Sealed bids are ever more common as house prices stay sky-high in Elmbridge, with the average cost of an Esher home rocketing by nearly a third in 2006.

According to newly-released figures from the Land Registry, Esher's desirability has soared with the average house in KT10 selling at £639,183 between October and December 2006.

This is a third higher than the cost during the same period in 2005, although the number of sales during each period was about the same. Higher prices for detached houses in Esher had a 50 per cent rise in sales in the KT10/9 postcode area, which have pushed up the average rate of growth.

Weybridge showed more fluctuation with house prices in KT13 showing a drop of 12 per cent - falling from an average £509,782 in late 2005 from 194 sales down to £448,998 from 171 sales in late 2006. But a few months earlier in July to September 2006, the market was booming with 237 sales and a huge average price of £516,910.

Property developer Antler Homes is certainly confident, this week marketing two five-bedroom houses in Heathside Place, March Road, Weybridge, to parents who want to be in the catchment area of foundation school Heathside, which is 100m away. They are on sale for £950,000.

Peter Bolton from Helas Wolf said: "We have had a great deal of interest in this development because of the lack of detached family homes for sale in the area."