New house prices average £100,000

Report on sales of new houses and apartments

New figures have shown the average price of a new house in Northern Ireland has reached £100,000.

This landmark price was hit during the third quarter of 2002, according to the government's Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin.

It reflects an increase of £8,000 - or 8.7% - from the same period in 2001.

Newry and Mourne starts up by 162.9%

The report on sales of new houses and apartments during the period between July and September 2002, was published by the Department for Social Development on Thursday.

Prices for new National House Building Council-registered houses varied between regions, from £64,300 in the Strabane area up to £156,600 in Castlereagh District Council's area.

The average selling price for new flats and maisonettes fell £13,000 (11.6%) to £99,000 from the same period in 2001.

Detached houses represented 37% of all intended house building starts.

The private sector commissioned 97% (3,014) of new dwellings started.

The total number of starts increased from 2,889 for the quarter ending 2001, to 3,107 for the same quarter in 2002.

Newry and Mourne had the most starts, 326, thanks to a surge of building activity in the area. This is an increase of 162.9% on the 2001 figures.

The report published every quarter contains information on new house sales and prices, mortgage advances, actions for mortgage possession and new housing starts.

Slump

Meanwhile, another set of government statistics has shown that average Northern Ireland farm incomes slumped to £88 a week in 2002.

The Department of Agriculture said that bad weather contributed to a 33% decline which also resulted in a sharp fall in farm gate milk prices.

The Northern Ireland figures are in stark contrast to the the rest of the United Kingdom, where farm incomes increased by 14%.

Much of Britain escaped the adverse weather which hit farms in the province.

More than 1,300 farm businesses closed in Northern Ireland last year, reflecting the continuing income slump.

Ulster Farmers' Union President John Gilliland said this year must see an improvement in incomes or many more farming families will leave the land.

"A one-third drop in incomes in a single year is another body blow to the industry," he said.