In Q2, house prices in the EU rose 1.7% on average compared to the second quarter of 2013, which was the highest rise since Q3 2010. In Q1 2014, they increased 0.9% year-on-year.
Croatia's house prices fell 2.9% in Q2 2014 y-o-y, after a 9.7% jump in Q1, which was the biggest increase among EU members. The fall in Croatia's house prices in the April-June 2014 was the mildest compared to all price falls since Q3 2012 when they contracted 0.2%.
Estonia was the best performer with the highest house price rise of 14.5% in Q2 this year. Ireland and Great Britain followed with 12.5% and 10.2% respectively.
Slovenia and Italy were the worst performers with house price drops of 9.8% and 4.8% respectively in Q2 2014 y-o-y.
Compared with the first quarter of 2014, house prices rose by 0.9% in the 18-member euro area and by 1.4% in the 28-member EU in the second quarter of 2014, Eurostat reported.