UK property values suffered a sharp month-on-month fall of nearly 3% in this week's House Price Index, the first time this year that prices have fallen.
However, homes in Liverpool saw a month-on-month gain of £914 equivalent to 1% on average to property prices, making most homes now worth around £182,736.
Homeowners across the city saw a far bigger price rise of 15%, adding £27,045 to average values in the 12-month period from April 2024 to APril 2025.
Homes in St Helens and the Wirral lost nearly £3,000 from March to April. However, property prices in the Wirral are still the most expensive in Merseyside, averaging £209,926.
The average UK home is now worth £265,000 - while the average London property is priced at £566,614.
The data, analysed by the UK’s biggest online estate agents Purplebricks, shows that while London values soared from March to April 2025, the UK saw an average slump of 2.7%.
The monthly price fall followed changes to stamp duty that came into force from April 1, and which piled more costs onto buyers, particularly at the upper end of the market.
Despite the tough month for many homes in the UK, it has remained a stellar year for property with the average price of a home sitting at £265,000 - a £9,000 rise year-on-year.
April marks the fourth consecutive month of annual price rises for UK properties. Since April 2024, homes have increased by 3.5% over the last calendar year
House prices in England saw an annual price rise of 3%, making the average property worth £286,000 while Wales had a 5.3% increase and homes stood at £210,000 on average.
North of the border in Scotland there was a 5.8% increase, prices moving to £191,000 on the average home.
The HPI report also revealed there were fewer UK homes put up for sale in February this year, with nearly 7,000 fewer sold in February 2025 compared to the same time last year.
Tom Evans, sales director at Purplebricks Estate Agency said: “This small monthly decline is little more than a bump in the road - a stumble after April’s stamp duty changes.
“One of the best investments you can make is in bricks and mortar, and most buyers are looking at the long-term when they sign on the dotted line.
“2025 has so far been a great year for the market with continued price rises, which I predict will be back before long.”
Robert Nichols, managing director of Purplebricks Mortgages said: “With 0% deposits, the lowest mortgage rates in two years, the UK is a buyers’ market right now.
“And, rising wages means there are more first-time buyers encouraged to put that all-important first foot on the property ladder.
“Movement at the bottom of the ladder will pay dividends in the long-run, promoting sales further and further up the chain - ultimately nudging prices up over time.”