Optimism around a market recovery may well be somewhat premature, but there are some bright spots emerging in the market. Zoopla! Research shows the overall pace of house price decline has slowed noticeably compared to last year.

Whilst we’re cautious about excessive ‘green shoot’ optimism, the tables below show the current values and % change since the beginning of the year and clearly show areas which may lead any housing market recovery when it comes, as well as those that are struggling.
However, our research also shows that the performance during the first half of 2009 should perhaps not yet be cause for celebration, given that over the past two years the decline in house prices in the last six months of the year was significantly worse than during the first half of the year.

Since the 1st January, house prices in England are up by 1.31% to a current average home value of £207,472, prices in Scotland are up by 1.75% to a current average home value of £152,902 and house prices in Wales are up 0.96% to a current average home value of £146,378.

 

England

	Best Performing Town	Average Home Value	% Change 2009
1	WYMONDHAM, Norfolk	£195,253	11.41%
2	KINGSWINFORD, West Midlands	£173,990	10.99%
3	FERRYHILL, Durham	£87,828	10.86%
4	WEST MALLING, Kent	£324,485	9.63%
5	OSSETT, West Yorkshire	£160,278	9.52%
6	WHITLEY BAY, Tyne & Wear	£173,776	9.25%
7	OLNEY, Buckinghamshire	£261,520	8.95%
8	HELSTON, Cornwall	£218,399	8.19%
9	BILLINGSHURST, West Sussex	£377,552	6.80%
10	BIGGLESWADE, Bedfordshire	£203,201	6.72%

 

	Worst Performing Town	Average Home Value	% Change 2009
1	POOLE, Dorset	£240,171	-7.62
2	MALPAS, Cheshire	£264,617	-6.94
3	RIPON, North Yorkshire	£216,371	-6.83
4	ST. IVES, Cornwall	£215,898	-6.69
5	KEIGHLEY, West Yorkshire	£139,050	-6.56
6	RIPLEY, Derbyshire	£129,605	-6.52
7	LOUTH, Lincolnshire	£153,037	-6.45
8	DURSELY, Gloucestershire	£203,824	-6.45
9	RAMSGATE, Kent	£142,486	-6.40
10	UTTOXETER, Staffordshire	£168,036	-6.37

 

Scotland

	Best Performing Town	Average Home Value	% Change 2009
1	EDINBURGH, Edinburgh	£204,102	2.84%
2	DALMALLY, Argyll & Bute	£150,241	2.35%
3	GREENOCK, Inverclyde	£114,094	2.02%
4	OBAN, Western Isles	£149,708	1.94%
5	BISHOPTON, Renfrewshire	£186,841	1.74%
6	GOUROCK, Inverclyde	£137,649	1.65%
7	JOHNSTONE, Renfrewshire	£144,574	1.62%
8	LOCHWINNOCH, Renfrewshire	£189,643	1.53%
9	PORT GLASGOW, Inverclyde	£108,748	1.46%
10	SKELMORLIE, North Ayrshire	£182,668	1.27%

 

	Worst Performing Town	Average Home Value	% Change 2009
1	DUMBARTON, West Dumbartonshire	£128,033	-9.13%
2	HELENSBURGH, Argyll & Bute	£177,017	-9.02%
3	GLASGOW, Glasgow	£141,727	-8.34%
4	GORDON, Scottish Borders	£173,340	-7.88%
5	KELSO, Scottish Borders	£151,091	-7.12%
6	MELROSE, Scottish Borders	£182,120	-6.87%
7	SELKIRK, Scottish Borders	£114,825	-6.45%
8	ALVA, Clackmannanshire	£102,342	-6.03%
9	DOLLAR, Clackmannanshire	£240,133	-5.78%
10	DUNBLANE, Stirling	£242,447	-5.44%

 

Wales

	Best Performing Town	Average Home Value	% Change 2009
1	HOLYHEAD, Isle of Anglesey	£136,501	12.13%
2	CARMARTHEN, Carmarthenshire	£166,287	7.47%
3	HOLYWELL, Flintshire	£153,888	7.04%
4	LLANFYLLIN, Powys	£154,861	6.20%
5	PONTYPRIDD, Rhondda Cynon Taff	£120,598	5.92%
6	TREHARRIS, Merthyr Tydfil	£106,423	4.40%
7	LLANDUDNO, Conwy	£171,436	3.80%
8	BANGOR, Gwynedd	£144,321	3.56%
9	BUCKLEY, Flintshire	£143,862	3.07%
10	NEWTOWN, Powys	£143,493	3.04%

 

	Worst Performing Town	Average Home Value	% Change 2009
1	PRESTATYN, Denbighshire	£125,341	-8.24%
2	PEMBROKE DOCK, Pembrokeshire	£126,033	-7.19%
3	LLANBRYNMAIR, Powys	£142,578	-6.83%
4	YSTRAD MEURIG, Ceredigion	£148,181	-6.73%
5	RHYL, Denbighshire	£118,079	-6.37%
6	MONTGOMERY, Powys	£176,488	-6.32%
7	NEATH, Neath Port Talbot	£113,367	-6.13%
8	BURRY PORT, Carmarthenshire	£125,322	-4.99%
9	CHEPSTOW, Monmouthshire	£223,322	-4.37%
10	MAESTEG, Bridgend	£94,292	-3.75%