“Average UK house prices nudged up 0.2% in October, continuing the positive momentum of recent months,” Ms Bryden said. “This brought the annual growth rate to 3.9%, slightly lower than in September.

“The average property price has reached a record high of £293,999, surpassing the previous peak of £293,507 set in June 2022, towards the end of the pandemic-era ‘race for space’.”