More Dutch homeowners invest in house upgrades amid energy crisis
By Simone Jacobs
The number of mortgage applications to make homes more sustainable and other home improvements has seen a significant 59 percent jump. With the ongoing energy crisis, many residents in the Netherlands want to reduce their energy bills by improving their homes' energy efficiency.
Spike in mortgage applications for Dutch home improvement
A report by De Hypotheker revealed that March 2026 saw mortgage applications for home improvements increase by 59 percent compared to the previous month. Home improvements include sustainability improvements and other home renovations.
According to the mortgage advisor, this spike is likely due to the energy crisis caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. As uncertainty about energy prices continues, homeowners in the Netherlands are looking to make their homes more energy-efficient.
The thinking behind this is that making a home more sustainable will reduce energy consumption, creating a buffer against rising energy prices. Another bonus is that it raises the value of the home and improves comfort. The tight housing market in the Netherlands also means that homeowners would rather invest in their current home than buy a new house with a higher energy label.
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More houses become sustainable in the Netherlands
This is not the first time residents have been more aware of their energy consumption. After the 2022 invasion of Ukraine caused energy prices to spike, an increasing number of homeowners began making improvements to their homes.
In 2024, mortgage applications for home improvements rose by 22 percent compared to the previous year, and in 2025 there was a further increase of 17 percent. “In recent years, many Dutch people have experienced how vulnerable they are to sharp fluctuations in energy prices. The conflict in the Middle East once again highlights how dependent we are on energy sources from unstable regions,” explains commercial director Mark De Rijke.
While this is a reason for many to make their homes more sustainable, these kinds of improvements can be too expensive for many households. Part of the government’s 1-billion-euro support package is set to help with this by providing funds for better insulation, for example.
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training.Read more