The British Bankers' Association (BBA) has reported that the number of new mortgages for house buyers approved by its members, but not yet lent, rose again in November to 33,634.
The BBA said this was an indication that sales were returning to last year’s lending levels.
Over the past 12 months the number of completed house sales has grown by 6 per cent, according to recent figures from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
The figures showed sales of 91,000 in November, the largest monthly total since December 2009.
November’s figure was 7,000, more than in October and also 10,000 more than in the same month in 2011.
Some industry experts, such as the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), have suggested that activity may pick up further in 2013, helped by the government's Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) which is channelling cheap funds to banks and building societies, so they can lend more money to businesses and households.
Mark Harris, of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, said: "Record low interest rates have resulted in some of the cheapest mortgages we have ever seen so it is no surprise that lending volumes are slowly ticking up month by month."
"However, the biggest barrier to home ownership remains the deposit, as first-time buyers struggle to drum up the tens of thousands of pounds required to get on the housing ladder.”
"Funding for Lending should make this easier next year. It is no overnight solution... yet early signs are encouraging," he added.
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