08/06/2004

NI housing market shows sustainable rise

Northern Ireland’s housing market is growing at a much more sustainable rate than in the rest of the UK, with the cost of the average property going up by 8.6% over the year.

The figures, from the University of Ulster's Quarterly House Price Index, revealed that the overall average price of residential property reached a new high of £106,574, up just over 2% on the previous quarter, although there were strong regional variations across Northern Ireland.

The report, for the period January to March, is based on a sample of 1,921 open market transactions across the entire range of house types in what is traditionally a quieter part of the year for house sales.

The most expensive place to buy a house is south Belfast with an average price of £127,987, closely followed by Lisburn, while the most affordable location is north Belfast where the average is £84,567.

The authors of the report - Professor Alastair Adair, Professor Stanley McGreal and Mrs Suzanne Allen - said the current state of the housing market contrasted with the more volatile rates of growth in previous years and with other parts of the UK where house prices are still increasing at a significant rate.

They said: “Our main conclusion is that the local housing market has remained relatively vibrant across most sectors. The 8.6% increase in the first quarter fits the pattern of price growth we’ve been observing in our recent reports.”

The value of the Northern Ireland House Price Index, which is calculated relative to the base quarter for the survey in 1984, went through the 400 mark in the latest survey to 403.89.

The overall average price of a house in Northern Ireland is up very slightly on the previous quarter to £106,574.

(MB)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

05 December 2006
NI house prices rise dramatically
House prices in Northern Ireland are now rising at more than 32% a year, according to a survey of local residential property sales.
27 August 2002
UK house price rise slows to more 'realistic pace'
The rapid rise in UK house prices has slowed to a more realistic pace according to the latest report from market analysts Hometrack. The analysts found that the price of the average house in the UK rose by 0.7% in August, which Hometrack attributed to a "reality check" in the market. Previously in May there was a staggering one-month rise of 2.6%.
04 September 2006
NI house prices continue to rise
Northern Ireland house prices are continuing to rise, it has today been revealed.
03 September 2001
Housing market recovers following early 2001 setback
The Quarterly House Price Index survey by the University of Ulster and the Royal Institution of Charter Surveyors (RICS) has revealed that Northern Ireland's housing market is making a good recovery after a setback earlier this year.
06 December 2004
NI housing market ‘holding up’
Northern Ireland’s housing market is holding up and unlike other parts of the UK has yet to experience any reversal, according to the region’s most authoritative survey of house prices. The latest University of Ulster Quarterly House Price Index reveals that the annual rate of growth in house prices in the third quarter of this year was 9.85%.