The price of a typical home rose by 0.2% in February 2013, but was unchanged compared with February 2012.

The typical UK home is now worth £162,638, according to the Nationwide House Price Index.

Commenting on the figures, Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist, said, “For the second month in a row UK house prices remained flat in annual terms, maintaining the trend of broad stability that has been evident over the past two years.”

“While activity in the housing market remains subdued by historic standards, there have been tentative signs of a pick-up in recent months.  The Funding for Lending Scheme has achieved some success in bringing down mortgage rates, with encouraging signs of an improvement in credit availability.

“While the economic backdrop remains challenging, there are reasons for cautious optimism that activity will gather momentum in the months ahead. In particular, employment is rising at the fastest pace since the late 1990s which, if maintained, should help support demand for homes.

“However, progress is likely to be gradual, as stubbornly high inflation will continue to exert pressure on household budgets. Moreover, buyer confidence is likely to remain fragile until there are signs that the wider economic recovery is firmly entrenched.”