The average residential house price in the Kootenays rose $12,000 in the first quarter of 2012 from the same period last year.
The number of sales has also increased, according to figures compiled by the Kootenay Real Estate Board.
The average price for a detached home was $279,000.
Within Nelson city limits, the jump was even more pronounced, with homes selling for an average of $370,000, compared to $317,000 in 2011 — highest in West Kootenay.
Rural Nelson homes, however, saw a drop — $324,000 versus $450,000 in the first three months of last year.
In Kaslo, the average detached home sold for $300,000 this year and $275,000 last year, and in Salmo $215,000 this year against $122,500 last year.
So far this year, 769 detached homes have been put on the market in through the multiple listing service, and 200 have sold.
Gross dollar volume across all categories is $96.9 million to date.
Last year saw the fewest house sales in the Kootenays since 1993, at 1,145, and the fewest across all categories at 2,112. The total dollar value of the sales was $537 million, the lowest since 2003.