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28 June 2002

STATISTICAL PRESS RELEASE - NORTHERN IRELAND HOUSING BULLETIN

New House prices rose by 3.4pc during the first quarter of 2002 while the selling price of flats and maisonettes fell by 13.8pc during the same period, according to the latest edition of the Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin published today.

The Bulletin, compiled by the Statistics and Research Branch of the Department for Social Development, covers the period from January 1 to March 31. It refers only to new homes registered by the National House Building Council (NHBC).

Here are some of its main findings:

  1. the average selling price of new houses was £92,000, an increase of £3,000 (3.4pc) on the previous quarter and an increase of £3,000 (3.4pc) on the same quarter in 2001.
  2. the average selling price of new houses ranged from £57,500 in Derry District Council to £139,800 in North Down District Council (provisional figures).
  3. the average selling price of flats and maisonettes was £94,000; 13.8pc (£15,000) lower than the preceding quarter and £5,000 (5.1pc) lower than the quarter ending March 2001.
  4. 428 actions for mortgage possession were recorded, an increase of 28.5pc from the previous quarter (revised to 333), and a decrease of 16.1pc on the same period in 2001.
  5. detached houses represented 38pc of all NHBC intended housing starts. The total number of NHBC starts recorded for this quarter (2,177) was 0.5pc higher than that recorded for the previous quarter and a decrease of 8.3pc on the same quarter last year.
  6. of the new dwellings actually started, 89.0pc (3,017) were commissioned by the private sector. Total number of starts increased (2,752 for the quarter ending December 2001 to 3,391 for the quarter ending March 2002) from the previous quarter.
  7. Newry & Mourne was the district council area with the greatest number of new housing starts, namely 386. This represents an increase of 50.2pc on the same period last year.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. The Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin is produced each quarter by the Statistics and Research Branch of the Department for Social Development. The Bulletin contains information on new house sales and prices, mortgage advances, and actions for mortgage possession and new housing starts. Provisional and revised figures are indicated by (P) and (R) respectively.
    2.
  2. Data for new house sales and prices are derived from transactions for new private sector and Housing Associations dwellings notified by solicitors to the National House Building Council (NHBC)
  3. Details of all new housing starts for the private sector are supplied by the Building Control Offices for each of the 26 district council areas. Data for the social rented sector are provided by NIHE and the Housing Associations Branch of the Department for Social Development
  4. For the purposes of this bulletin, the terms ‘house’ and ‘dwelling’ are interchangeable and can be defined as ‘a self-contained unit of accommodation, having all amenities available to each household (own kitchen, bathroom, toilet regardless of shared entrance).’ A ‘house’ or ‘dwelling’ will, therefore, comprise ‘either one self-contained household space or a number of non self-contained household spaces’.
  5. The bulletin is available on the Department for Social Development’s website at http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/srb
  6. . Hard copies of the bulletin are available from 3, Block 4, The Village, Stormont, BELFAST BT4 3SJ Telephone (028) 9052 2762.
    7. E-mail     ann.trew@dsdni.gov.uk

    The next edition of the bulletin will be published in September 2002.

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