House prices increased by 3.4% in West Somerset and Taunton in December, new figures show – more than the average for the South West.

The boost contributes to the longer-term trend, which has seen property prices rise by 18.7%.

The average West Somerset house price in December was £290,162, Land Registry figures show – a 3.4% increase on November.

Over the month, the picture was better than that across the South West, where prices increased 1.9%, and Somerset West and Taunton outperformed the 0.8% rise for the UK as a whole.

Over the last year, the average sale price of property in Somerset West and Taunton rose by £46,000 – putting the area third among the South West’s 29 local authorities with price data for annual growth.

The best annual growth in the region was in North Devon, where property prices increased on average by 26.2%, to £331,000. At the other end of the scale, properties in Cheltenham gained just 4.6% in value, giving an average price of £313,000.

Winners and Losers

Owners of detached houses saw the biggest improvement in property prices in Somerset West and Taunton in December – they increased 4%, to £462,307 on average. Over the last year, prices rose by 21.9%.

First-time buyers in Somerset West and Taunton spent an average of £231,000 on their property – £36,000 more than a year ago, and £60,000 more than in December 2016.

By comparison, former owner-occupiers paid £328,000 on average in December – 41.9% more than first-time buyers.