Latest Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin is published

The Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin, including sales of new houses and apartments during the period July to September 2007, 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 during the quarter was £214,000, an increase of £54,000 (33.8%) on the same quarter in 2006.
• The average selling price of NHBC-registered new houses ranged from £141,300 in Omagh District Council to £366,300 in Castlereagh Borough Council according to provisional figures.
• The average intended selling price of NHBC-registered flats and maisonettes was £244,000, £105,000 (75.5%) higher than the quarter ending September 2006.
• Detached houses represented 24% of all NHBC intended housing starts. The total number of NHBC starts recorded for this quarter (1,661) represented a decrease of 2.9% on the same quarter in 2006.
• A total of 4,904 households presented as homeless to the Housing Executive with ‘Sharing Breakdown or Family Dispute’ being the most common reason cited.

Notes to Editors:

1. The Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin is produced each quarter by the Statistics and Research Branch (Core) 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.
3. Details of housing starts for the private sector are supplied by Building Control Offices, district councils 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 has not been available from Nerwy and Mourne District Council due to continuing IT issues. This has been the case for the past two quarters and therefore data for private dwelling starts for the past two quarters is not directly comparable to previous figures.
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 . Hard copies are available from the Statistics & Research Branch (Core), Department for Social Development, Level Four, James House, 2 Cromac Avenue, Gasworks Business Park, Ormeau Road, Belfast, BT7 2JA; Telephone - (028) 9081 9956; E-mail Michael.Thompson@dsdni.gov.uk
6. Statistics & Research Branch (DSD) aim to provide customers with the information they require and in a format that is most suitable to meet customers’ needs. If you have any comments in relation to the content of the bulletin or the format in which it is released please contact Statistics & Research Branch (Core). The next edition of the Bulletin will be published in April 2008.
7. Media enquiries only to DSD Information Office on 028 90829496. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.