HOUSE prices remained steady in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in February, new figures show.

The lack of movement maintains the longer-term trend, which has seen property prices in the area achieve 8.7 per cent annual growth.

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The average Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole house price in February was £324,246, Land Registry figures show, largely unchanged from January.

Over the last year, the average sale price of property in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole rose by £26,000, putting the area 25th among the South West’s 29 local authorities with price data for annual growth.

Owners of terraced houses fared worst in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in February – they dropped 0.1 per cent in price, to £281,261 on average. But over the last year, prices rose by 8.7 per cent.

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By comparison, former owner-occupiers paid £371,000 on average in February, 48.7 per cent more than first-time buyers.

Buyers paid 3.7 per cent more than the average price in the South West (£313,000) in February for a property in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.