HOUSE buyers forked out millions of pounds after splurging on some of Colchester’s most expensive properties.

Data from the Land Registry has revealed the most expensive and least expensive house sales in Colchester and the surrounding area in 2018.

Many of the homes were bought in the area’s desirable rural areas and Constable Country.

The most expensive home purchased was in Church Street, Kelevdon, which was sold for £1,595,800.

This was closely followed by a £1,575,000 home bought in High Street, Dedham, and a £1,500,000 home purchased in nearby Flatford.

Other homes which broke the million pound mark were in Copford, East Bergholt, Nayland, Langham and St Clare Road in Colchester.

At the other end of the scale the cheapest home was sold for £69,000 in Middleborough.

Another buyer snapped up a home in Robinsbridge Road, Coggeshall, for £70,000 and homes in Gazelle Court and Ipswich Road in Colchester sold for £73,000 and £73,500 respectively.

READ MORE: Here is where the cheapest and most expensive houses were sold last year

According to data from the House Price Index the average house price in Colchester in December was £266,542 - a 0.61 per cent increase on December 2017.

This compared to £263,481 in January last year which was up 6.43 per cent on 2017.

On average first time buyers spent £225,975 on a home in December, while existing home owners parted with £297,485.

Official data showed house prices nationally rose by an annual 2.5 per cent in December, the smallest increase since July 2013.

But Stu Attmere, associate director at Fenn Wright, said there was no better time to be selling or buying a home.

He said: “Prices have not moved and have been very stable.

“Unfortunately people are still used to the up turn and the asking prices for homes continue to rise.

“However, the sale agreed price remain overall lower - people are having to reduce the property prices to achieve a sale.

“Everyone has been surprised by how busy January has been and prices continue to remain stable. Over the last 12 months we saw prices rise, then decrease and we are now back to where we were 12 months ago. “

Mr Attmere also said it didn’t appear the uncertainty around Brexit was putting people off buying in Colchester.

“People will always need to buy houses,” he said.