The month of December saw house price inflation in New Zealand accelerate again, despite the general expectation that the countrys housing market is set to slow.

Average annual growth in house prices nationally was 15.8% in December, up from 15% in November and 14.5% in October.

While the October figure dipped slightly from the 14.9% annual growth recorded in September, house price growth has otherwise been accelerating each month since the 12.1 per cent annual growth recorded in March last year.

The spokeswoman of the QV Quarterly House Price Index , G enda Whitehead said: "We are still seeing increasing levels of growth in property values across most areas of the country, particularly in regional areas which continue to offer affordable housing and investment options."