PROPERTY prices have increased in South Somerset, bucking the regional trend.

House prices increased by 1.6% in South Somerset in April, new figures show.

The boost contributes to the longer-term trend, which has seen property prices in the area achieve 14.2% annual growth.

The average South Somerset house price in April was £261,926, Land Registry figures show – a 1.6% increase on March.

Over the month, the picture was better than that across the South West, where prices decreased 2.3%, and South Somerset outperformed the 1.9% drop for the UK as a whole.

Over the last year, the average sale price of property in South Somerset rose by £32,000 – putting the area third among the South West’s 32 local authorities for annual growth.

Winners and Losers

Owners of detached houses saw the biggest improvement in property prices in South Somerset in April – they increased 1.6%, to £400,621 on average. Over the last year, prices rose by 15%.

Flats showed showed similar growth, up 1.4% monthly to £130,240 on average, and up 10.2% annually;

First steps on the property ladder

First-time buyers in South Somerset spent an average of £211,000 on their property – £25,000 more than a year ago, and £47,000 more than in April 2016.

By comparison, former owner-occupiers paid £294,000 on average in April – 39.8% more than first-time buyers.

How do property prices in South Somerset compare?

Buyers paid 6.4% less than the average price in the South West (£280,000) in April for a property in South Somerset.

Across the South West, property prices are higher than those across the UK, where the average cost £251,000.

The most expensive properties in the South West were in the Cotswolds – £414,000 on average, and 1.6 times as much as in South Somerset.

The Cotswolds properties cost 2.2 times as much as homes in Plymouth (£189,000 average), at the other end of the scale.

Factfile

Average property price in April

South Somerset: £261,926

The South West: £279,951

The UK: £250,772

Annual growth to April

South Somerset: +14.2%

The South West: +9.1%

The UK: +8.9%

Dream properties for sale

Fine six-bed Victorian home
Striking eight-bed period home
Enchanting three-bed fit foor a headmistress
Amazing detached period family home