THE cost of houses in Craven continues to rise with buyers having to find an additional 2.4 per cent in July from the previous month.

Data from the Land Registry says the average Craven house price in July was £283,878.

Over the month, the picture was less good than that across Yorkshire and the Humber, where prices increased 3.1 per cent, but Craven outperformed the 2 per cent rise for the UK as a whole.

Across the UK, the the average UK house price leapt by 15.5 per cent in the year to July, marking the biggest increase in 19 years.

But the increase in annual inflation was mainly because of “a base effect” from the falls in prices seen this time last year, as a result of changes in the stamp duty holiday, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Over the last year, the average sale price of property in Craven rose by £44,000 - putting the area second among Yorkshire and the Humber’s 21 local authorities with price data for annual growth.

The best annual growth in the region was in Hambleton, where property prices increased on average by 19.6 per cent, to £302,000. At the other end of the scale, properties in the East Riding of Yorkshire gained just 8.3 per cent in value, giving an average price of £220,000.

Owners of semi-detached houses saw the biggest improvement in property prices in Craven in July – they increased 2.5 per cent, to £305,655 on average.

Among other types of property. detached went up 2.4 per cent monthly; up 20.3 per cent annually; £471,649 average.

Terraced were up 2.4 per cent monthly; up 17.5 per cent annually; £231,213 average, while flats were up 2.2 per cent monthly; up 14.8 per cent annually to a £188,303 average.

First-time buyers in Craven spent an average of £244,000 on their property - £37,000 more than a year ago, and £69,000 more than in July 2017.

By comparison, former owner-occupiers paid £303,000 on average in July - 24.3 per cent more than first-time buyers.

Buyers paid 33.9 per cent more than the average price in Yorkshire and the Humber (£212,000) in July for a property in Craven. Across Yorkshire and the Humber, property prices are high compared to those across the UK, where the average cost £292,000.

The most expensive properties in Yorkshire and the Humber were in Harrogate - £340,000 on average.