Market is hit by unusually early summer slowdown

PROPERTY PRICES HAVE SUFFERED THEIR BIGGEST JUNE DIP IN OVER A DECADE. VICKY SHAW FINDS OUT MORE FROM THE EXPERTS

- VICKY SHAW

THE average price tag on a home fell by 0.6% or £2,113 in June, in the biggest price drop recorded for this month of the year in 14 years, according to Rightmove.

The month-on-month fall took the average asking price across Britain to £376,191, according to the property website, when the month of June typically sees modest price increases.

May's warmer weather may have kick-started the usual summer slowdown earlier than usual, while the World Cup may also prove to be a distraction for some movers.

More affordable parts of Britain, such as North-east England and Scotland, are also seeing prices hold up relatively well, compared with this time last year.

Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove, says: "It's unusual to see a price fall of this size in June, as we would normally expect to see modest price growth at this point in the year.