ANALYSIS of new figures reveals that Lickey Hills was the most expensive area of Bromsgrove to buy a house in last year.

Zoopla said the data highlights how localised the housing market across England and Wales is, with prices often reflecting the housing stock available in an area.

Data from the Office for National Statistics reveal that of the 30 council wards in Bromsgrove, Lickey Hills saw the highest median house price in 2021, at £550,000.

This was followed by Barnt Green and Hopwood (£495,000) and Alvechurch South (£435,000).

By contrast, the cheapest parts of Bromsgrove to purchase property were Charford, which had a median house price of £197,500, Rubery North (£227,250) and Sanders Park (£231,250).

Meanwhile, the number of homes sold in Bromsgrove rose from 1,391 in 2020 to 1,566 last year.

Of sales last year, six per cent (95) were in Belbroughton and Romsley – making it the busiest area for buyers.

At the other end of the scale, Perryfields saw just 14 properties sold in 2021, earning it the title of quietest area of Bromsgrove's property market.

Grainne Gilmore, head of research at Zoopla, said property values vary widely in large part because of the differing housing stock between areas – some neighbourhoods will have a higher number of five-bedroom detached homes, while others will be home to more flats and smaller properties.

But she said the difference between more and less expensive areas may start to narrow.

She added: "The demand for larger detached homes during the pandemic has pushed average values for houses higher over the last year, while price growth for flats has lagged.

"But there are signs that demand for flats in city centres is gaining momentum, so we could see faster-rising prices in this part of the market."