Market outlook for WD17
Key indicators for buyers
The WD17 market is moderately favourable for buyers. Prices have softened (-42.7%), 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
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 Watford area
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
Rental data shown for wider Watford area
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 £303,000 with a 25% deposit (£76k), a 2-year fixed mortgage at 3.97% costs around £1,196 per month.
Rent vs buy snapshot
Monthly cost comparison based on current data
Uses WD17 avg. price with Watford rental data
Monthly mortgage payments (£1,196) are £619 less than renting (£1,815). However, buying requires an upfront deposit of £76k — it would take around 5 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 |
FLAT 12, HURST COURT, 8, ELLIOT ROAD WD17 4DF | Flat/Maisonette | £320,000 | 20 Jan 2026 |
FLAT 12, FAIRCROSS HOUSE, 116, THE PARADE WD17 1BA | Flat/Maisonette | £265,000 | 12 Jan 2026 |
10 - 12, NEW ROAD WD17 2EX | Other | £350,000 | 6 Jan 2026 |
45, SHAFTESBURY ROAD WD17 2RG | Terraced | £432,250 | 22 Dec 2025 |
78, ORCHID COURT, 1, WEST STREET WD17 1BW | Flat/Maisonette | £367,500 | 19 Dec 2025 |
17A, ALBERT ROAD NORTH WD17 1QF |
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.