ECONOMIC CONFIDENCE KEY TO HOUSING MARKET A growing proportion of surveyors believe that economic uncertainty is holding back housing market activity.

This was considered to be a bigger reason than the availability of mortgages and worries about house price falls, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said.

However, the latest Rics survey shows a slight rise in buyer demand and sales in November.

Price changes continue to show regional variations, another survey found.

Subdued New buyer enquiries "increased modestly" for a third consecutive month, the Rics survey showed.

The average number of sales per surveyor branch climbed to 15.

4 in the three months to the end of November, compared with 15 a month earlier.

This was the highest level since last September.

Slightly more surveyors expected sales to increase in the coming months than the number who expected sales to fall.

However, these slight rises were coming after a sustained period of subdued activity.

More surveyors expect prices to fall in the coming months, than the number who expected prices to rise.

Continue reading the main story Annual house price changes England: down 0.

2% Wales: down 0.

5% Scotland: down 1.

5% Northern Ireland: down 12.

1% Source: DCLG, October 2011 "A meaningful recovery still seems some way off," said Alan Collett, Rics' housing spokesman.

House prices The government's own house price index shows a continuing variation in how property values are changing across the country.

Across the UK as a whole, house prices were up 0.

6% in October compared with the previous month, but down 0.

4% on a year earlier, the Department for Communities and Local Government said.

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