Homeowners believe house prices will rise 4.5% over the next six months

Owners in Yorkshire and the Humber are the least bullish

The figures from property website Zoopla.co.uk represent the biggest predicted house price increase by UK homeowners in over three years.

The proportion of homeowners who think that house prices will increase this year is also at the highest level for almost three years - 74 per cent of those surveyed believe prices in their area will increase, the most since the middle of 2010.

Only 65 per cent of owners predicted an increase back in December, while just 13 per cent now expect prices to fall over the next six months (down from 19 per cent at the end of 2012).

Owners in Yorkshire and the Humber are the least bullish with only 61 per cent expecting property prices to rise over the next six months compared to the 89 per cent of London homeowners.

“The housing market has seen a number of positive events in recent weeks including the Budget and growing confidence from homeowners is a significant step towards a recovery," said Lawrence Hall of Zoopla.co.uk. "With first-time buyer lending gradually increasing and mortgages becoming more readily available, there is real belief that the property market is starting to turn a corner and finally drag itself out of the hole since the financial crisis.”