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

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – 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."