Data from the Dutch association of real estate agents NVM has revealed that although internationals have been purchasing an increasing number of homes in the Netherlands, they are still only buying fewer than 2 percent of houses on the market.

Internationals have little impact on Dutch housing market

According to NVM, the number of internationals buying a house in the Netherlands has more than doubled. Having made up 0,8 percent of house purchases in 2020, expats accounted for 1,8 percent of homebuying in the first half of 2024. However, even with these values the NVM stated that “the role of internationals in the total owner-occupied housing market is very limited”.

The organisation started recording the type of buyers in 2019, dividing purchases into three categories, namely first-time buyers, movers (i.e. selling a home and purchasing a new one) and internationals. Foreign students, migrant workers and entrepreneurs who move to the Netherlands for short or long periods were included in the international category.

Higher purchase prices among international homebuyers

On the Dutch housing market, more internationals are seen to purchase homes with higher price ranges, usually starting at around 400.000 euros. In fact, almost 75 percent of homes bought by expats were listed for higher than this amount.

As many internationals who come to work in the Netherlands have jobs with companies located in large Dutch cities, housing in these areas is usually also more expensive, requiring expats to pay more. For example, NVM lists the following cities as the most popular for international buyers: Amstelveen, Veldhoven, Eindhoven, Amsterdam, Outhorn, Haarlemmermeer, The Hague, Almere, Zaanstad and Haarlem.

As rental prices in the Netherlands see sky-high increases, there has also been an increasing number of internationals who are buying property instead of searching for rentals.

Dutch house prices continue to rise

Expats aren’t the only ones forking out more money when it comes to property though, as home prices in the Netherlands have continued to increase. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) has reported that in the 25 largest municipalities the cost of housing has risen even higher in Q3 of 2024.

Compared to the same period last year, the largest price inflation was seen in Utrecht (18,4 percent), Haarlem (16,4 percent), Eindhoven (15,5 percent) and Almere (14,2 percent).