Decrease in house prices remains stable

According to the price index of existing owner-occupied houses, a joint publication by Statistics Netherlands and the Land Registry Office, prices of houses sold in January 2010 were on average 5.3 percent lower than in January 2009. The decrease was the same as in December 2009.

All types of homes were cheaper than one year previously. Prices of terraced houses fell the least: by 3.5 percent. Prices of detached houses – which are usually more expensive – showed the largest decrease: 8.7 percent.

House prices were lower than in January 2009 in all provinces. The largest price decrease was in North Holland (8.6 percent), the smallest in Groningen (1.1 percent).

Compared to December 2009, prices of existing residential property were 0.2 percent higher. Month-on-month price changes in the provinces showed a mixed picture, ranging from 2 percent up in Friesland, Groningen and Utrecht, to 2 percent down in Limburg.

Over 7.7 thousand existing houses were sold in January, 11 percent less than in January 2009. This decrease is somewhat larger than in December 2009.

Prices of owner-occupied dwellings

More figures can be found on the theme page Prices.