DESPITE some forecasts of a forthcoming fall in the rate of house price rises, the market remained busy throughout August, says the National Association of Estate Agents. The NAEA's market trends survey of its members revealed that 80 per cent said that business levels were either the same or better than the same time last year.

NAEA chief executive, Hugh Dunsmore-Hardy, said: "People need to move for many reasons, not just to cash in house price hikes. They need more space for growing families, to downsize as children move out or to move for work or for leisure reasons.

"Far from grinding to a halt, activity in the market remains at a healthy level with vendors being realistic about selling prices and buyers seemingly confident that they are making a wise purchase and that the 'negative equity' scenarios that haunted the early 1990s will not return."

The survey also revealed that detached and semi-detached properties are top of the list of properties required for sale by estate agents. The survey revealed that house prices are on average around 11 per cent higher than a year ago.