HOUSE prices in Tendring have risen in the past year with some sellers even beating their asking prices, as the market starts to recover.

A report by market researchers Hometrack found that across Essex house prices rose 5.3 per cent in the past year.

They claim Tendring has only seen a 0.2 per cent increase, but estate agents in the district claim it has been the best year for sales since the recession kicked in seven years ago.

Rising house prices have sparked fears that the Government’s Help to Buy scheme is pushing up prices and creating a new property bubble.

But estate agents in Clacton claim the scheme has had little impact.

Jack Chandler, of Spicer McColl, said: “I would say that house prices have definitely gone up. We have seen properties with a lot higher asking prices being sold and some have even done better than that.

“It has been the best year in Clacton since 2007 and a record year on house sales.

“The general consensus is that Help to Buy has not helped too much in the area. Most of the people here are often looking to retire and buying bungalows.

“Speaking to colleagues and friends elsewhere, I think people may be latching on to it further afield in places like London and helping move the market on."