A SALES boom is being reported in the top end of the region's housing market as a York agent reports a 20-year peak while one of the city's housebuilders sees sales rise by more than 300 per cent.

York-based home and land agency Croft Residential has agreed record sales for Yorkshire clients totaling more than £17 million in May, June and July 2015.

The agency, run by founder Toby Cockcroft, specialises in the sale of luxury homes and country estates, including discreet ‘off market’ transactions for property and land all over Yorkshire.

The figures come as York-based housebuilder David Wilson Homes Yorkshire East reports a "growing affluence" within the region's housing market after seeing a 332 per cent growth in sales across its Yorkshire East division over the past five years.

Croft Residential has seen a record nine sales transactions agreed in the last three months, for an average consideration of £1.9 million, with a number of other deals also in the pipeline for clients.

Mr Cockcroft said: "The early summer has been remarkable for the Yorkshire property market, with demand as high as it has ever been, especially for the properties at the very top of the property ladder.

"There is no doubt this is the busiest I have seen the upper end of the Yorkshire market in more than 20 years in the industry.

"There are stately homes and historic country houses selling every month for several millions, and the region holds much appeal and a certain cachet for those relocating from London and overseas, that it perhaps hasn’t enjoyed before."

The agency continues to see "very high levels" of enquiries for luxury Yorkshire properties including the Church Cliff House, a £895,000 seven bedroom Georgian ‘gentleman’s residence’ in Filey and grade II listed Skelton Hall near York, at £2.95 million.

David Wilson Homes directors have cited the housing market as the driving force behind the UK’s economic resurgence, with recent statistics highlighting a "growing affluence within the region" following a "notable shift to larger and more desirable homes being purchased".

In little over five years, David Wilson Homes Yorkshire East has planned, built and sold more than 1148 homes in the region.

Paul Newman, managing director at David Wilson Homes Yorkshire East, said: "Though there are many house builders that operate within the area, few reflect the way that the region has developed and evolved in recent years in quite the same way that David Wilson Homes does.

"Our focus continues to be buying land and selling homes in Yorkshire’s prime cities, towns and villages, and our huge growth over the past five years reflects the growing desirability of the region as the economy improves.

"With a range of buying schemes such as Help to Buy and Part Exchange now available, the region’s buyers are finding an ever increasing array of options available to them as they take that first step onto, or next step up, the property ladder.

"These schemes are making it easier than ever before for local buyers to purchase desirable homes in affluent locations that might previously have been out of their reach, which in turn has helped to fuel our growth in the region in recent years."

Current David Wilson Homes projects include Derwenthorpe and The Chocolate Works developments in York, in addition to Castlegate in Northallerton, Elm Tree Park in Beverley and Abbey Park in Ampleforth.