Workers rush to sell expensive homes

Its asking price index also shows the number of homes worth between £750,000 and £1million being put up for sale doubled over the past month.

The report blames the surge of expensive homes coming onto the market for a small rise in London asking prices last month.

Commercial director of Rightmove Miles Shipside, said: “Such an influx of properties in a higher value band in no way suggests a price recovery, merely a degree of distress among those seeking a higher asking price.

“Those employed in the financial services sector have been especially hard-hit by employment uncertainty and job losses. A natural casualty is their homes.

"City workers and investors often own smart apartments near Canary Wharf and these coming to market explains the jump.�

And the rise has remained London specific with asking prices in the rest of the country down 2.3per cent in November.

Around 68,000 sellers cut the price they hoped their home would fetch by an average £4,829 nationwide, to try to achieve a sale before Christmas.

The national average asking price has fallen by £14,888 or 6.3 per cent in the past year according to figures from the website.