Are you living in a hot spot? Our property map reveals a patchwork Britain with some areas rising while many are still cooling | Mail Online

Are you living in a hot spot? Our property map reveals a patchwork Britain with some areas rising while many are still cooling | Mail Online

Each month a mountain of house price information is published by banks, building societies, Government agencies and other organisations. But getting an accurate snapshot of the market is hard, especially when – as now – there are vast differences between regions and property types.

Forecasters were last week predicting a ‘double-dip’, with house prices set to slump again. Others foresee a gradual, five-year slide with prices dropping until 2015. A minority are more optimistic.

But what all agree on is how fragmented the market is. Houses in certain London boroughs and other regional hot spots are selling within days, sometimes at prices above the asking price.