Slight dip in property prices

Also, in Melksham prices stayed pretty much the same with the average price now at £193,094 compared to £193,334 for the previous six months. The slight dip in prices reflected the national trend where the average property price for the last half of 2005 slipped from £193,979 to £191,430.

However, during January and February this year the number of buyers increased, giving the market a positive outlook for 2006, although property prices are expected to stay quite stable throughout the year. Justin Davies, from Davies and Davies estate agents, which has branches in Trowbridge, Westbury, Bradford on Avon and Corsham, said that the demand in this area is mainly for two-bedroom properties but there seems to be a lack of these coming onto the market.

"The property trends in north and west Wiltshire seem to reflect those in the whole of the south of England at the moment," he said.

Melvin Davis, from Warminster-based estate agents Davis & Latcham, also found that over the last six months of 2005 there was a strong demand for well-presented first-time homes in the £100,000-£130,000 bracket but demand for these properties far outstripped supply.

Although during last year fewer properties went for their asking price now sellers and agents are becoming more realistic about pricing those looking to buy will now find themselves having to pay a lot closer to the asking price.

West and north Wiltshire is a very strong area for those looking to invest in the buy-to-let market. Nigel Gaffney, from WSB, in Warminster, which is a lettings agency which also covers Trowbridge, Bradford on Avon and Westbury, has noticed that the lettings market in the area has been very buoyant over the last six months, particularly for smaller starter homes.

"Generally there is still an acute shortage of suitable, good quality property available on our books for applicants, and we are undertaking a campaign to attract new and existing landlords to invest in buy-to-let property to improve the current shortage," he said.

"With house prices locally still increasing above the rate of inflation, young people who are desperate to have a place of their own often need to rent. The price of the most basic houses means that even with two incomes, most young people are forced to rent or stay at home with their parents."

Over the next few pages we will be looking at property prices for each of the main towns in west and north Wiltshire and comparing prices to the national average. During 2005 prices were a lot more stable but most areas witnessed a bit of a drop during the last three months of the year.

However, this could be down to a number of factor, such as people wanting to save money ready for Christmas and not wanting the upheaval of moving. Also many children change schools in September and so parents would not want to move children into a different catchment area so soon after the beginning of the school year.

Property prices vary greatly from town to town, with Bradford on Avon being the most expensive place to live with the average property price now £230,246, compared to the national average of £191,430.

The cheapest place to live in west and north Wiltshire is the county town of Trowbridge. The average price of a property there is now £165,522, the lowest it has been since the beginning of 2004.