Official property values soared by nearly 9% last year, the biggest increase in years, national statistics office CBS said on Thursday.

The biggest increase – 22% – was in Weesp, near Amsterdam, where the average home is officially valued at €351,000. In Rotterdam the average WOZ value rose 16% and in Amsterdam 11%.

Bloemendaal has the highest average official property value of €750,000.  By contrast, Delfzijl, in north eastern Groningen has the lowest, at just €134,000.

The WOZ value is calculated by taking the type of property, the location, its size and the sales price of similar properties into account. It is used to determine local authority charges and asset tax and lags behind actual price movements by a year.