The patchy state of the housing market has been in evidence again as official figures showed the latest annual price increase in England was partly driven by a rise in the West Midlands.
Nationally, prices rose in England, Scotland and Wales in the year to August, but showed their sharpest fall in Northern Ireland in more than a year.
Across the UK, prices increased by 1.8% year-on-year in August to average £234,000, with annual rises of 2.1% in England to typically reach £242,000, 0.5% in Scotland to average £184,000 and 1.4% in Wales to reach £161,000, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
But prices in Northern Ireland continued to plummet in a long-running trend, with a 12.8% annual decrease recorded, taking prices to £129,000 on average, the biggest percentage drop it has seen since May last year.
Such is the relative strength of London and the South East in holding the market up, house prices would have remained unchanged across the UK if these regions were not included in the figures, the ONS report showed.
Across the UK, prices have risen year-on-year for five months in a row, and they also recorded a small 0.1% increase month-on-month, following a flat July.
The annual price increase in England was driven by a 6.3% rise in London and increases of 2.4% in the South East and 1.2% in the West Midlands.
The South West saw an annual fall of 0.7%, while the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber recorded decreases of 0.5%.
Independent buying agent Gabby Adler said: While parts of the country are undoubtedly quiet, in London prices continue to rise and will do until more properties come onto the market. In areas where there is high demand, houses are achieving much more than the asking price.
Overall, it is fair to say that there is still a distinct lack of confidence and until it returns, house prices on the whole will be flat and bump along the bottom, give or take a few significant variations from region to region.
