The upturn in the Dutch housing market continued in the first quarter of this year, with a 19% rise in sales compared with the first three months of 2014.

Almost 29,000 homes changed hands in the first quarter, but this is down 17% on the final quarter of 2014, the real estate agents association NVM said.

The final quarter rush was partly due to changes in mortgage regulations, which cut the amount people could borrow from January 1. House sales had also been boosted by a temporary tax break on family gifts of up to €100,000.

The average house price in the first quarter was €211,000, a rise of almost 3% on the year-earlier period but still well below the record high of €251,000 in the second quarter of 2008.

There are also sharp regional variations. In Amsterdam, for example, prices have gone up over 7% to an average €246,000. In The Hague region, house prices are down 0.5% at an average €199,000.

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