£300K FOR AVERAGE HOME

Land Registry records show that prices in general have risen by 6.3 per cent this year, compared with September 2005.

And in areas of Berkshire, such as Windsor and Maidenhead, would-be buyers will have to pay £301,951 for an average three-bedroom semi, according to the first official property price index.

For the first time, prospective buyers and owners can track the price trend and house type in their areas of interest.

The Land Registry records every single property transaction in England and Wales – about 100,000 a month – making its analysis of the property market the UK's most comprehensive.

It's property database of over 20 million titles – the world's largest – means its statistics are trusted by housing economists, politicians and mortgage lenders.

The records show that homes in Blackburn and Darwen, Lancs, soared by 12.1 per cent, while Kingston upon Hull saw values rocket by more than 10 per cent.

No county in England or Wales saw prices drop last month.

And the number of £1million-plus homes sold in the 12 months up to September increased by more than a third.

In Dorset, Sussex, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Greater London and Dorset, well over £200,000 is the usual asking price and the average house price across England and Wales is now £169,569, said the Registry.

Figures showed that house prices in all England and Wales rose by more than one per cent in September, for the first time in almost two years.

The growth rate accelerated to 1.3 per cent in the month, compared to 0.4 per cent in September 2005. The last time the monthly rate of change exceeded one per cent was in October 2004.

The rise pushed average house prices to £169,569; annual house price inflation in September was 6.3 per cent – above the five per cent mark for the second month running.

London continued to lead the charge, with average house prices up two per cent in September and showing a 9.5 per cent annual increase.

All regions showed a year-on-year increase, but the North-east lagged behind the rest of England and Wales, with house prices up only 1.9 per cent on September 2005.

It was also the only region to experience price drops with average prices falling two per cent in the month.

The Land Registry survey is produced using the repeat sales regression method, in which house price growth is measured by observing properties that have been sold more than once.

"By using repeat transactions, differences in the quality of homes comprised in any monthly sample are greatly reduced," it says.

Land Registry spokesman Ted Beardsall said: "We hope the report, and its interactive web link, will be regarded as the most authoritative and comprehensive statement on property values.

"The ability to track price movements in certain areas could be very useful to owners who want to see how their home price has changed and to people who may be considering moving into a particular area.

"The information will be the most up-to-date available."