NI Housing Bulletin published

28 July 2011

The Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin, including sales of new houses and apartments during the period April to June 2011, has been published by the Department for Social Development.

Some of its key findings with year-on comparisons include:
• The average selling price of National House Building Council (NHBC) registered new houses sold was £144,600, a decrease of £20,600 (12.5%) on the same quarter in 2010;
• The average selling price of NHBC-registered new houses ranged from £99,300 in Armagh Local Government District to £174,600 in Ards Local Government District (provisional figures);
• The average estimated intended selling price of NHBC-registered private sector flats and maisonettes was £184,000, £68,000 (58.6%) higher than the quarter ending June 2010;
• Detached houses represented 27% of all NHBC intended housing starts. The total number of NHBC starts recorded for this quarter (555) represented a decrease of 39.5% on the number of starts recorded for the same quarter in 2010;
• A total of 4,169 households presented as homeless to NIHE, with ‘Sharing Breakdown/Family Dispute’ being the most common reason cited.

Notes to editors:

1. The Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin is produced each quarter by the Analytical Services Unit of the Department for Social Development. It contains information on new house sales and prices, actions for mortgage possession and new housing starts. Provisional and revised figures are indicated by (P) and (R) respectively.

2. Data for new house sales and price are derived from transactions for new private sector and Housing Associations dwellings notified by solicitors to the National House Building Council (NHBC), Buildmark House, Chiltern Avenue, Amersham, Bucks, HP6 5AP,Tel: 0870 241 4302, http://www.nhbc.co.uk

3. Details of housing starts and completions for the private sector are supplied by Local Authority Building Control, Local Government Districts and for the social rented sector by NIHE and the Housing Associations Branch of the Department for Social Development. However, data relating to private dwelling starts and completions was not available from Newry and Mourne Local Government District due to IT issues. This was the case between quarter April 2007 and March 2010. Therefore data for private dwelling starts and completions between those dates is not directly comparable to previous figures and figures since.

4. For the purposes of this bulletin, the terms ‘house’ and ‘dwelling’ are interchangeable and can be defined as ‘a self-contained unit of accommodation, having all amenities available to each household (own kitchen, bathroom, toilet) regardless of shared entrance.’ A ‘house’ or ‘dwelling’ will, therefore, comprise ‘either one self-contained household space or a number of non self-contained household spaces’.

5. The bulletin is available on the Department for Social Development’s website at http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats_and_research.htm. Hard copies are available from the Analytical Services Unit, Department for Social Development, Level Four, James House, 2 Cromac Avenue, Gasworks Business Park, Ormeau Road, Belfast, BT7 2JA; Telephone - (028) 9081 9944; E-mail Stephen.Acheson@dsdni.gov.uk

6. Media enquiries to DSD Communications Team on 028 9082 9454. Out of Office contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.