House buyers forking out more than £10,000 more on average in Ashfield

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which prevented house sales during the first lockdown, coupled with stamp duty holidays, has boosted the housing market across the UK since the world opened back up in 2020.

Office for National Statistics data shows the median house price hit £160,000 in Ashfield in the year to June – an increase of £13,800 compared with the previous 12 months.

House prices were also above pre-pandemic levels, with the average standing at £144,000 in the year to June 2019.

The median – the middle number in a series – is used to ensure the figures are not skewed by extreme highs or lows.

Neighbourhoods in Ashfield to record the highest median house prices in the year to June include Jacksdale and Underwood, £185,000, rising from £151,000, and Sutton St Mary;s and Ashfields at £170,000, up from £160,000.

By contrast, the area recording the lowest average house price was Sutton Central and Leamington, where homes sold for about £122,000 in 2020-21.

The figures also show the number of homes sold in Ashfield dropped year-on-year, from 1,764 to 1,738.

Sales

Across England, residential property sales increased by 10 per cent to 761,067.

Martin Beck, chief economic adviser of economic forecasting group EY Item Club, said while Government measures such as the stamp duty holiday brought forward house purchases last year, the market could be set to change.

He said: “The prospect of a series of interest rate rises by the Bank of England in 2022 will translate into higher mortgage rates.

“And cost of living pressures faced by households from rising inflation and taxes mean fewer people will be able to afford to borrow the necessary amount they need to buy at higher mortgage rates.”

But Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, said mortgages are still competitively priced, meaning buyers will continue to ‘take the plunge’.

Nicky Stevenson, managing director at estate agent group Fine & Country, said with most agents still struggling to find enough homes to meet demand, the financial pressures were unlikely to have a ‘significant’ impact on the market.

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