Band 6+: Task 1: The chart below shows information about changes in average house prices in five different cities between 1990 and 2002 compared with the average house prices in 1989. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

The bar chart compares the variations in average house prices in New York, Madrid, Tokyo, Frankfurt, and London from 1990 to 2002 with the percentage change in 1989 prices. Overall, while in the first given period the prices in three out of five countries saw a downward trend, the situation was reversed in the second time frame, with the exception of one country.

Between 1990 and 1995, the cost of houses in New York, Tokyo, and London dropped significanly compared to 1989 prices, decreasing by five to seven percent. The situation has changed drastically for the US and the UK by 2002. House prices soared to five and around 12 percent, respectively, with London reaching its peak. Tokyo, on the other hand, remained its downward position, slighly reducing its figure to five percent by the end of the period.

Madrid and Frankfurt, unlike other cities had an upward trend troughout the whole period in comparison with 1989. While the cost of houses in Spain doubled, growing from around 2 % initially to 4 % by 2002), Frankfurt saw a slight decrease by nearly 1 per cent by the end of the period.