Buyer guides
Sold house prices: how to compare recorded sales
A sale price needs its date
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data records qualifying residential sales in England and Wales. Registration takes time, so recent months are incomplete and later updates can change them. A missing recent transaction is not evidence that a sale did not happen.
Compare the home, not just the street name
Start with the same property type and tenure, then consider size, condition, extensions and the date. A flat in a large block and a nearby detached house do not answer the same price question. Recorded prices do not describe every renovation or the seller’s circumstances.
Median is not a valuation
A median describes the recorded sales included in that group. It can change when the mix of homes sold changes, even without the same homes rising or falling. Check the sales count and period, and open the individual records behind a figure.
What the UK HPI adds
The UK House Price Index tracks wider price movements using its published coverage and methods. An area’s annual change is not a promise about your house. Use the relevant date and geography, keep the original sale visible and ask a valuer about the particular property when a valuation is needed.
Keep a short comparable list
Open the underlying records for the homes you are comparing. Note why each is relevant and what remains unknown, such as floor area or condition at the time. If an unusually high or low sale dominates the result, inspect it before using the group figure to judge an asking price.