The latest Hometrack survey of the national housing market shows average house prices unchanged over the month of November.

It is the first time in 16 months that the survey of 7,500 agents across over 2,200 postcode districts has recorded anything other than a fall in average prices.

The average price of a home in the UK stood at £160,700, not far below a peak of £167,700 pounds recorded by Hometrack’s surveylast summer.

“Over November average house prices remained unchanged in 84% of postcode districts covered by the survey whilst prices moved higher in just 4% of postcode districts. Most of the price rises were seen in the south of England, particularly in parts of inner London” said Richard Donnell, Director of Research at Hometrack.

On the back of renewed buyer interest and higher mortgage approvals over the summer, agents reported a 4% rise in the number of sales agreed over November. This improvement in sales activity fits with a decline in both the number of viewings per sale and the proportion of sales falling through between an offer being accepted and exchange of contracts. Furthermore, the recent pick up in sales activity has resulted in the first decline in the numbers of properties available for sale for well over a year. However, “the number of buyers registering with agents fell by -0.7% over November and is a trend that is set to continue as we move into December and in the run up to Christmas”, Donnell added.

Whilst the second half of 2005 has seen something of an improvement in market sentiment, would-be buyers are still highly price and quality sensitive. The proportion of the asking price that vendors are achieving has remained at around 93% for the last 12 months. This proportion rose over October to 93.4% and has remained unchanged over November. Further evidence of price sensitive buyers is highlighted by the fact that the average time taken to sell a property remains historically high at 8 weeks. Until there is clearer evidence of improving levels of demand then it is set to remain a buyers’ market.

Over November, average house prices fell in four out of the ten regions. This is an improvement on October when house prices fell in eight out of ten regions. Regions which have gone from negative growth to no growth over the last month are the South West, Yorkshire and Humberside and Wales.

In London agents reported that average house prices rose by 0.1%. This is the first time that the survey has reported a rise in the average regional house price since April 2005. Within London most of the growth was seen in the inner London boroughs around the key employment centres of Canary Wharf, the City and West End.