英国8月房价意外环比转跌，购房者陷“买不起”与“怕加税”两难困境

Group 1 - Nationwide Building Society reported an unexpected decline in UK house prices in August, with a month-on-month decrease of 0.1% compared to July, marking the third monthly drop since April [1] - Year-on-year, house prices increased by 2.1% in August, the lowest growth rate since June of the previous year [1] - Economists had predicted a 0.2% month-on-month increase and a 2.8% year-on-year increase for August [1] Group 2 - Robert Gardner, Chief Economist at Nationwide, noted that the current housing affordability remains below long-term normal levels, which may explain the relatively weak house price growth [1] - A typical first-time buyer's monthly mortgage payment now accounts for approximately 35% of their after-tax income, significantly higher than the long-term average of 30% [1] - The Bank of England lowered the base rate from 4.25% to 4% on August 7, but concerns about inflationary pressures may slow down future reductions in borrowing costs [1] Group 3 - The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors indicated that concerns over potential tax increases in the upcoming budget have dampened the recovery of the real estate market [2] - Ashley Webb from Capital Economics highlighted that speculation about possible property tax increases could further undermine buyer confidence in the coming months [2]