House prices rose an average of 1.2% in the first three months of this year, compared with the year earlier period, says estate agents’ organisation NVM.

The rise is the first in three years and takes the average price paid for a home to €209,000, the NVM said. The biggest increases were in Amsterdam, where house prices rose 5.3%.

The number of homes changing hands was up 41.5% compared with the first quarter of 2013. That was when new mortgage rules were introduced and sales reached their lowest level.

However, there are still wide variations and house prices continued to go down in north eastern Groningen and the south of Drente, the NVM said.

The organisation expects further recovery in the second quarter.