HOUSE prices are rocketing across Thurrock - and that’s likely to continue long into 2014.

The average price of a house in the SS17/18 post codes - including East Tilbury, Stanford-le-Hope, Corringham, Fobbing, Horndon-on-the-Hill, Bulphan and Orsett - is up a whopping 6.8 per cent year-on-year.

Meanwhile, the value of homes in the west of the borough - including Grays, Stifford Clays, Purfleet, Tilbury, South Ockendon and Aveley - are up 5.8 per cent on average.

This proves the borough is experiencing a boom as latest data, by property analysts Hometrack, ranks Essex in the top ten “boom places” around Britain - with average property prices up 5.3 per cent in 2013.

This compares to a 4.4 per cent average rise across the UK.

Tom Dawes, partner at estate agents Gower Dawes in Dafoe Parade, Grays, said there has been a real demand for homes in Thurrock - and more sellers are getting the price they want.

He said: “We’ve had double the number of sales in 2013, compared to 2012.

“There are 100 per cent more buyers and so demand is outstripping supply at the moment, meaning more sellers are getting their asking prices.

“The government schemes like Help To Buy and five per cent mortgages have helped massively in bringing more first time buyers into the game. I expect the market to keep going this way.”

However, some Thurrock residents are not convinced rising house prices are a good thing.

On the Gazette’s Facebook page, Paul Fisher, from Stanford-le-Hope said: “House prices going up is always bad news.

“It simply prevents youngsters like my daughters buying.

“Those of us who own with no mortgage are the only ones that really benefit.”

But for others, the added demand is good news. Katie Crisp, from Aveley, said: “Our experience with the housing market here has been very positive so far.

“We sold our house in Aveley on the first viewing, they made an offer immediately. Now we’ve got our fingers crossed it’ll go through.”

Sarah Bullen of Abbots Drive, Stanford-le-Hope said that she sold a property within two days of it going on the market. She said: “Im not concerned about house prices at present. Ask me again this time next year if i’m still in same house!”

Thurrock is known for being affordable and Mr Dawes said he doesn’t expect that to change: “Even back in 2007 at the peak, prices weren’t unaffordable. You get a lot of house for your money in Thurrock.”