The housing market in the Netherlands

An article by Expat Mortgages

The heat has faded from the Netherlands, but this autumn shows signs of some heat returning to the Dutch housing market.

Henk Jansen, founder of Expat Mortgages, says that brokers are seeing signs of market changes that indicate that now could be a good time to buy if you are properly prepared.

“After the summer, when everyone returns from their holidays, historically speaking more houses come on the market for sale,” he says. “Individual investors and corporate investors in general are also thinking about selling their investment properties because of the changing tax regime.”

The latest figures from Statistics Netherlands and the Dutch land registry show that average property prices have fallen by 5.5% since the peak in late 2022. Although they are not rising at the rate of inflation, there are signs that the dramatic drop has stopped, and prices may be stabilizing. Between June 2023 and July 2023, the latest month's figures, the average price of a house rose by 0.5%, with prices roughly at the level of December 2021.

But there is still a housing shortage of an estimated 390,000 homes, and although new builds are coming, they will not solve the issues in the coming two years. 'The shortage is really tangible, with more offers for each house, more offers above the asking price, and more difficulty in negotiating get-out clauses for the buyer in a sale contract,' says Henk. 'So ensure that you are well-prepared and plan an update meeting with your mortgage consultant if you want to buy a home in the autumn.

We from Expat Mortgages help internationals finance their “dream home” purchase in the Netherlands. Visit our website for more information.