HOUSE prices increased slightly by 0.1 per cent in Carlisle in December, new figures show.

The rise contributes to the longer-term trend, which has seen property prices in the area grow by 12.9 per cent over the last year.

The average Carlisle house price in December was £172,525, Land Registry figures show – a 0.1 per cent increase on November.

Over the month, the picture was similar to that across the North West, where prices decreased 0.1 per cent, and Carlisle was above the 0.4 per cent drop for the UK as a whole.

Over the last year, the average sale price of property in Carlisle rose by £20,000 – putting the area 25th among the North West’s 39 local authorities with price data for annual growth.

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The average UK house price was £294,000 in December 2022, which was £26,000 higher than 12 months earlier.

First-time buyers in Carlisle spent an average of £146,000 on their property – £17,000 more than a year ago, and £31,000 more than in December 2017.

By comparison, former owner-occupiers paid £200,000 on average in December – 36.9 per cent more than first-time buyers.