The Real Estate Institute of South Australia says the long-suffering regional Australian housing market is starting to see a rise in prices.

Despite fewer houses being sold in the third quarter compared to 2011, the rural median House price has risen 6 per cent or $15,000.

Institute CEO Greg Troughton says interest rate cuts have played a part.

"One thing with property and property prices, it's definitely consumer confidence and I'm hoping that remains," he said.

"One thing that I have noticed is that it takes a little bit longer to flow through to the regions than the city area and maybe it's just a consolidation around the fact that things are little more affordable."

He says BHP's decision to defer the Olympic Dam expansion is likely to have affected north and west centres, which have had fewer sales.

Renmark had the largest rise in House Prices of 30 per cent, setting a median price of $227,500, followed by a rise of 15 per cent for Mount Gambier, with a median price of $253,000.