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Craps remains one of the most popular games in casinos due to the energy with which it is played, and it conveys an energizing touch, which is allied with risk.

If you have ever asked yourself how to play craps online like a pro, then you are in for a surprise. Let me introduce you to this article where we demystify this interesting game to the readers. In this article, you will learn three modern approaches to take your game to the next level. Proceed to learn how to ramp up the fun and skill of craps through knowledge and strategies that will make you a master at the game.

1. Steps to Get Started

If you are interested in playing craps, it is important to start with the backgrounds to have a good start. Start with understanding the pass line and don’t pass line bets – these are the bets familiar to every player. In the come-out roll, the shooter can get a win by rolling 7 or 11 for pass line bet, and 2, 3, or 12 means “craps” for pass line bettors. If it is rolled a different number appears, the one rolled becomes the ‘point’, and to win the game one must roll the point before a 7 is rolled. Taking the opposite side of the table with a don’t pass line bet is an opposite view as during the game the bettor wins if a 7 is rolled after the point has been established. It’s never a boring game because the roles of numbers are shifting throughout the game.

It is recommended to get acquainted with come and don’t come bets that should be placed after the come-out roll has been made. These bets can be placed during mid- round and you will win if the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 and you will lose if the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12. Start with single odds bets for instance the line and come bets as they have good odd potential and low risk compared to other bets. Once you become more self-assured, it will be good to incorporate odds bets to increase the possibilities of winning big, but evading proposition bets until learning more becomes advisable. Watching it should be sufficient to adjust to speed and learn the progress before putting a bet into the game. When you become the shooter, remember to adhere to proper etiquette: To place a pass or come bet to assume this role, take your dice from the ones available and hope to create a fair roll by striking the back rail. This way understanding some fundamental principles and limitations in the game you will effectively prepare for the craps.

2. Game Manners

Knowledge of game manners at the craps table is crucial to make the game run effectively without any vicissitude among the gamblers. It is a skillfully run game with many casino employees who have their chores in the game. The boxperson is easily distinguishable from other employees because, in compliance with industry standards, they wear a tuxedo; Its responsibilities include supervising the table’s activities and protecting the playing chips. Standing opposite them is the stick person who has mastery of the flow of the game and he helps players make their bets using a long stick to move the dice. Employees who often are posted at the two extremes of the table are responsible for managing the money and paying out the winnings on the stock. Understanding the pass line, the strip located at the outer border of the table, and the “don’t pass” bar is crucial when practicing the initial placing of bets. Players should buy chips by placing their money on the table but not pass it over to dealers, and should wait to join a game by saying something like ‘dealers, deal me in when the disk is flipped to ‘off’.

In a social environment where the craps table is situated, knowledge of manners within the game is necessary for proper playing. From this, the atmosphere of players hoping for a successful line bet or point roll is created, celebrations enforcing the player’s excitement. This loyalty is inherent in craps, but it is right to be polite, especially for those who are wagering against the shooter with a don’t pass or don’t come bet. Staying out of these places is wise to avoid disturbing the overall group fun. Some considerations in the course of betting include: One must handle his/her betting properly by placing the chips on the pass line or directly on the felt or placing the chips into the center of the table and telling the dealer. For purposes of order, cup the hands above the table after placing bets, so as not to move the chips. Make sure that what’s left of your chips is on the rail and try not to knock others’ stack over due to their positioning. However, if some help is required to keep the process going in an orderly and entertaining fashion for all, dealers are prepared to assist.

3. Wagering Triumph

Chances of wagering triumph in craps involve groundwork on probability activities and smart betting plans in the game. Knowing the house edge is crucial; pass and come bets give a tiny house edge of about 1.41%, whereas don’t pass and don’t come bets are even better, having a 1.36% house edge. The likelihood of certain numbers is also important in planning, as 7 comes out most often with 6 and 8 fairly close behind. Another option is the use of field numbers to provide a bigger reward in the case of rolls 2 and 12. Understanding the language used when playing craps facilitates your betting as you learn how to move around the table. Staying away from proposition bets which are highly skewed in the favour of the house is very important if you want to stand a chance of enduring and winning. If one wishes to gain more information, there is always the option of turning to online pointers on probabilities or strategy, and so that your try at craps becomes both fun and entertaining.

Another important step is to study different types of bets and their odds. Inside bets include bets where chips are placed on the four, five, 6, 8, 9, or 10 and enable the player to bet that a certain number will be rolled before a 7 does. Lay bets on the other hand act counter to it by betting on the fact that a seven will roll first. The odds for these bets vary, with favorable options like 5:6 for 6 or 8, meaning that they are easily orchestrated to be a part of a plan and a scheme. Odds bets are of course another layer of opportunity that offer true odds with no house edge and therefore have the potential for significant cash wins. What helps is if players can combine the odds bets with pass-line bets, particularly when it is possible to multiply the odds several times at the casino. However, care should be taken on the high-risk proposition bets, which though can be exciting upon placing, the house has a strong edge. These wagers are decisive, and dealers add to them accordingly, as well as making it clear where a wager ends. Utilizing favorable odds and a careful approach to hazardous bets, players can positively enrich their gameplay and the possibility to win in craps.

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Master the Table: 3 Innovative Ways to Play Craps Like a Pro

Killing Kittens, the UK-based sex party organiser partly backed by the government, is raising funds to fuel its global expansion and develop new ventures, including a permanent venue, cruise ship events, and a gay male-focused enterprise.

KK Group, operating under the Killing Kittens brand, is aiming to meet the growing demand for “meaningful in-person connections” as society shifts back towards social gatherings. The company plans to “scale globally and unify a premium adult market that currently lacks a true leader”.

Having previously hosted events in New York, Killing Kittens will relaunch its services in the city next year, with additional plans to introduce events in Los Angeles, Lisbon, Venice, and Paris.

Co-founder Emma Sayle is seeking to raise new capital from retail investors through a crowdfunding campaign on Seedrs, targeting a valuation of £10.5 million. The funds will support the next phase of the company’s growth strategy.

The presentation also revealed that KK Group, the Business Champion Awards growth business of the year, is in discussions for additional debt financing and has explored strategic expansion opportunities with mergers and acquisitions financiers.

The company identifies the “sex-positive space” as highly fragmented, with numerous smaller platforms like Feeld, Pure, and HUD competing for market share. Sayle confirmed the fundraising plans, expressing a desire to create “a big, open-minded ecosystem for your whole adult life”.

Killing Kittens has already launched a dating app called Wax, reportedly used by “hundreds of thousands” of people as a social media platform. KK Group estimates the niche “sexscape” segment of the dating market to be worth around $345 million.

With over 250,000 members and more than 12,000 annual event attendees, the company currently generates almost 90% of its revenue from the UK. This domestic focus has spurred new ambitions for global expansion.

Founded in 2005, Killing Kittens is venturing into cruise ship events, with its inaugural voyage planned for 2026. The cruise has already generated £350,000 in room revenues within the first eight weeks of sales.

The group is also seeking its first dedicated venue in London to host events, aiming to reduce costs and create new revenue streams. Additionally, it has recently launched KK Homme, a venture catering to gay and bisexual men.

The investor presentation highlighted that KK Group is “a prime acquisition target for larger companies looking to diversify their portfolios”. The company is also considering a public listing on a smaller exchange like AIM to provide future exit opportunities for investors.

In 2022, it was revealed that Killing Kittens became part-owned by the UK government through the Future Fund—a scheme designed to support fast-growing, tech-focused British start-ups during the pandemic. The Future Fund still holds approximately a 1.5% stake in the company.

The Future Fund has had mixed outcomes, with 286 of the 1,192 backed businesses declared insolvent as of 30 September 2024, resulting in a £241 million loss for the government. However, it has also generated £76 million from 74 corporate exits.

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Killing Kittens seeks £10.5m valuation for global expansion of sex party events

Employers are preparing to relocate tens of thousands of British jobs overseas in response to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s recent Budget, leading recruitment experts have warned.

James Reed, chief executive of recruitment giant Reed, revealed that companies are exploring shifting roles to lower-cost countries like India to offset the increased expenses resulting from the “triple whammy” of higher employer National Insurance contributions, a rise in the National Living Wage, and the introduction of stronger union and workers’ rights. Government analysis suggests these new workers’ rights could cost businesses nearly £5 billion annually.

Neil Carberry, chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, echoed these concerns, stating that he has been in discussions with business leaders contemplating offshoring jobs following the Budget announcements. “I have talked to many larger firms where the question has been about offshoring,” he said.

These developments have intensified worries about the Budget’s potential impact on the UK economy. Despite the Chancellor’s emphasis on growth, business leaders and economists caution that the measures could hinder investment, job creation, and wage growth while exacerbating inflation.

Deutsche Bank issued a note to City clients warning that the Budget could result in the loss of 100,000 jobs, both through redundancies and uncreated positions that might have otherwise materialised.

Mr Reed noted that offshoring is becoming a more attractive option for companies facing rising costs. “It’s something that people have on their list of possible things to do, and that has just moved up the agenda because the cost of hiring has gone up,” he explained. He added that while companies may not publicly announce such moves, they “will just quietly happen by stealth.”

He cited an example of a white-collar recruiter planning to move 27 UK jobs to India due to the increased National Insurance burden. “It will certainly be thousands [of jobs]. I think it could be tens of thousands because there are a lot of business services that have that as an option,” Mr Reed estimated.

Sectors most likely to be affected include professional services such as accounting, finance, recruitment, and human resources. “With everything connected digitally now, for services businesses, you can move jobs almost as fast as you can move money,” he said.

The National Insurance increase, set to take effect from April, will raise the rate from 13.8% to 15% and lower the salary threshold at which employers start paying the tax. This change coincides with a higher-than-expected 6.7% rise in the National Living Wage and additional costs from Labour’s Employment Rights Bill.

Industries such as logistics, hospitality, retail, and small manufacturing are expected to be hardest hit by these tax changes. Mr Carberry commented: “In these sectors, automation, offshoring where possible, lower pay rises for those not on the national minimum wage, and higher prices will be used [to offset the impact].”

The offshoring trend raises concerns about rising youth unemployment, which has increased from 12.1% last year to 14.8% among 16 to 24-year-olds. Mr Reed expressed worry about diminishing opportunities for young people entering the workforce.

Despite facing increased costs estimated at millions of pounds for his own company, Mr Reed stated his commitment to keeping jobs in the UK. “We’re very committed to the UK; we’re a UK family business. I don’t want to offshore jobs; I want the jobs to be here,” he affirmed.

A government spokesperson defended the Budget measures, stating: “With our public services crumbling and an inherited £22 billion fiscal black hole from the previous government, we had to make difficult choices to fix the foundations of the country and restore desperately needed economic stability to allow businesses to thrive. By doing this, more than half of employers will either see a cut or no change in their National Insurance bills. There will be £22.6 billion more for the NHS, and workers’ payslips will be protected from higher tax. This government is committed to delivering economic growth by boosting investment and rebuilding Britain.”

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Reeves’s National Insurance hike prompts firms to consider moving jobs abroad

Donald Trump’s proposals to impose hefty tariffs on goods entering the United States could deliver a £20 billion blow to the British economy, analysts have warned.

The President-elect’s plan to levy a 60% tariff on Chinese products sold to American businesses, alongside a 20% tariff on all other imports, “poses challenges” for the UK government, according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).

The CEBR estimates that such measures, if implemented without retaliation, could reduce the UK’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 0.9% by the end of a potential Trump administration. Based on 2023 figures, this equates to a £20 billion hit to the British economy.

Meanwhile, forecasts from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) suggest that even a 10% tariff could cut UK economic growth by 0.7 percentage points.

The CEBR noted that the clearest way to mitigate the impact would be to secure a free-trade agreement with the US, but acknowledged that issues over food standards make this unlikely. Instead, it urged ministers to bolster the UK’s position as a leader in green technology, particularly in light of Trump’s expected rollback of Joe Biden’s flagship Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Economist Sara Pineros said: “The Chancellor faces a pivotal period to act on her pro-growth agenda and position the UK as a competitive destination for investment.

“Ultimately, while US tariffs and rising protectionism pose challenges, other proposals under a new Trump administration also present opportunities for the UK to adapt and thrive.

“Without strengthening its approach, the UK risks taking all the pain associated with a Trump presidency without realising the potential gain.”

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Trump’s tariff plans could cost UK economy £20bn, analysts warn

Begbies Traynor, one of Britain’s leading corporate restructuring firms, anticipates a rise in the number of businesses facing financial distress in the coming months due to the recent budget changes.

The company expects that the Chancellor’s decision to increase employers’ National Insurance contributions will exacerbate cost pressures on businesses already grappling with economic headwinds.

While the increased National Insurance will cost Begbies Traynor approximately £1.25 million annually, the firm believes it may ultimately benefit from the heightened demand for its insolvency and restructuring services. Executive chairman Ric Traynor stated, “Additional headwinds for UK business from increased employment costs and the prospect of higher for longer interest rates are likely to extend the period of elevated insolvency levels, increasing the need for advice and support from our insolvency and business recovery professionals.”

Employing around 1,000 staff across the UK, Begbies Traynor is best known for its insolvency expertise but also offers a range of professional services including accounting, chartered surveying, banking, and legal advice. The firm assists businesses with forensic accounting investigations, commercial property valuations, and corporate restructurings.

During the pandemic, government support schemes kept many struggling businesses afloat, resulting in a slower period for insolvency and administration cases. However, the past 18 months have seen a surge in Begbies Traynor’s workload due to rising interest rates and a cooling global economy. Notable administrations handled by the firm over the past year include Worcester Warriors rugby club and the stationery retailer Paperchase. It also managed the receivership of Britishvolt’s electric battery site in Northumberland.

To meet increasing demand, Begbies Traynor has expanded its team of insolvency specialists. In the first half of its current financial year, from May to October, the company’s revenue and pre-tax profit rose by 16% compared to the same period last year, reaching approximately £77 million and £11.5 million, respectively. Traynor remarked that the six months represented a “very good start,” with growth driven by “positive momentum across the group.”

The board expressed confidence in meeting market expectations for the full year, with analysts forecasting an adjusted pre-tax profit of around £23.7 million. This would mark the eleventh consecutive year of profit growth for the firm.

Industry analysts are also optimistic. Jamie Murray of Shore Capital commented, “Insolvency volumes are at elevated levels compared to the pre-Covid zero interest rate environment. We expect this to be sustained for longer, given the impact the budget will have on UK businesses. This should be beneficial for Begbies’ business recovery and advisory business.”

However, Murray adjusted his profit forecasts for 2026 and 2027 downward by 5%, citing the additional National Insurance contributions the firm will have to pay from next April. On Monday morning, Begbies Traynor’s shares edged down by 0.6% to 93p, valuing the company at £150 million.

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Begbies Traynor predicts surge in insolvencies following budget impact

Claims for multibillion-pound business tax incentives are more likely to be non-compliant when submitted with the assistance of specialist agents, according to an official review by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

An inquiry into research and development (R&D) tax credits—schemes intended to encourage innovation but undermined by fraud and error—found that behaviour among some agents was “clearly not acceptable”.

In its review of incentives for business innovation, HMRC estimated that fraud and error in these taxpayer-funded schemes amounted to £4.1 billion between 2020 and April this year. The tax reliefs, designed to support companies working on science and technology projects, cost the UK about £8 billion annually.

A 2022 investigation by The Times revealed how advisers were encouraging companies to make dubious claims, many of which went unchecked by HMRC. Examples included claims for creating a vegan menu in a pub.

In response, HMRC has increased scrutiny on claims and implemented several reforms to the scheme’s rules. A document published alongside last month’s budget stated that data from a “mandatory random inquiry programme” found that almost one in three claims in its sample were “fully disallowed” because “no qualifying R&D took place”.

Overall, HMRC estimated that in 2021-22, over one in four claims under the scheme for small and medium-sized enterprises were due to fraud and error. By the most recent financial year, this figure had improved to about one in seven.

While agents are expected to help companies file accurate claims, HMRC’s inquiries revealed that “non-compliance was slightly higher in those claims that were submitted with the support of a specialist R&D agent”.

HMRC acknowledges the “vital role” agents play but noted that some “provide poor or incorrect advice to customers about what they are entitled to claim. This can lead to spurious R&D tax relief claims being submitted by customers themselves or by agents on their behalf, thereby increasing non-compliance”.

The review identified several sectors where “R&D is unlikely” but which were being “approached by unscrupulous agents”. These include care homes, childcare providers, personal trainers, wholesalers, retailers, pubs, and restaurants. Error was said to be a bigger problem than fraud.

To address this, HMRC has been running education campaigns, writing to thousands of companies to explain the qualifying criteria for R&D tax credits.

Companies in sectors traditionally associated with R&D investment have reported difficulties obtaining incentives since HMRC’s crackdown. Research by RSM UK, the accountancy and audit firm, found that more than a third of technology businesses had submitted an R&D claim that was initially approved but later challenged by HMRC, resulting in companies needing to make repayments.

David Blacher, partner at RSM UK, commented: “The increased focus on weeding out erroneous claims has been detrimental to those genuinely in need of funding.”

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HMRC targets specialist agents in crackdown on R&D tax credit fraud

London-based tech firm Goodstack has secured £22 million in venture capital funding, positioning it to facilitate £2.4 billion in employee donations to good causes this year.

The company, whose platform is utilised by major corporations such as HSBC, LinkedIn, and design software firm Canva, has been quietly investing the capital raised from San Francisco-based General Catalyst and other investors to achieve its ambitious goal.

Founded in 2015 by university friends Henry Ludlam, 33, and Stefan Greer, 34, Goodstack was originally known as Percent. It initially enabled retailers to reward student purchases by directing a small percentage back to their chosen campus teams or clubs. However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the duo identified an opportunity to revolutionise corporate philanthropy by simplifying the process for employees to donate to vetted charities, schools, and non-profits worldwide.

“We have 13 million in our database,” Ludlam said, emphasising that all organisations have been thoroughly verified. Goodstack generates revenue by providing companies with access to its platform, typically leaving employee donations free of charges except for transaction fees levied by card issuers. “As a general rule, we try to get the corporates to cover the cost,” he added.

Unlike well-known charitable platforms such as JustGiving, GoFundMe, and Crowdfunder—which take a percentage fee and encourage donors to leave optional tips—Goodstack’s model focuses on corporate partnerships to minimise costs for individual donors.

The platform has facilitated a surge in donations to charities including the Red Cross, Cancer Research UK, and Oxfam, as well as to disaster relief efforts in response to events like tropical cyclone Carina in the Philippines and recent floods in Spain. From processing $50,000 in donations in 2020, Goodstack handled $1 billion last year and is on track to manage $3 billion this year.

“There was a massive gap in the market for doing something like us,” Ludlam noted. “All the current players were very locally focused. No one had built the one layer of software that makes it as easy to give in America as it is in Vietnam, South Africa, or Fiji.”

Ludlam and Greer met during their first year at Manchester University, sharing a flat in Oak House, Fallowfield. The company now employs 60 people and the founders retain a “significant minority” shareholding, having raised a total of $33 million in venture capital. Nationwide Building Society was an early investor but has since divested its stake.

General Catalyst, which first invested in 2021, has a track record of backing high-growth tech firms, including Airbnb, Irish payments giant Stripe, and social messaging service Snap at early stages of their development.

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Goodstack raises £22m as corporate giving platform targets £2.4bn in employee donations

Female board members at FTSE 100 companies are paid 69% less than their male counterparts, underscoring the persistent gender pay gap at the highest levels of British business.

According to research by Fox & Partners, the employment and partnership law specialists, women in board roles took home an average of £335,953 last year, compared with £1,073,445 for men. While this marks a slight improvement from a 70% gap in 2022, it remains significantly wider than the 13.1% gender pay gap across the broader UK labour market, as reported by the Office for National Statistics in April 2024.

Catriona Watt, partner at Fox & Partners, said: “It’s encouraging to see the gender pay gap has slightly shrunk over the past year for directors of the UK’s largest businesses, but obviously the figures show that there is still a considerable way to go.”

A key factor contributing to the disparity is the concentration of women in non-executive director positions. The research found that 91% of female directors hold non-executive roles, which typically come with less responsibility and lower remuneration compared to full-time executive positions. In contrast, men are more frequently appointed to higher-paying executive roles and senior non-executive positions such as chair.

Among executive directors, the pay gap stands at 29.8%, with female executives earning an average of £2,332,334 compared to £3,150,424 for their male counterparts. Women also earn less in non-executive roles, with female non-executive directors paid an average of £127,593, while men receive £191,381—a gap of 40%.

Women remain underrepresented in the most senior positions within the UK’s largest listed companies. Currently, only nine FTSE 100 companies are led by female chief executives, including Margherita Della Valle at Vodafone and Dame Emma Walmsley at GSK. Allison Kirkby recently became the most recent female chief executive after taking the helm at BT.

“We noted several years ago that listed companies were achieving boardroom gender diversity almost exclusively by appointing women to non-exec roles rather than executive roles,” Watt observed. “That flattered their figures but meant that women were still largely excluded from the arguably most important and most highly paid corporate jobs.”

However, there are signs of progress. The number of female executive directors increased to 43 in 2023, up from 39 the previous year. Watt emphasised that the UK’s leading companies should continue to invest in promoting female opportunities, mentoring, and cultural change to make “a significant impact on the gender pay gap”

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Female FTSE 100 board members earn 69% less than male counterparts

Evri, the UK’s third-largest parcel delivery company, has more than doubled its annual pre-tax profits, achieving £119 million for the 53 weeks ending February.

The surge follows a “record year” for deliveries, with parcel volumes up 14.9 per cent to over 730 million, buoyed by a £32 million investment in customer service and rising demand for online second-hand goods.

The company, formerly known as Hermes, saw revenues climb 15.2 per cent to £1.7 billion, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by a third to £292 million. These figures highlight a remarkable turnaround after a difficult 2022, during which Evri faced backlash for delayed Christmas deliveries, citing staff shortages, Royal Mail strikes, and adverse weather as contributing factors.

Chief executive Martijn de Lange credited the company’s success to strategic investments and strengthened retailer partnerships. “The company’s best ever year was underpinned by significant investment in our operations and customer service, as well as deepening our relationships with retailers and forging new partnerships,” he said.

Evri, now owned by Apollo Global Management following a £2.7 billion acquisition in July, continues to expand. Revenues for the first half of the new financial year reached £865 million, a 10.6 per cent year-on-year rise.

The UK remains Europe’s busiest parcel delivery market, with forecasts predicting a 10 per cent year-on-year increase in parcels delivered over the festive period. Research from FedEx and Effigy Consulting anticipates 1.29 billion parcels will be delivered in the UK during the final three months of the year, outpacing Germany’s 1.08 billion and France’s 524 million.

Evri is preparing for this seasonal surge, with its strong performance positioning the company well to meet growing demand. Despite group-level pre-tax losses narrowing to £10.5 million from £43.2 million last year—attributed to financing costs and one-off charges—Evri’s operational growth cements its role as a key player in the UK’s parcel delivery market.

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Evri doubles profits after record year for parcel deliveries

Asking prices for homes in the UK dropped sharply in November, with the average price of newly listed properties falling 1.4 per cent to £366,592, according to Rightmove.

The decline, which exceeds the long-term November average of 0.8 per cent, comes as “pre-budget jitters turned into post-budget disappointment” following stamp duty hikes and a lack of support for first-time buyers.

The downturn was most pronounced in the “top-of-the-ladder” segment, with prices for larger homes such as five-bedroom and detached four-bedroom properties falling by 3.3 per cent.

Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s head of property data, attributed the larger-than-usual seasonal slowdown to a mix of political and economic uncertainty. “There’s been a lot for home-movers to process over the past few weeks, and the market seems to still be digesting it,” he said.

Despite the current slump, the Bank of England’s recent interest rate cuts are beginning to stimulate demand. Rightmove has observed an early uptick in buyer activity, which it predicts will lead to stronger market performance in 2025. The property platform forecasts asking prices to rise by 4 per cent next year, the highest expected growth since the post-lockdown boom of 2021.

So far in 2024, asking prices are up 1.2 per cent year-on-year, aligning with Rightmove’s forecast for a modest 1 per cent annual gain as the market naturally slows into December.

Interest rate reductions have also brought more buyers back into the market. Compared to this time last year, there has been a 23 per cent increase in active house hunters and a 26 per cent rise in agreed sales. Meanwhile, the number of sellers is up 6 per cent year-on-year, hitting the highest level in a decade.

While the surge in supply poses challenges for price growth, Bannister remains optimistic that lower mortgage rates will boost affordability and buyer confidence. However, he warned sellers to remain realistic. “The speed at which mortgage rates come down next year will play a key role in determining activity during the traditionally busy spring and summer periods,” he said. “Sellers will need to price competitively to secure buyers in a market with an abundance of choice.”

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House prices dip amid post-budget disappointment as market eyes brighter 2025