Is Now the Worst Time Ever to Buy Property? Here’s What the Data Actually Says…

2025 feels chaotic.
Interest rates are still high.
Landlords are selling up.
The Renters’ Reform Bill is rolling out.
And every headline seems to shout the same thing:

“DON’T BUY PROPERTY RIGHT NOW.”

But is that true?
Or is this just another scare cycle that smart investors are quietly using to get ahead?

In this post, I’ll break down what’s actually happening in the UK property market — and why this might be one of the best times to buy, if you know what to look for.

What the Media Is Saying vs What’s Really Happening

Mainstream headlines love fear. It gets clicks.

🗞 “Buy-to-let is dead.”
🗞 “Landlords are fleeing.”
🗞 “Interest rates make investing impossible.”

Here’s what they’re not telling you:

• Motivated sellers have never been easier to find (especially off-market).

• Rents are rising faster than mortgages in many areas, increasing cash flow.

• Deal structures like lease options and vendor finance are thriving in this environment.

• Many amateur landlords are exiting, creating opportunity for those who know how to solve problems.

What the Data Actually Says

Let’s strip out emotion and look at the numbers.

✅ House Prices Are Flat, Not Falling

According to Zoopla, UK house prices in Q1 2025 have remained largely flat year-on-year — with small declines in overheated areas and modest rises elsewhere.

Translation: You have more negotiating power and less competition.

✅ Landlord Sales Are Creating Supply Gaps

NRLA and Open Property Group both report a steady rise in landlord disposals, particularly in high-regulation regions like London and the South East.

Many of these sellers are tired, overleveraged, or exiting due to Section 24 and EPC upgrades — not because the deals are bad, but because they’re bad at adapting.

✅ Interest Rates Are High, But Stabilising

The Bank of England base rate is holding around 4.25%–5.0%, with swaps suggesting possible further softening by late 2025 but who really knows. Inflation is back up and predicted to rise even higher by the end of summer.

While borrowing is expensive now, that also keeps prices lower and more negotiable.

Smart investors are using:

• Vendor finance

• Joint ventures

• Bridging to cash out amateur landlords

• Purchase lease options
  To secure deals without relying on high street BTL mortgages.

Property Is Quietly Undervalued Against Inflation (And History Says What Happens Next)

While house prices have stayed flat in 2024–2025, inflation hasn’t.
Consumer price inflation is still rising year-on-year — even if it’s slowed from its peak — and this creates a rare gap.

Property prices are currently undervalued relative to inflation.
This means that, in real terms, property has gotten cheaper.

Historically, when this kind of gap opens — where inflation is up but house prices are flat — it sets the stage for a rebound surge.

📉 We saw it after:

• The 2009 crash → Boom from 2012–2016

• Brexit slowdown in 2016 → Spike from 2019–2022

• Lockdown lull in 2020 → Sharp price surge in 2021

💥 Every time inflation eats into real value without prices rising, the property market eventually plays catch-up — fast.

If you're locking in value now, you’re positioned to benefit massively from the next upswing.

⚠️ The Real Risk Isn’t Buying Now — It’s Waiting for “The Perfect Time”

Here’s what usually happens:

❌ You wait for rates to drop.
❌ Everyone rushes back in.
❌ Competition rises.
❌ Prices spike.
❌ You missed the best window.

Timing the market is nearly impossible.
But finding motivated sellers in uncertain markets? That’s what great investors do.

What Smart Investors Are Doing Right Now

✅ Sourcing off-market using letters, landlord ads, and Facebook

✅ Negotiating vendor terms with urgency and empathy

✅ Using lease options to delay purchases and control assets

✅ Focusing on cash flow over capital growth

✅ Upskilling on deal structure, negotiation, and funding strategies

And they’re NOT doing it alone.

Want the Tools and Strategies That Work in THIS Market?

Inside the Property Success Club, members get:

• 70+ on-demand lessons on sourcing, funding, structuring, and branding

• Weekly insights tailored to 2025 conditions (not 2012 BTL strategies)

• Access to my Deal Analysis Toolkit, Letter Templates, and Funnel Builder

• A private group of investors adapting in real-time and sharing what works

All for just £5.99/month.

If you’re serious about property in 2025, the time isn’t later — it’s now.