The Intermediary – August 2026 - Flipbook - Page 96
L O C A L FO C U S
Nottingham
Reading
focus on ...
READING
Each month, The Intermediary takes a close-up
look at the housing market in a specific region and
speaks to the experts supporting the area to find out
what makes their territory unique
R
eading’s growth has
long been tied to the
businesses and workers
drawn to the Thames
Valley, and that
relationship continues
to shape its property market. The
town is a major centre for technology
and professional services, while
the University of Reading and rail
connections into London bring a
regular flow of people looking to buy
and rent locally.
In this Local Focus, The Intermediary
examines how the property and
mortgage market is evolving,
exploring the trends influencing
both borrower behaviour and
lending activity, as well as residential
development across one of the
South East’s most economically
significant towns.
Current values
The average home in Reading is priced
at £460,000, with the median standing
at £400,000. Prices have soened over
94
The Intermediary | August 2026
the past 12 months, falling by £10,900,
or 2%. On a neighbourhood level,
the RG12 1 postcode sits at the more
affordable end of the market, with an
average price of £188,000, while RG9 3
is the most expensive, with an average
price of £1.4m.
Property type also creates a
substantial divide in pricing. Detached
homes average £738,000, followed by
semi-detached properties at £462,000
and terraced homes at £364,000. Flats
remain the most accessible property
type, averaging £235,000.
Residential trends
Activity across Reading has slowed
in volume terms, with around 9,800
property sales recorded over the past
year, down 22.8%, or approximately
3,100 transactions. The £300,000 to
£400,000 bracket accounted for the
largest proportion of sales at 24.9%,
followed by properties priced between
£500,000 and £750,000 at 19.9%.
Nevertheless, Adrian Collins,
founder of Beechwood Mortgages,
says the quality of enquiries has
strengthened, despite fewer coming
through overall. For his firm, new
enquiries are down 20% compared
with the same period in 2025, yet
mortgage submissions are higher yearon-year.
He explains: “We had plenty of what
we call ‘slow burner’ enquiries in 2025,
so it does strike us that sellers and
buyers have had enough of waiting
around for rates and house prices to
move in their favour.”
