question, and many homeowners and landlords in Melksham have likely pondered it. So, I decided to dig into the data to uncover the truth behind the 'new build premium'—and the latest statistics offer some fascinating insights. Why Do New Builds Cost More? At first glance, the price difference between a…

The Government has taken a significant step towards abolishing leasehold properties in England and Wales, introducing a white paper that proposes making commonhold the default tenure for flats and apartments. The reforms, which aim to phase out leasehold for the 4,006,038 English & Welsh leasehold homes, have been described as the "beginning of the end" for a system often criticised as outdated and unfair. But what does this mean for Melksham homeowners and buy-to-let landlords, particularly those looking to sell…

As we step into Spring, we hear from Richard talking about the property market for the month of March but is the property market holding it's own? Let's find out...   https://youtube.com/shorts/VosDXD0Epos?si=qSuDAs4debgJPr_s Welcome to the March 2025 Property Market Comment. While the world appears to be in turmoil from so many different perspectives, the British property market is, as ever, holding its own, keeping calm, and carrying on. Yes, the Halifax has just released the latest figures suggesting that prices…

Buying or selling a home is often one of the most significant transactions people make, yet the process in England and Wales remains frustratingly slow. You find the home of your dreams, you make an offer, it is negotiated, and a price is agreed. Yet once a sale is agreed, it takes an average of 118 days—nearly 17 weeks—for legal completion to take place for a home in the UK. That’s more than four months of uncertainty, stress, and potential…

Are you a Melksham homeowner considering a move in the next six to twelve months? Perhaps you're a buy-to-let landlord weighing up whether to expand or streamline your portfolio? Or maybe you’re a first-time buyer wondering if now is the right moment to take the plunge? Whatever your position, knowing whether the Melksham market is currently favouring buyers or sellers will help you make informed decisions. For those who regularly follow my Melksham property market updates, you'll know that the…

The UK housing market has always been subject to government policy announcements, outside forces of economics, and consumer confidence fluctuations. After a turbulent 2024, there is evidence that 2025 will provide more stability and growth—particularly in areas such as Melksham, where affordability, high demand, and improved financial situations are coming together to create a helpful background for sellers and buyers alike. Easing Uncertainty and Growing Confidence Following a year of unstable interest rates, a sluggish economy, and policy overhauls, confidence…

Last week, the Bank of England's interest rate dropped to 4.5%, marking its third cut in under a year. This decision follows a previous reduction in November 2024, with the rate remaining unchanged in December. While most of the Bank’s policymakers supported the move to 4.5%, a minority favoured a more aggressive cut to 4.25%, highlighting the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the UK economy. The decision is widely seen as a positive step for the housing market. Lower borrowing costs could…

The property market in 2025 is off to a flying start with 20% more properties sold in January than the same time last year and 43% up on sales agreed from the pre-covid levels. But how does this relate to property prices? Here's Richard to explain more. https://youtube.com/shorts/98S2BwkWhOc?si=hCGX02J3q-InAUsh 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆? Book your valuation here online >> www.homesinmelksham.co.uk/valuation

If you’re a homeowner in Melksham thinking of selling your property, you have probably wondered how long it will take to find a buyer. The timeline for selling a home varies depending on factors such as property type, price, and market conditions. Fortunately, we’ve compiled the latest statistics for 135 Melksham homes that have sold stc in the last 3 months, split down by type (detached houses, semi-detached homes, terraced houses, and flats) to give you a clear picture. Of…

When browsing property portals, many people wonder why some Melksham homes linger on the market far longer than others. It’s easy to assume there’s something wrong - an issue with the property, an inflated asking price, or a lack of interest - but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, it’s simply down to poor marketing, unrealistic expectations, or even a change in the seller's circumstances. If you’re on the other side of the fence, currently selling a home in Melksham,…

Stamp duty originated in the 17th century when duty stamps could be purchased and attached to a transactional document to prove that any tax due on the transaction had been paid. Today, tax relating to the purchase of land is known as “Stamp Duty”, or, more correctly Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). For sales completing (not exchanging) on or after 1st April 2025, the concessions reducing the rate of SDLT that were introduced during the pandemic have now been withdrawn, and…

The issue of new housebuilding in the UK stirs strong emotions. Many believe their local areas are turning into construction zones, with too many homes being built, disrupting the character of towns and villages. But is this perception grounded in reality? The Labour government, which came into power in the summer of 2024, has set a bold target: 300,000 homes built annually for the next five years, amounting to 1.5 million new homes by the end of their tenure. This…

This interesting question was posed by one of my Melksham landlord’s teenage daughters when they dropped into my offices before the Christmas break (doesn’t that seem an age away now?). I didn't know the answer off the top of my head, yet I promised I would find out. So, over the Christmas holidays, I worked out the total value of all the properties in Melksham and, just for a bit of fun, worked out how much they have gone up…

Here's Richard with his first property market comment in 2025. The weather may be cooling but it looks like the property market is hotting up. Watch more as Richard talks about the market activity, house prices and pricing your home just right for today's market. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZPERXUzPYWU If you would like to talk to Nigel about selling your property in 2025, click this link to book your valuation.