Property seekers in East Sussex are paying almost £10,000 more for a home than the average price of a property in England and Wales.

The national average for a home has increased by 8.46 per cent in the last year to reach £118,827.

The average house price in East Sussex reached £128,355, leaving buyers to spend an average of £9,528 more on a home the national average.

According to the latest property prices published by the Land Registry today, the average price of a detached home in East Sussex is £200,125, a semi-detached £127,406 and a terrace home £103,546.

For buyers looking for a flat, the average property costs £68,779.

Last year an average detached home cost £197,353, a semi-detached home £109,194, a terraced home £90,506 and a flat £60,533.

East Sussex is still cheaper to live in than neighbouring areas in the region, such as West Sussex or Brighton and Hove.

The average price for a home in West Sussex is £153,429. A detached house costs £243,493, a semi-detached £128,580, a terrace £118,158 and a flat £90,690.

In Brighton and Hove the average property costs £150,963. A detached house sets buyers back £243,616, a semi-detached £170,442, a terrace £171,199 and a flat £117,911.

Financial experts warned the housing market could stall nationally after the September 11 crisis but the figures showed that prices continued to increase across the country, although the rate was slower than previous years.

Phil Graves, of Graves Jenkins, which has offices across Sussex, said: " I think there will be stabilisation this year.

"I can't see a slump and I can't see a massive price rise in 2002."