Home asking prices rise to new high

%VIRTUAL-SkimlinksPromo%House sellers' asking prices rose by 8.9% in the year to May, meaning the average property is on sale at a new record high of £272,003.

The annual rate crept closer to the 10.4% seen in October 2007 while a month-on-month increase of 3.6%, or £9,409, was the highest ever seen for the time of year.