Property prices to finish year stronger than they started

Homeowners considering adding a conservatory to their property might be glad to hear their residence might be worth more at the end of the year than it was at the start.

A recent Ratedpeople.com study found adding a glazed extension to an abode can boost its value by five per cent.

However, separate research from Nationwide found "there is now a reasonable chance that prices could end the year slightly higher than where they started".

It showed values were up by 1.3 per cent in July, compared to the previous month, putting the average cost of a home at £158,871.

Assetz chief executive Stuart Law explained the lender was likely correct in its view that prices would finish the year higher than they began.

He explained his companys forecast is for "five to ten per cent growth for 2009 as a whole".

Mr Law added "there are many risks to this happening but at the same time there are many good reasons why it will happen".