House price rises slow - again

They show the average national house price in March was 14.8% higher than in March last year, down from February’s 15.3% annual increase and January’s 16.8% rise.

Previously, the annual rate of increase had been accelerating since the 12.1% annual increase shown in March last year.

QV spokesman Mark Dow says this March’s increase is the lowest since the 14.5% rise reported last October.

But he warns against reading too much into the figures.“Although we’re reporting a slowdown in the growth rate, there isn’t any area in the country where we are seeing falls in property values compared to the same period 12 months ago,” Dow says.