By Catryn Jenkins BBC Wales News Online

People are looking to get the most for their money UK's 'top property hotspots

But as buyers struggle to get on the property ladder in places like Cardiff, it seems the boom is having a ripple effect across the south Wales region.

Barry, for instance. Ten miles to the south west of the capital has had the highest price hike of homes in Wales with the average house valued at more than �132,000 compared to �83,000 the previous year.

It has been listed as the second top property spot in the UK with Swansea, Bridgend and Cwmbran also making the top 10.

But are the areas actually that much more desirable places to live or are buyers being forced to find cheaper alternatives to the rocketing house prices in places like Cardiff and Newport?

Barry estate agent Richard Garrod from Allen and Harris said: "First time buyers who want to buy in places like Cardiff can't because the prices have just shot up over the last year.

It was either buy a one bedroom flat in Cardiff or get something a bigger for the same price elsewhere Richard Garrod, Allen and Harris

"They are having to look at areas like Barry to be able to afford a house.

"I know the problem because I have just bought a house and although I wanted to buy somewhere in Cardiff it was too expensive and I had to buy further out.

"It was either buy a one bedroom flat in Cardiff or get something a bigger for the same price elsewhere.

"And here in Barry now, most of the properties on our books now exceed the �120,000 mark because more people are being forced to look outside Cardiff."

Craig Merlini, manager of Darlows in Barry, said the state of the property market elsewhere was making people more willing to commute.

"It is because of the big increase in property prices in Cardiff that people are now looking at areas like Barry to buy," he said.

Property expert Martyn Russell said there has been a ripple effect

The story in Cwmbran is much the same - just five miles from Newport and a 25-minute journey to Cardiff there's been a price boom.

And it is all about demand, according to Jackie Cole, estate agent with the Cwmbran branch of estate agent Peter Alan.

"People are realising how close Cwmbran is to Newport and Cardiff and are willing to buy because it is too expensive in the cities.

"Over the last two years we have seen a big rise in prices - a house that would have sold for �45,000 before is now selling at �70,000," she added.

Property expert Martyn Russell put the situation down to 'the ripple effect'.

"These areas are playing catch-up, prices in Cardiff have shot up, then Newport followed and now Barry, Cwmbran and Swansea are following.

"It is all about the affordability factor - people want as much for their money as possible and are looking at other areas to get it.

"Now that the prices have gone up so much in these areas, I am sure places nearby to them will soon start seeing prices increasing too," he added.

TOP UK HOTSPOTS
UK Average House Prices
Town	County	Q3 2002 Average price	Q3 2003 Average price	% change
Widnes	Cheshire	�92,576	�155.351	68%
Barry	South Glamorgan	�83,380	�132,677	59%
St Helens	Merseyside	�72,875	�112,843	55%
Swansea	West Glamorgan	�74,049	�113,028	53%
Billingham	Cleveland	�80,841	�120,095	49%
Bridgend	Mid Glamorgan	�80,402	�119,069	48%
Rochdale	Lancashire	�66,800	�97,957	47%
Shipley	West Yorkshire	�91,538	�133,196	46%
Cwmbran	Gwent	�77,132	�112,218	45%
Kilmarnock	Strathclyde	�56,509	�82,202	45%
Source: Halifax House Price Index