Dutch house prices up 4.0 percent in January

In January 2008, prices of existing owner-occupied dwellings in the Netherlands were on average 4.0 percent higher than a year earlier. Demand for apartments was high, while other types of dwellings were less wanted.

Over 12,000 existing owner-occupied dwellings changed hands in January, a 9 percent decrease compared with the same month one year earlier. The number of apartments sold however grew by well over 20 percent. Sales of all types of single-family dwellings dwindled.

Prices of detached houses and apartments rose by more than 4 percent in January. Prices of terraced and semi-detached houses rose by less than 4 percent, the Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) reported yesterday.

In all provinces prices increased. The most substantial price rises were recorded in Noord-Holland and Zeeland. Flevoland and Groningen saw the lowest price rises.

Prices went up by 0.7 percent compared to December 2007. Prices increased across all provinces, except in Flevoland.

In December 2007, prices increased by 4.1 percent from December 2006. The annual price rise has slowed down steadily since September 2007.

Source: NIS News, 22 February 2008