Home-owners in Bradford and Kirklees could see their homes increase in value by a third - according to a mortgage expert.

But the predictions, for the next five years, have been shot-down by estate agents in both districts.

According to magazine Your Mortgage, Bradford will see prices rise by 31.9 per cent - second only in West Yorkshire to Kirklees with a 32.5 per cent increase.

This compares to a national average prediction of 30 per cent.

But while the property market is buoyant in the outlying Bradford district and the Spen Valley, valuers say long range predictions are unreliable and some homes in central Bradford are dropping in price.

James White, manager of Halifax Property Services in Godwin Street, Bradford, said prices were unlikely to rise by 30 per cent without a similar increase in the standard of living and wages.

He said: "You have to consider what people can pay; there are parts of Bradford where prices won't increase.

"Prices in Leeds and Harrogate have gone through the roof but they've had inward investment and people moving there."

Halifax Property Services valuer Kevin Brear, who has worked in Bradford for 30 years, said many areas within five miles of Bradford city centre were seeing prices drop.

He said: "Sellers within a five-mile radius of town have to be very realistic.

"Bradford centre is a bit of a one-off, we haven't seen any real increase in prices for several years while the rest of the country goes up."

Agents in both Birkenshaw and Cleckheaton, which fall in Kirklees, said properties were selling better but they did not expect a big increase.

Joanne Green, manager valuer for Robert Watts Estate Agents in Birkenshaw, said: "At the moment houses are selling well in Birkenshaw and Gomersal but I wouldn't make any predictions."

Pauline Wright of Wrights Estate Agents in Cleckheaton said: "There is a lot of demand which should push up prices."

Your Mortgage editor Andrew Stuart said his figures were an average for each area based on Government data, economic factors and demographics.

He said: "Obviously there will be vast differences across a district, some places such as Bingley could see a bigger increase while others won't."

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