British property prices flat overall in 2011

…but North/South divide in England widens further.

Average house prices in Britain finished 2011 at £221,331, down a modest £854 (0.38%) from the same time one year ago, according to property valuation website Zoopla.co.uk.

Scotland, where average property values now stand at £164,844, outperformed the rest of Britain in 2011, recording an average increase of 6.73%. Average home values fell across England by 0.75% (£1,719) and finished the year at £228,926, whilst the average property in Wales is now worth £153,826, down £172 (0.11%) on one year ago.

In England, property values have risen over the past 12 months in London the South East whilst falling substantially in the North. The average home in London is now worth £416,890 up £9,283 (2.28%) on one year ago. The North East was the worst performing region over the past year with average house prices falling £9,596 (5.77%) to £156,659. (See Table 1)

Wigan tops the list of best performing cities over the last year, with property values having climbed 5.62% (£7,057). In contrast, homeowners in Newcastle saw an average decline in property prices of 5.5% (£9,650) over 2011. (See Tables 2 and 3)

Nicholas Leeming, business development director of Zoopla.co.uk, commented: “National statistics on the housing market can mask differing fortunes in different parts of the country. Londoners continue to see the market go from strength to strength with high demand for a limited number of properties boosting house prices. However, for areas such as the North East where the local economy has suffered more than most, it’s a different story. 2012 does not show much sign of being markedly different to 2011, however, if the overall economy starts to show signs of strength this will filter quickly through to the property market.”

Table 1: Average property values in Britain by region

Region

Avg. today

Avg. 12m ago

£ change

% change

Scotland

£164,844

£154,448

£10,396

6.73%

London

£416,890

£407,607

£9,283

2.28%

East of England

£236,522

£234,448

£2,074

0.89%

South East England

£283,802

£283,611

£191

0.07%

Wales

£153,826

£153,998

-£172

-0.11%

South West England

£226,525

£229,571

-£3,046

-1.33%

East Midlands

£160,663

£165,662

-£4,999

-3.02%

West Midlands

£171,236

£176,597

-£5,361

-3.04%

Yorkshire and the Humber

£143,249

£147,871

-£4,622

-3.13%

North West England

£155,386

£160,537

-£5,151

-3.21%

North East England

£156,659

£166,255

-£9,596

-5.77%

Table 2: Best performing cities in Britain over last 12m

Rank

Location

Avg. today

Avg. 12m ago

£ change

% change

1

Wigan

£132,517

£125,460

£7,057

5.62%

2

Aberdeen

£209,706

£201,070

£8,636

4.30%

3

Ipswich

£185,508

£178,642

£6,866

3.84%

4

Cardiff

£188,955

£182,547

£6,408

3.51%

5

Edinburgh

£227,516

£220,515

£7,001

3.17%

6

Dundee

£148,315

£144,469

£3,846

2.66%

7

Plymouth

£166,887

£162,595

£4,292

2.64%

8

York

£220,595

£215,352

£5,243

2.43%

9

Bournemouth

£224,315

£219,073

£5,242

2.39%

10

Cambridge

£308,914

£302,848

£6,066

2.00%

Table 3: Worst performing cities in Britain over last 12m

Rank

Location

Avg. today

Avg. 12m ago

£ change

% change

1

Newcastle Upon Tyne

£165,605

£175,255

-£9,650

-5.51%

2

Leicester

£166,075

£174,092

-£8,017

-4.61%

3

Bolton

£130,506

£135,945

-£5,439

-4.00%

4

Lincoln

£152,348

£158,109

-£5,761

-3.64%

5

Liverpool

£136,868

£141,854

-£4,986

-3.51%

6

Wolverhampton

£151,548

£156,450

-£4,902

-3.13%

7

Northampton

£176,172

£181,789

-£5,617

-3.09%

8

Rotherham

£122,183

£125,871

-£3,688

-2.93%

9

Warrington

£173,593

£177,481

-£3,888

-2.19%

10

Manchester

£138,416

£141,185

-£2,769

-1.96%

- Ends -

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