House prices virtually static - Halifax

But the annual rate, at 9.1%, is the highest for 14 months, the average house price now stands at £178,997. The banks says that, as expected, technical factors - specifically that corresponding figures last year were weak - and recent momentum in the housing market caused house price inflation to pick up in early 2006. But, it adds, the much stronger pattern of house price growth in the second half of 2005 compared with the first half should mean that annual house price growth moderates during the second half of 2006. Halifax argues there are signs that housing market activity may be beg...