House sales jump again as sellers lower prices The 0.1pc fall in house prices in October - the third month in a row they have fallen - was mainly down to sellers re-pricing homes that have failed to attract buyers, rather than a significant fall in demand, according to the confidence index from property analyst Hometrack. Hometrack said it expects estate agents to continue pushing through as many sales as possible towards the end of the year as demand from buyers tails off. However, year-on-year, house prices are currently registering the lowest level of price falls for two years, it said. This was put down to a strong spring market, when the ending of a stamp duty concession for first-time buyers prompted a rush of sales, as well as prices starting to firm up in the northern regions. The number of registered buyers increased by 0.3pc in October following four months of falling demand, but this was driven by a 3.9pc jump in London. The average time it takes to sell a house in Britain is 10 weeks.