Despite the growing crisis over the eurozone, Britain's housing market confounded the doom merchants and proved remarkably resilient during October, surveys from lenders and estate agents reveal.

Halifax claims UK house prices rose 1.2% in October to an average £163,300, while Nationwide Building Society reports a 0.4% rise to £165,650.

In August 2007, when the market peaked, Halifax showed an average price of £199,600, which sank to £154,700 in April 2009.

Halifax housing economist Martin Ellis says: "The housing market proved highly resilient in recent months despite the weak economic recovery and deterioration in the outlook for both the UK and global economies. Both prices and activity levels are expected to remain close to current levels over the coming few months."

The Housing Market Survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) claims that October saw a bounce back in newly agreed sales from a low point in September - and the number of homes for sale on agents' books also rose slightly.

Although the RICS admits that London is the only region still recording price rises, it claims that "new buyer inquiries and sales expectations appear to be edging upwards across rather more of the country".