More internationals in the Netherlands buy homes as rental supply declines

The Dutch association of real estate agents NVM has reported that the number of internationals buying houses in the Netherlands has doubled in the last five years as finding a rental home becomes more difficult. While there has been an uptick in international homebuyers, the organisation emphasises that they still have a limited effect on the Dutch housing market. 

Rent troubles force internationals to buy houses in the Netherlands

The number of homes sold to internationals has doubled from 0,8 percent in 2020 to 1,6 percent in the first half of 2025. However, it is important to note that this is also a slight decline compared with 2024, when expats accounted for 1,8 percent of homebuying, possibly due to the drop in skilled labour migration.

According to NVM, internationals are buying more often than renting due to the high costs and limited availability of rental properties. In fact, 60 percent of real estate agents have interacted with internationals who originally planned to rent but turned to buying when they struggled to find a rental home.

How long an expat decides to stay in the Netherlands also plays a role. Those living in the Netherlands for longer than three years are more likely to buy. Additionally, if the 30 percent tax ruling applies, allowing them to receive 30 percent of their salaries tax-free and therefore get a larger mortgage, purchasing a home is often more attractive than renting.   

Dutch organisations blame internationals for housing crisis

Several organisations, including the Dutch Tenants’ Association (Woonbond), Triodos Bank, CNV Jongeren, FNV Young & United and the National Student Union (LSVb), are calling on the government to scrap the 30 percent ruling for highly skilled migrants, claiming that expats are driving up housing prices. 

The organisations believe that the expat tax break “creates unfair situations”. "Politicians are putting the knowledge economy first, not solving the housing crisis,” Maarten Wiedemeijer from Woondbond told AD. “We don't understand why so much is being invested in attracting foreign workers while so many Dutch people can't afford to buy a home."

However, a UN official previously pointed out that the Dutch housing policy is to blame for the housing shortage, not immigration. The fact that less than 2 percent of Dutch housing is purchased by internationals only supports this point. 

Internationals have limited impact on Dutch housing market

According to NVM, internationals often choose to buy move-in-ready homes with a high standard of finishing. They also pay more than local residents, with an average purchase price of 591.000 euros compared to 575.000 euros. “Expats' housing needs are very similar to those of Dutch dual-income couples with good jobs,” NVM program manager Gerco van den Berg told AD.

While Van den Berg does state that if a Dutch person wants to buy or rent a house in an area with large numbers of internationals, they’ll face “some stiff competition”, this is concentrated in certain regions. For example, 50 to 60 percent of homebuyers in some neighbourhoods in Eindhoven and Veldhoven are internationals, but the numbers are much lower in other areas. 85 percent of rental transactions involving internationals take place in just 16 of the 342 municipalities and 60 percent of all expat tenants are found in Amsterdam or The Hague.  

Real estate agents and experts in the NVM report acknowledge that “internationals are indispensable to the Dutch economy”, filling jobs in sectors that have staff shortages and bringing knowledge to the country. “It is a simple fact that the Netherlands can no longer survive without internationals,” said employer organisations VNO-NCW and MKB-Nederland.

While internationals are “playing an increasingly visible role in certain housing markets”, NVM Chair of Housing Lana Goutsmits-Gerssen adds that “their share of the owner-occupied housing market is still limited nationally”.