Kettering in Northamptonshire is Britain’s house price black spot for 2011.
The country town returned a 15% fall in house prices during the year - equalled only by Dunfermline, Scotland.
London commuter belt suburb Woking recorded the biggest house price rise in the year - up 16% with average house prices growing from £257,590 at the end of 2010 to £299,654 12 months later.
Falkirk was second to Woking, with a 12% leap in prices. The town is an easy commute to Glasgow and Edinburgh with affordable prices.
Only 28 out of 130 towns reviewed by the Halifax for annual house prices changes showed an increase in property values.
Nine of the 10 towns with the biggest house value declines are outside the South, reflecting a generally weaker performance of the housing market away from the capital.
Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, said: "While house prices nationally have been largely unchanged in recent months, there have been significant differences in performance in towns across the country.
“The two towns recording the biggest rises are both within easy commuting distance of major commercial centres. In contrast, the majority of towns that have fared worst in house price terms are outside southern England where economic conditions have tended to be less favourable.”
Looking ahead, the Halifax expects little change in house prices, while London and the South-East should outperform the rest of the country.
Ellis blames uncertainty over jobs and the economy for stalling the property market.
"Uncertainty around the economy is unusually high as we go into the New Year. This makes it especially difficult to predict the course of house prices over the next 12 months. Overall, we expect broad stability in house prices nationally during 2012,” he said.
“Prices are likely to be strongest in London and the South East as these regions perform better economically. House prices outside southern England are expected to be constrained by these areas generally weaker economic performance and their greater dependence on public sector employment."
