Average house prices remained broadly stable in May, down just 0.1% on a monthly basis.

This actually took the annual rate of house price growth to 1.5%, from +1.1% in April.

The typical UK home now costs £288,688.

The data comes from the Halifax. Its head of mortgages, Amanda Bryden, comments: “Market activity remained resilient throughout the spring months, supported by strong nominal wage growth and some evidence of an improvement in confidence about the economic outlook. 

“This has been reflected in a broadly stable picture in terms of property price movements, with the average cost of a property little changed over the last three months.

“A period of relative stability in both house prices and interest rates should give a degree of confidence to both buyers and sellers. While homebuyers and those remortgaging will continue to respond to changes in borrowing costs, set against a backdrop of a limited supply of available properties, the market is unlikely to see huge fluctuations in the near term.”

The Halifax says the North West is the strongest performing nation or region in the UK, where house prices grew +3.8% on an annual basis in May. The average price of a property in the North West is now £232,258. 

Northern Ireland continues to show strong annual growth, up +3.2% in May, pulling back slightly from +3.3% in April.

House prices in Scotland also increased, with a typical property now costing £204,952, +1.9% more than the year before. In Wales, house prices grew annually by +0.7% to £219,483 (vs +1.1% in April).

Eastern England recorded the largest decline in annual growth across the UK. House prices there now average £329,853, down -0.8% in May on an annual basis.

Unsurprisingly, London continues to have the most expensive average price tag, now at £536,821, up marginally (+0.2%) compared to last year.