Brian Murphy, Head of Lending for Mortgage Advice Bureau comments on the Halifax House Price Index (October data):

"The Halifax data released this morning points to a modest increase in prices over the last month. So, whilst obvious, it probably bears repeating that growth is still growth, albeit that this is an average rate and therefore doesn't potentially reflect what's actually going on at ground level.

"Looking at the differences over the last month between some of the better performing regions which are seeing average values rise at significantly over the median reported for October, and those which are, conversely seeing demand and conditions slow down, it's clear that there isn't a 'one size fits all' measurement for the housing market at the moment. With the supply of available property and buyer demand varying so much between major conurbations, the counterbalancing effect of the better performing areas is helping to keep the topline reading steady, and it must be said within the forecasts for 2018.

"So, whilst some local markets may not see the usual Autumn sales peak this year, there are likely to be others who will still see the sprint prior to Christmas as potential purchasers rush to get their deal tied before the holiday season as motivated buyers and sellers are still very much in transactional mode."

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