House prices up 1.6 per cent in June

The UK average house price fell by 10.7 per cent in the year to June 2009, compared with a fall of 12.7 per cent in the year to May.

The small rise in UK prices between May and June 2009 can be attributed to a rise in average prices for bungalows (2.4 per cent), flats (2.2 per cent), semi-detached houses (1.9 per cent), detached houses (1.7 per cent) and terraced houses (0.6 per cent).

Mix-adjusted average house prices in June 2009 were £197,079 in England, £142,454 in Wales, £157,876 in Scotland and £172,204 in Northern Ireland. The English region with the highest average house price in June remains London at £296,585. The lowest average price was in the North East at £132,747. Of the English regions, only the East, London, South East and the South West had average prices above the UK average.

The UK annual growth in house prices for first time buyers rose from an average -14.6 per cent in May to -11.7 per cent in June. There was an increase of 2.0 per cent between May and June in the price of properties bought by first time buyers compared with a fall of 1.3 per cent last year resulting in an increase in the annual rate.

The annual house price growth rate for former owner occupiers was -10.3 per cent in June, up from -12.0 per cent in may. The prices index between May and June for properties bought by former owner occupiers Increased by 1.4 per cent compared with a fall of 0.5 per cent at the same time last year resulting in an increase in the annual rate.

The average price paid by first time buyers across the whole of the UK was £140,222 in June, while the average price paid by former owner occupiers was £222,951.