Market outlook for CM8
Key indicators for buyers
The CM8 market is moderately favourable for buyers. Prices have softened (-11.9%), which could present a buying opportunity. Affordability has improved from a peak of 11.3x in 2021 to 9.2x today. Rising rents (£1,225/mo, +5.0%) mean the cost of waiting is real.
Price trends
Yearly averages · HM Land Registry Price Paid Data
Prices by property type
2026averages · HM Land Registry Price Paid Data
Affordability ratio
House price ÷ median earnings · ONS data
Affordability data shown for wider Braintree area
A home in Braintree costs 9.2x the local median salary — stretched, improving from a peak of 11.3x in 2021.
Rental trends
Average monthly rent · ONS Private Rental Index
Rental data shown for wider Braintree area
Average monthly rent in Braintree is £1,225, up 5.0% year-on-year. Rents have risen consistently over the past five years.
Monthly mortgage
2yr fixed · 75% LTV · 25yr term · BoE avg. rate
Based on the average Braintree price of £307,462 with a 25% deposit (£77k), a 2-year fixed mortgage at 3.97% costs around £1,213 per month.
Rent vs buy snapshot
Monthly cost comparison based on current data
Uses CM8 avg. price with Braintree rental data
Monthly mortgage payments (£1,213) are £12 less than renting (£1,225). However, buying requires an upfront deposit of £77k — it would take around 9 years to recoup that cost compared to renting and investing the difference.
Recent sales
Latest transactions · HM Land Registry Price Paid Data
| Address | Type | Price | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
47, BUTCHER ROW CM8 1YR | Flat/Maisonette | £250,000 | 23 Jan 2026 |
87, ELDERBERRY GARDENS CM8 2PY | Flat/Maisonette | £175,000 | 23 Jan 2026 |
11, BROCK CLOSE CM8 1NS | Terraced | £270,000 | 16 Jan 2026 |
11, BROCK CLOSE CM8 1NS | Terraced | £270,000 | 16 Jan 2026 |
5, HUMBER ROAD CM8 1TG | Flat/Maisonette | £186,000 | 15 Jan 2026 |
37, HOWBRIDGE ROAD CM8 1BY | Semi-detached | £470,000 | 9 Jan 2026 |
41, SAXON DRIVE CM8 2HL | Detached | £442,000 |
Data sources (all free & public): HM Land Registry Price Paid Data & UK House Price Index · ONS Housing Affordability Ratios · ONS Private Rental Index · Bank of England Quoted Household Interest Rates · HMRC Monthly Property Transactions
Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2021. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.