HOUSE prices in Cheshire have risen by 7% in the past year.

Househunters in the county could expect to pay an average of £174,920, compared to £163,515 in November 2006.

The latest figures from Land Registry show house prices in England and Wales went up by 8.1%, taking the average to £186,009.

Estate agents in the area are confident that the market in Chester will remain steady, despite the recent ‘credit crunch’.

Mike Fellows, director of Minchin Fellows of Lower Bridge Street, said: “Chester is a nice place to live and Cheshire will probably weather the storm better than most areas.

“A bigger problem for vendors has been the introduction of the Home Information Packs, which has meant that people won’t put their house on the market until they are 100% sure they want to sell.”

In a breakdown by house type, average prices in Cheshire for November 2007 are:

Detached - £283,058

Semi-detached – £147,609

Terraced - £113,441

Maisonette/Flat - £144,986

The increases have not discouraged buyers, with the monthly average for sales in Cheshire rising from 1,294 for the year ending September 2006 to 1,345 for the year ending September 2007.