House prices across England and Wales edged up 1% between July and August to stand at £177,824.

While the Land Registry’s August report reflects deals done well before then, the more up-to-date Hometrack report says that house prices did not move in September – the first time in 19 months that they have stayed static.

The Land Registry said that in August, annual house price inflation was 8.4%.

In London, house prices rose 2.7% over the month, and by 21.6% over the year, to reach an average of £467,070.

House prices did not rise everywhere – falling, for example, by 0.4% in Cheshire West and Chester, and by 1.7% in Conwy in the month.

Prices also fell 0.1% in Hartlepool on a monthly basis, and by 4.8% over the year.

The Land Registry is continuing to show a marked pick-up in transactions.

Between March and June this year, sales ran at an average of 71,426 per month, compared with 59,556 per month for the same period last year. In June itself there were 73,158 sales, compared with 66,123 in June 2013.

In London, there were sharp falls in transactions in lower priced homes – down 29% for homes costing £100,001 to £150,000, down 28% for homes costing up to £200,000, down 19% for homes costing up to £250,000, and down 10% for homes costing up to £300,000.

In all the other price bands in London, the number of transactions soared – the highest percentage rise being 44% for properties costing from £600,001 to £800,000.

Across England and Wales generally, transactions in all price bands rose – but by far less in the cheaper bands. There was only an 11% rise in transactions in homes costing between £200,001 and £250,000, but a 28% rise in sales of homes costing between £500,001 and £600,000, for example.

Meanwhile, Hometrack said that the housing market had been cooling since May, with prices completely stalled this month.

It said that demand fell by 2.1%, with sales agreed down by 1.6%.

Richard Donnell, director of research at Hometrack, said: “There’s a distinct chill in the air: after a strong run over the last 18 months, the momentum of house price rises has started to turn, with growth now at a standstill for the first time since January 2013.”