THE rapidly changing cultural face of Ilford’s population is why there was a bigger leap in home sales in the area in the last 12 months than in any other part of the country, according to estate agents.

Data collected for the first six months of the year show there was an 85 per rise in the number of houses being sold in the IG postcode area than during the same period last year.

That is a boost in sales far bigger than anywhere else in the country, with Croydon next in the league table with a 73 per cent rise.

Tahir Rajput, owner of Alliance Property Hub, High Road, Ilford, said: “The Asian community is moving into Ilford while people who may have lived in the area for many years are moving out.

“They are fed up because of the changing demographic in Ilford.”

He added: “People are turning big houses into flats and permission is being given very easily so people have been taking advantage of that in the last two or three years.”

The figures published last week by Halifax show just three of the 100 towns surveyed saw no increase in sales when compared with last year.

Romford’s home sales were up 69 per cent in the six months to June compared with the same period last year.

Gurdeep Toor, manager of Hansons Estates, Cameron Road, Seven Kings, said: “Ilford culturally is a very attractive area and if people have a decent size deposit, they’re still getting mortgages.

“Many people have family or friends living here. The area has very good transport links and also we have good schools, like Seven Kings High and Beal High.”

The average price of a two-bedroom house in the IG area can be anything from �180,000 to �210,000, while a three-bedroom house can be upward of �240,000, according to estate agents in the borough.