House prices in Carlise have increased by almost 10 per cent since the start of the year including a 2.2 per cent rise in June alone according to new figures.

The average Carlisle house price in June was £159,668, a rise of 9 per cent from the turn of the year.

The growth in house prices in Carlisle is higher than the 7.8 per cent seen nationwide and 6.2 per cent across the north-west.

Karl Dixon, director of Carlise based BPK estate agents, predicted that house prices will rise even further.

‘We’ve seen house prices rise in Stanwix nearly 20 per cent,’ said Mr Dixon.

‘A house bought 2 years ago for £190,000 has just been sold for £250,000.’

Mr Dixon put the rise in prices down to people returning to area to work from home saying that Carlisle offers ‘more for your money’ as it ‘never had the growth’ that other cities like Newcastle and Manchester did.

The pandemic forced offices and workplaces to close meaning people had to work from home and many lockdown working practices have stuck since the end of restrictions.

Mr Dixon also said that much of the growth is at the ‘top end of the market’ meaning that cheaper houses are pushed up in value to fill the gap.

The highest average house price rise in the region was in St Helens where houses have increased in value by a huge 19.5 per cent whereas houses in Allerdale have only increased by 1.1 per cent.

First time buyers in Carlisle have also seen a huge rise in the cost of buying a home.

Government ‘help to buy’ schemes have seen an increase in demand for new homes and first-time buyers are now paying £25,000 more for a house in Carlisle than five years ago.

The average house price in the north-west is £212,347 and nationwide is £286,397.

 

Read More: Watch: Rubik's cube competition hosted in Carlisle