House prices have risen for the third month in a row, according to new figures from Halifax. The bank said the average cost of a UK home was £287,105 in December. The figure is up 1.1% from the month before and is also the highest level since March 2023. Halifax's director of mortgages, Kim Kinnaird, said the market also beat expectations in 2023, growing by 1.7% on an annual basis. However, this differs from analysis by other lenders. A similar report by Nationwide last week reported that average prices fell by 1.8% over the course of the year, with no change month-on-month. Money blog: Calculate how your take-home pay is changing…
