All regions of England and Wales have seen a year-on-year increase in house prices, according to the Land Registry.
But the average property value dropped by 0.6% in March compared with February to £164,288, its figures show.
London showed the biggest annual and monthly rise in prices in March, with the lowest annual rise in prices seen in Wales.
The data also shows that the number of completed house sales picked up at the start of 2010, up 30% on a year before.
The Land Registry data is widely regarded as the most authoritative of the house price surveys, although it only covers England and Wales.
The year-on-year rise in house prices reached 7.5% on average in England and Wales in March, the fifth consecutive month of increases.
The price of a typical home in London was now £336,409, following a 13% annual rise in prices.
BBC website 30.4.10
