Homes in Kent are being snapped up faster than ever, with some areas seeing prices skyrocket! But hold on – it’s not just inflation at play here. We’re talking about house prices soaring WAY beyond what you’d expect, even with the cost of living going up.

Leading the pack is Tonbridge and Malling, where homes sold for an average of £422,826 over the last year. That’s a 5.2% jump from the year before, which sounds impressive, right? But here’s the kicker – if prices had just risen with normal inflation since the 2007 crash, homes would be a whopping 13.3% CHEAPER! That’s the biggest difference in the whole of Kent.

Tonbridge and Malling aren’t alone. Gravesham is another hotspot, with average prices hitting £330,758. That’s a hefty 11.3% more than expected if inflation was the only factor. Dartford follows closely behind, with average prices at £351,616 (11.1% above inflation).

More Kent Towns Feeling the Heat

Even posh Tunbridge Wells is feeling the pinch, with homes costing £462,292 – a good 9.6% above the expected inflation-adjusted price. And in Medway, homes are going for £281,523 on average, that’s 8.4% more than if inflation was the only thing pushing prices up.

What About the Rest of the UK?

Across the UK, the average house price is now £283,000, a rise of £5,000 (or 1.8%) from last year. The real winner is Scotland’s Inverclyde, where prices rocketed by a massive 14.5%! On the flip side, if you’re looking to buy in Kensington and Chelsea (London), be prepared to shell out a cool £1.19 million on average!