Prime Central London's housing market has secured an unexpected reprieve, with estate agents reporting a flurry of activity as buyers rush to complete transactions ahead of anticipated tax changes in the Autumn Budget. After more than two years of falling values, thinning transaction volumes and a well-documented exodus of wealthy residents, this uptick offers a moment of relief for a market that has arguably underperformed every other segment of UK housing since 2022. But the consensus among agents and analysts is unambiguous: this is a short-term spike driven by fear of what comes next, not evidence of a durable recovery.