If you are staying in the Netherlands for an extended period of at least 5 years you may want to consider buying your own property. Monthly payments can be lower than renting, especially if you take into account mortgage tax relief. There are generally no limitations to foreigners owning property in the country.
In this article we look at the 3 things expats need to consider when purchasing property in the Amsterdam area. These are (1) the location of the property, (2) the price/budget/property type and (3) the process of buying.
Be aware that house prices in the Netherlands have increased significantly in the last few years and this trend has accelerated since 2020. See Amsterdam Property Price Map 2013-2021
Location
An initial question to ask is which district or neighbourhood in Amsterdam would you like to live in? Would you prefer having a place closer to the city centre? Or in one of the more outer suburbs? How about a town outside of Amsterdam? Let’s look at some options:
City Centre – the heart of the action and normally busy with tourists/visitors although you can find many quiet back streets. Premium properties such as 17th century canal houses are extremely expensive and many are used as commercial offices. Residential prices in the centre are out of reach for many potential buyers.
Just west of the centre, the Jordaan district is a popular-but-expensive choice for apartments with picturesque canals, independent shops and a communal atmosphere.
Inner Neighbourhoods – Prime areas to live in are Oud West and Oud Zuid (including the chic Museum Quarter), the multicultural, working class De Pijp and the classy Rivierenbuurt in the south. The new developments on the IJ waterfront from the Westerpark area to the eastern islands should also be considered.
Amsterdam Oost (east) has been an up-and-coming area for some years with a mix of social housing and new developments.
Outer Suburbs – Cheaper places for apartments further out include Osdorp and Slotervaart which are accessible to the centre by public transport.
Amsterdam Zuidoost (south-east) has had social problems in the past and its brutalist architecture is not to everyone’s taste – however apartment prices are the cheapest in the greater Amsterdam area.
Amsterdam Noord (north of the IJ) is undergoing significant development, however the residential areas can feel a little detached from the city and it is more Dutch-centric than international.
Other Towns/Cities – For larger families looking for a house then consider Amstelveen. This is quite a popular location for expats given its proximity to Amsterdam Zuidas business district and Schiphol airport. Note, some areas of Amstelveen are under the flight path of aircraft during the day, but the airport is closed at night.
Amstelveen has a wide range of property available from apartments to detached houses. Public transport connections (tram, metro, bus) are convenient and there are also plenty of free parking spaces for residents – unlike Amsterdam centre where you need to pay the council for an expensive parking permit.
Other options for expats are Haarlem, Zaandam or Hilversum. Haarlem is only a 15 minute train ride from Amsterdam central. With a wide range of affordable property, a lively and historic centre and a short hop to Zandvoort beach, it is a serious alternative.
We would also recommend taking a look at the Leidsche Rijn area in Utrecht, 30 minutes south of Amsterdam. This is an ongoing development which will eventually have 30,000 properties housing some 80,000 people. This area is great for families with parks and modern facilities.
Finally, the new cities of Almere and Lelystad in the adjacent Flevoland region to the east of Amsterdam (20-40 minutes by train) offer the choice of larger properties at significantly lower prices.
Price / Property Type
As mentioned, house prices in the Netherlands have increased sharply in recent years. The median house price in Amsterdam in 2022 as a whole is around €600,000 – this works out at about €6,700 per m².
So as a potential buyer, what can you expect? Obviously price depends on the size of the property and the location – you may need to compromise in order to get the right balance.
The average house price in the centre of Amsterdam is around €1 million, with prices in excess of €8,500 per m².
At the other end of the scale, properties in the Bijlmer (Zuidoost area) are priced from around €250,000 and are in the €3,000-€5,000 per m² band.
In Amstelveen you can find smaller houses on sale from around €450,000, with the bigger houses around the €700,000 to €2 million mark. Prices in Haarlem are slightly lower than Amstelveen.
A 3 bedroom house in Utrecht Leidsche Rijn starts from about €450,000. In Lelystad you can get a decent-sized detached house from €400,000.
Buying Process in the Netherlands
Have a good look around the area you are interested in living. Think about transport links, parking, shopping/entertainment facilities, schools and healthcare.
If you need a mortgage then go to a major Dutch bank (for example ABN Amro or ING) or visit a mortgage specialist (Hypotheek Shop) to see how much you can borrow. You will need to be in full-time in employment and have a valid residence permit.
A typical Dutch mortgage runs for a 30 year period and you can borrow up to 5 times salary. You would probably have to put down at least a 10% deposit. As always with complex financial products you should do your homework or seek expert advice.
Interest payments on mortgages are tax deductible as long as the property is your main residence. Note that the future of mortgage tax relief in the long term is being questioned.
Once you have a budget then start your property search – funda.nl (in Dutch and English) is the largest property search website in the country. Alternatively go to see an estate agent (makelaar) – they will either charge a fixed fee or 1-2% of the sale price, depending on how much work they do on your behalf. Note that ‘for sale’ is te koop in Dutch.
View a number of properties to get a feel for value in the area. Be aware if a property is either freehold (vrij leen) or more commonly in Amsterdam, leasehold (erfpacht) where annual ground rent (canon) is payable to the council, typically €1,500-€2,500. It may be possible to buy out the leasehold from the council.
For apartments also consider any fees to housing associations for the general maintenance of the building.
When you find a flat / house you like make a suitable offer and negotiate from there. An experienced agent can prove useful during this process. Alternatively the seller may ask for sealed bids (inschrijfaanbod).
If the seller accepts your offer a temporary contract is signed – either party can cancel this within 3 days. The 10% deposit must be paid via a bank within 3 weeks. You will lose this if you pull your offer after the 3 day cooling off period, such as not being able to raise the full finance.
You should then get a detailed inspection of the property done by an independent surveyor. If all is well then the final purchase transfer contract (akte van levering) can be signed on exchange day at a notary office. The Dutch Land Registry (Kadaster) will be notified of your purchase. Expect to get the keys and be able to move in within about 8 to 12 weeks.
In total allow for 6-10% of the property value to be swallowed up in agent fees, notary fees, surveyors and taxes.
You should insure your property against fire, flood and damage and get contents insurance for any valuable items.
Note that as a property owner you will be liable to pay annual property taxes (OZB Onroerende ZaakBelastingen) to the local municipality. This is based on the deemed value of the ‘immovable property’ – known as WOZ Wet waardering Onroerende Zaken. Furthermore, there are no capital gains taxes in the Netherlands.
If you need to furnish the property then there is an IKEA in south-east Amsterdam (metro station Bullewijk or come by car via the A9). Also in the area is the Woonmall Villa Arena, a shopping centre dedicated to house and homeware – from furniture to flooring, bathrooms to kitchens, anything you might need will be here. It is next to the Amsterdam ArenA stadium, metro station: Bijlmer-ArenA.
This article was originally published in 2010. Last updated 24 January 2022. Article for information purposes only.
