The annual house price change now stands at 2.5%. The monthly change for December 2009 was 0.1%, which is the eighth month in a row in which the monthly change has been above zero. This brings the average property value in England and Wales to £161,783.
The number of sales per month has increased since 2008, with an average of 58,000 transactions between July 2009 and October 2009, compared to an average of 46,655 in the same period a year before.
Seven regions in England and Wales experienced increases in their average property values over the last 12 months. The region with the highest annual price change is London with an increase of 6.1%. The region with the most significant annual price fall was Wales with a movement of -2.5%. Both the North East and the West Midlands experienced the greatest monthly rises with movements of 1.9%.
