Commuter links were cited as a key reason for the East Anglian rate of growth, with prices in the region rising by 2.6 per cent.
Wales' popularity was bolstered by the ever-growing desire for British second homes, sparking an increase of 3.1 per cent.
Elsewhere, London showed the strongest house price growth in December with prices up 17.5 per cent over the last three months.
The average price of a London home is now £420,983 suggesting a renewed resilience to market turbulence felt in other areas of the country.
Whilst new home prices fell by 0.3 per cent in the capital, the South West continued along its robust growth pattern with an increase of 9 per cent.
