THE traditional spring surge in the number of people looking to move house helped keep the property market in the North buoyant during the first quarter of the year.

According to Northern Rock, house prices rose by 1.9 per cent in the North-East and Cumbria during the three months to the end of March.

The group said the rise was slightly higher than the 1.7 per cent recorded during the last quarter of last year, and well up on the 0.3 per cent gain for the three months to the end of March last year.

The increase pushed the average price of a house in the region up to £66,600.

Northern Rock said low interest rates were continuing to keep property affordable and it expected house prices in the North-East and Cumbria to rise by 7.4 per cent this year.

Alistair Laws, Northern Rock's chief valuer, said: "The market is again characterised by high demand and a continuing shortage of supply, with many agents reporting very low levels of properties on their books."

The biggest gains were seen in Gateshead, where prices increased by 3.73 per cent, followed by Northumberland where they went up 2.93 per cent.

In contrast, the cost of a house rose just 0.29 per cent in South Tyneside, and 0.6 per cent in Sunderland.

The average cost of a four-bedroomed detached house in the region was £122,600.

The most expensive place to buy a house in the North remains North Yorkshire, where a 2.49 per cent rise pushed the average cost of a house to £78,350, followed by Newcastle at £76,900.

The cheapest place to move to is Sunderland with property averaging £58,750, followed by Teesside, where property costs an average of £60,050 following a 1.52 per cent increase.