The property firm found that homeowners in all areas of the UK expect recent price rises will continue. Those in eastern England and the South East were the most optimistic.

Yorkshire and the Humber was home to the most pessimistic owners, with fewer expecting prices to rise than anywhere else.

Knight Frank found 5.9% of households expect to buy a property in the next year. A further 6.4% said they would buy between one year and two years.

By region, those in the South West were most likely to move in the next year, with 8.1% of people in this region planning to switch homes. Wales (7%) and the East Midlands (6.8%) were also above the national average.

Gráinne Gilmore, head of UK residential research at Knight Frank, said a lack of suitable housing stock was forcing prices upwards in much of the country.

“UK price sentiment remains in positive territory, and has stayed broadly stable since the election in
May,” she said.

“Overall, households expect prices to rise over the next 12 months, with eight times as many households anticipating a rise in the value of their home as anticipating a decline. Sentiment is being underpinned by the improving economy, with positive employment data as well as wage growth boosting buyer confidence.

“At the same time a shortage of stock on the market is serving, in some cases, to put upward pressure on prices. Again the north-south divide is in evident in the outlook for prices.”