Sales figures show Dutch housing market recovering more strongly than expected from deep slump

Dutch real estate agents say sales figures show the nation's housing market is recovering more strongly than expected from a deep slump, in a further sign of economic recovery.

Figures released Thursday showed that 34,622 houses were sold by members of the real estate agents' association in the last three months of 2014, a rise of more than 30 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Prices also are on the rise. The average price of properties sold was up 3.5 percent from a year ago to 215,000 euros ($253,000).

Chairman of the association Ger Hukker says "low sales numbers and falling prices are now definitively behind us."