Analysis of new figures reveals that West Leigh was the most expensive area of Southend to buy a house in last year.

Zoopla said the data highlights how localised the housing market across England and Wales is, with prices often reflecting the housing stock available in an area.

Data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that of the 17 council wards in Southend, West Leigh saw the highest median house price in 2021, of £535,000.

This was followed by Thorpe (£450,000) and Leigh (£427,500).

By contrast, the cheapest parts of Southend to purchase property were Kursaal, which had a median house price of £200,000, Victoria (£201,250) and Milton (£239,998).

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The median – the middle number in a series – is used to ensure the figures are not skewed by extreme highs or lows.

Meanwhile, the number of homes sold in Southend rose from 2,367 in 2020 to 3,273 last year.

Of sales last year, 9 per cent (295) were in Leigh – making it the busiest area for buyers.

At the other end of the scale, West Shoebury saw just 118 properties sold in 2021, earning it the title of quietest area of Southend's property market.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research said that following a period of significant growth during the pandemic, it expects house prices to experience downward pressure over the next year, as a result of sharp rises in mortgage rates.

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Grainne Gilmore, head of research at Zoopla, said property values vary widely in large part because of the differing housing stock between areas – some neighbourhoods will have a higher number of five-bedroom detached homes, while others will be home to more flats and smaller properties.

But she said the difference between more and less expensive areas may start to narrow.

She added: "The demand for larger detached homes during the pandemic has pushed average values for houses higher over the last year, while price growth for flats has lagged.

"But there are signs that demand for flats in city centres is gaining momentum, so we could see faster rising prices in this part of the market."

The ONS figures also reveal the trendiest area – the one which saw the fastest growth in sales – in Southend.

Of the 17 wards with at least 100 properties sold, Westborough saw 76 per cent more properties sold in 2021 than in 2020, followed by Milton (73 per cent) and Chalkwell (53 per cent).