63% of those surveyed by Rightmove expect house prices to be the same or higher 12 months from now, with 31% expecting prices to be lower.

Rightmove’s latest Consumer Price Forecast, which polled more than 25,000 respondents, found that people did not expect the global economic gloom to affect UK house prices.

Miles Shipside, director of Rightmove said: “The public’s belief in the value of bricks and mortar seems to defy the deteriorating economic situation. This is a clear message that the majority of consumers view the property asset class to be as ‘safe as houses’ in these times of economic uncertainty.””