Sussex property news: official prices fall in Worthing, Brighton and Chichester, rents split, and mortgage deals last 13 days (24 October 2026)
The official UK House Price Index for August, published on 21 October, puts Worthing's average price 5.0% below a year earlier, the steepest annual fall of any Sussex district. Brighton and Hove, Chichester and both county averages are also down, while Crawley and Lewes are up 1.5%.
The same release carried September rent figures showing Brighton and Worthing rents slightly lower than a year ago while Horsham, Lewes and Mid Sussex rose by more than 4%. Rightmove's October asking prices and new Moneyfacts data on how quickly mortgage deals are being pulled complete the week.
Worthing prices are 5.0% lower than a year ago, and most of Sussex is down
HM Land Registry's UK House Price Index for August 2026 gives Worthing an average of £299,075, against £314,979 in August 2025, a fall of 5.0%. Brighton and Hove averaged £408,240, down 2.1% from £416,969, and Chichester £428,364, down 2.7%.
- West Sussex: £373,470, down 1.4%
- East Sussex: £315,247, down 1.0%
- Horsham: £441,491, down 0.5%; Mid Sussex: £431,904, down 0.8%; Arun: £320,505, down 1.2%; Adur: £378,990, flat
- Eastbourne: £255,642, down 0.7%; Hastings: £238,780, down 2.5%; Rother: £335,680, down 1.9%; Wealden: £380,679, down 1.6%
- Crawley: £332,097, up 1.5%; Lewes: £374,305, up 1.5%
Nationally, prices rose 0.9% to £273,000 in the year to August, and England was up 0.4% to £294,000. The ONS said annual house price inflation was negative in both London and the South East. August figures are provisional, and the Land Registry warns that local authorities with low numbers of sales can be volatile month to month, so a single month's figure for a district such as Worthing should be read against the longer trend.
Sources: HM Land Registry, UK House Price Index England: August 2026, 21 October 2026, ONS, Private rent and house prices, UK: October 2026, 21 October 2026.
Brighton and Worthing rents dip while Horsham and Lewes rise by about 5%
The ONS Price Index of Private Rents for September 2026 puts the average Brighton and Hove rent at £1,816 a month, 0.8% lower than a year earlier. Worthing's average of £1,300 is down 0.6%.
Elsewhere in Sussex rents are still rising: Lewes up 5.4% to £1,343, Horsham up 4.8% to £1,490, Mid Sussex up 4.3% to £1,436, Arun up 3.7% to £1,240, Chichester up 3.5% to £1,340, Crawley up 3.2% to £1,495 and Eastbourne up 1.9% to £1,174. Across the South East rents rose 3.5%, the joint lowest rate of any English region with London, against 4.0% for England, where the average rent is £1,466.
Sources: ONS, Price Index of Private Rents monthly price statistics dataset, 21 October 2026, ONS, Private rent and house prices, UK: October 2026.
Rightmove: South East asking prices rise 0.9% in October to £475,582
Rightmove's October index, released on 19 October and covering homes listed from 13 September to 10 October, puts the average South East asking price at £475,582, up 0.9% on the month but 0.9% lower than a year ago. Homes in the region take an average of 74 days to find a buyer.
Nationally, new listings rose 1.0% (£3,575) to £371,015, leaving prices virtually flat on a year earlier (down 0.1%). Rightmove's tracker put the average two-year fix at 5.55%, from 5.29% a month earlier and 4.25% before the war in Iran began in February, adding around £250 a month to the average new mortgage payment since then. Sales agreed were 8% lower than a year ago, buyer enquiries 9% lower, and the number of homes for sale is the highest for the time of year since 2014.
Mortgage deals now stay on sale for an average of 13 days
Moneyfacts' UK Mortgage Trends Treasury Report, published on 19 October, found the average mortgage product stayed on the market for 13 days in October, down from 14 days in September, as swings in swap rates led lenders to reprice or withdraw deals. The record low was eight days in April, after the start of the US-Iran conflict. The average for 2026 so far is 16 days, against 20 days in 2025 and 43 days in 2019.
Moneyfacts Compare reported on 21 October that many of the lowest fixed residential rates rose again that week. Its lowest listed remortgage rate on that date was HSBC's two-year fix at 4.99% for borrowers with a 60% loan-to-value, with a £999 fee.
Sources: Moneyfacts Group, 19 October 2026, Moneyfacts Compare, 21 October 2026.
What this means for Sussex movers
Buyers in Worthing, Brighton and Chichester are dealing in a market where the official sold-price averages are below last year's, and Rightmove shows South East sellers taking an average of 74 days to find a buyer, so there is room to negotiate on price. Sellers in Crawley and Lewes have held value better on the August figures.
With deals lasting 13 days on average, a mortgage offer or agreement in principle can be overtaken quickly: secure the rate before committing to a purchase timeline. Tenants in Brighton and Worthing have seen rents edge down, while those renewing in Horsham, Lewes or Mid Sussex face rises of more than 4%. The Budget is on 28 October; the next official house price release, for September, is on 18 November.