BY NEIL GREENLEES

THE average price of a new home in Lisburn in the last three months of last year was just over �217,000.

A total of 78 new homes, all in the private sector, were sold in the city between October and December making Lisburn the third dearest area of Northern Ireland.

Neighbouring Castlereagh came first in the league where just five new homes were sold at an average price of �295,800 during the same period.

North Down came second with 24 new homes exchanging hands at an average price of �253,700.

The statistics are contained within the most recent edition of the Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin which revealed the city also came third in the province's house building league.

During the period October 2005 to December 2006 a total of 973 new private dwellings were started in the city.

This figure was topped only by Craigavon with 1,453 news starts and Belfast with with 1,346.

During the same period a total of 138 new housing association dwellings were started in Lisburn.

This figure was beaten only by Belfast where construction began on 882 new housing association homes.

The Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin is produced each quarter by the Statistics and Research Branch of the Department for Social Development.

It contains information on new house sales and prices, action for mortgage possession and new housing starts.