‘House prices rose 13.7% in 2003'

House prices in Ireland rose by 13.7% last year, according to the year-end edition of the Permanent-TSB house price index.

Permanent-TSB said house prices rose by 1.7% in the month of December, bringing the increase for the final three months of 2003 to 3.9%.

The average price paid for a house in December was just over €234,000, compared to almost €206,000 in December 2002.