Bradford stays ahead on house prices

House prices in Bradford have been rising at a faster pace in the last five years than anywhere else on the British mainland.

The findings have been welcomed by local property companies, who have agreed that the district is well-placed to resist the expected slowdown in housing that is now forecast. While the Halifax report concentrates on city houses, therefore excluding some of the more rural and exclusive parts of the Bradford district, the announcement is still good news.

Smart Moves' Asghar Ali said: "We have the fastest-growing population, especially within the Asian community, who make up a large proportion of Bradford. Families from these communities used to live together [with perhaps three families] under one roof. However, these people are now starting to buy their own houses and separate dwellings. This leads to higher demand and higher prices."

A spokesman for the National Association of Estate Agents added that other mitigating factors, such as slower rising employment than elsewhere, and the cooling of interest in flats, need to be taken into consideration when viewing the reports.