HOUSE prices achieved by vendors are at their highest in summer, with prices climbing £1,461 per degree as spring arrives, says a new study.

The research for national estate agents Springbok Properties has looked at the seasonal impact of the property market.

Using Land Registry data, researchers explored the difference in sold prices over the four seasons, and what impact rising temperatures have on the prices paid by buyers.

Warmer weather and longer evenings bring a surge in market activity, but the seasonal changes also make for a higher average sold price.

In winter last year the average was £291,810, increasing to £293,347 as spring arrived.

This increased further to £301,321 over the summer season before falling to £289,833 during the autumn.

Figures showed a direct link between prices cooling between January and February as the average temperature also dipped.

Then between February and July consistent rises in the average monthly temperature also coincided with consistent increases in the average sold price of property.

As the temperatures lowered from August through to December, so too did the average sold price.

Prices went up £1,461 for every degree increase in warmth, with a drop of £2,838 for every degree colder.

Founder and CEO of Springbok Properties, Shepherd Ncube, said: “The seasonality of the national property market is widely discussed as patterns of buyer and seller behaviour dictate market activity and ultimately the price achieved.

"However, it seems that something as external to the property as temperature itself also has a direct correlation.

"With spring now officially sprung, we should start to see the Brexit price growth freeze thaw, but for those that remain sat on the fence until a higher degree of certainty returns to the market, holding out until summer could see them achieve that little bit extra as temperatures continue to rise."