Blaricum, near Hilversum, is still the most expensive place to buy a house in the Netherlands, with the average home costing €702,000, according to new figures from the land registry office Kadaster.

This is down €62,000 on the 2008 figure, the land registry said. Bloemendaal is the second most expensive location, followed by Wassenaar and Laren.
House prices nationwide fell by an average 6.5% last year but were up in 60 local authority areas. Top of the list of risers is Wierden in Overijssel province, where house prices rose an average 9.5%.
The cheapest place to buy a home is still Reiderland, in the northwest of Groningen, where the average house price was €131.000 last year.