U.S. house prices are set to climb in double digits this year even as the Federal Reserve embarks on its expected series of interest rate hikes, according to a Reuters poll of property analysts who forecast a sellers’ market for another two years. Record low interest rates and a scarcity of homes to buy, combined with unexpectedly explosive demand during the pandemic, sent the average house price up 17 percent last year, the strongest annual rise in at least two decades. That has stretched affordability ever further, particularly for aspiring new homebuyers, a common theme across most developed economies as the global economy emerges from the worst of COVID-19 and central banks raise interest rates. The Feb. 8–28 poll of 33 property analysts suggested U.S. house prices would rise 10.3 percent this year. That was an upgrade from 8.0 percent in the December poll, suggesting underlying demand for housing is …