Property Data OutlookWatford
Data from Land Registry, ONS, Bank of England
Compare with another area →Market outlook for Watford
Key indicators for buyers
The Watford market is moderately favourable for buyers. Prices have softened (-3.3%), which could present a buying opportunity. Affordability has improved from a peak of 13.9x in 2022 to 11.0x today. Rising rents (£1,815/mo, +4.9%) mean the cost of waiting is real.
Price trends
Average sale prices · HM Land Registry / UK HPI
Affordability ratio
House price ÷ median earnings · ONS data
A home in Watford costs 11.0x the local median salary — very stretched, improving from a peak of 13.9x in 2022.
Rental trends
Average monthly rent · ONS Private Rental Index
Average monthly rent in Watford is £1,815, up 4.9% 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 Watford price of £391,494 with a 25% deposit (£98k), a 2-year fixed mortgage at 3.97% costs around £1,545 per month.
Rent vs buy snapshot
Monthly cost comparison based on current data
Monthly mortgage payments (£1,545) are £270 less than renting (£1,815). However, buying requires an upfront deposit of £98k — it would take around 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
FLAT 7, CASSIO APARTMENTS, 1, MALDEN ROAD WD17 4EJ | Flat/Maisonette | £277,000 | 28 Jan 2026 |
78, OXHEY AVENUE WD19 4HA | Terraced | £537,500 | 22 Jan 2026 |
FLAT 5, HAWTHORN HOUSE, 1, PLANTATION CLOSE WD23 2PG | Flat/Maisonette | £328,000 | 22 Jan 2026 |
FLAT 12, HURST COURT, 8, ELLIOT ROAD WD17 4DF | Flat/Maisonette | £320,000 | 20 Jan 2026 |
35, BERRY AVENUE WD24 6RU | Semi-detached | £540,000 | 16 Jan 2026 |
36, CODICOTE DRIVE WD25 9QY | Semi-detached | £480,000 | 16 Jan 2026 |
FLAT 12, FAIRCROSS HOUSE, 116, THE PARADE |
Explore postcodes in Watford
6postcode districts · Click for detailed prices
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.