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Country house sales up after long slump as lower prices tempt buyers
The Guardian
|July 14, 2025
Sales of expensive country houses rose in June, signalling a possible recovery in demand as buyers are tempted out by lower prices after an extended slump.
The estate agency Knight Frank said the number of exchanges of contracts for sales of "country houses" - defined as a rural home worth more than £750,000 - was up 7% in June compared with last year, as the number of properties for sale rose while prices fell.
Second-home owners were driving the increase in properties coming to market, the agency said, after recent council tax changes designed to level the playing field for local people living in popular holiday spots. Councils in Wales can now quadruple taxes on second homes, while English councils can double them.
This story is from the July 14, 2025 edition of The Guardian.
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