The NSW regional towns where house prices defied the downturn

Key points

• Median house prices in regional New South Wales are still higher than a year ago, despite slipping 1.2 per cent to $820,000 in the September quarter. Dungog recorded a 26.9 per cent annual rise, while Inverell and Broken Hill also climbed sharply.
• Investors seeking cheaper homes have driven some of the growth, but their buying has slowed after recent federal budget changes to investor taxes and high mortgage costs.
• Local agents in Dungog and Inverell say demand has eased recently, although buyers continue to arrive from the city.