Tauranga's residential property value remains relatively flat despite a continued rise in the median sale price and sales volumes in the area according to valuers.

The latest real estate sales figures from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand show Tauranga's housing market had the most growth in house sale price and volume in the past 12 months in the Western Bay of Plenty.

QV Valuers say Tauranga's property value growth remains flat – up just 1.1 per cent in the past 12months.

The median house price in Tauranga in September was $358,250 – up 12.6 per cent on the same month last year -$318,250.

Mount Maunganui and Papamoa properties had a 2.3 per cent increase from $390,000 in 2011 to $399,000 last month.

Statistics show 115 Tauranga properties sold in September, compared to 106 the same month in 2011, while 74 properties changed hands in Mount Maunganui and Papamoa – up slightly from the 53 sold in September, 2011.

But QV Valuers say Tauranga's property value growth remains flat – up just 1.1 per cent in the past 12 months.

QV valuer Paul Thomas says local real estate agents are reporting more movement in the market.

'However, apartments are generating particularly low sales volumes with a large amount on the market and very little demand.”

Across the Bay of Plenty and Waikato, the number of sales volumes last month increased more than 15 per cent compared to September 2011 but compared to August sales fell almost seven per cent, with Rotorua and Tauranga the only areas recording increases.

The median price across the region increased by $5500 – up 1.8 per cent compared to August and up 3.5 per cent compared with the same time last year.

While the region's days to sell improved by seven days in September, from 51 days in August to 44 days, the Waikato/Bay of Plenty accounted for 10.2 per cent of the country's auction sales last month.