The first signs of a retrenchment in the housing market has emerged from government data which showed property prices in Northern Ireland fell at the end of last year.
Latest data from Land and Property Service showed the average prices of a house in the province stood at £175,234 in the fourth quarter of 2022, a fall of 0.5% compared to the third quarter in July to September.
While prices may have eased back, the market is still strong in historical terms, up 10.2% on the fourth quarter in 2021 and in line with inflation.
