--- title: "Dutch Housing Market Guide for Expats (2025) | Relocify" description: "Learn how the Dutch housing market works, including rental prices, competition, income requirements, and practical tips for finding a home." url: "https://www.relocify.nl/a/the-housing-market" --- [Relocify Wiki](https://www.relocify.nl/wiki) # The Housing Market Understand how the Dutch housing market works, from rental prices and competition to income requirements, housing types, and practical tips for finding a home in the Netherlands. Written by Hasan Published 1 month ago 4 min read ## The rental market in the Netherlands explained Rental prices in the Netherlands have skyrocketed over the past year, primarily due to recent changes in regulations and tax policies that have significantly impacted the housing market. The most recent example of such regulations is the [Affordable rent act,](https://www.relocify.nl/p/c07453e9beae4028b97071595070d558?pvs=25) which greatly affected the supply of rentals. In the Netherlands, the rental market is divided into several categories. In this guide we’ll explain the main differences. There are ~ 8 million homes available for rent: ~ 36% are student rentals/short-term/ others ~ 30% are social housing ~ 19% are mid-sector apartments ~ 15% are free sector This means that as an expat who earns more than €50,000 per year- you can only rent from middle sector & free sector. You have a choice to rent from either a private landlord or from a housing corporation. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. If your income is below €50,000 check out our [Affordable rentals guide](https://www.relocify.nl/p/3cb5f653f32f404c857a68d8da286ace?pvs=25). ### Private landlords Private landlords represent only 30% of the total rental market. But when it comes to long-term rentals, which expats can apply to, they own a staggering 68%. These include private individuals who rent out their homes as well as investment companies who have a larger portfolio of properties. These properties are in super high demand, and generally Netherlands has a landlords dominated market. Landlords often get to pick from 10-20 applicants their next tenant, so they are really picky and have high demands. How can you rent these? Via Agencies/Relocify: Properties listed on major real estate websites, published by agencies. Landlords usually pay agencies one month’s rent for tenant placement. Basic documents are required, and deals close in days. Each listing online gets about 50-200 responses within the first hours of being published, so responding quickly is key. Candidates are pre-screened by agencies, so often only a few people can attend a viewing, but being one of the first increases the chances. To be considered, your gross income should be 3x the rent. (rent of 2000eur means you should earn 6000eur gross). With Relocify’s push notifications, you’d be the first to know when a property is published. Via Landlords : Properties listed in Facebook groups, Kamernet or other less reputable websites, directly by landlords. These landlords are more flexible, employment contracts are not always necessary, your income doesn’t have to be 3x the rent, but scams are very common. Main reason for scams is anyone can make a post - there's no verification that the person actually owns the property or has the right to rent it out. Similarly, each listing receives 50 responses right away and competition is fierce as ever. Who is eligible for these? Residents & expats in the Netherlands who prove sufficient income. ### Housing Corporations Housing corporations mostly focus on social housing for lower-income groups, with controlled rents and eligibility based on income. In large cities, housing corporations also manage a limited number of properties within the mid-high range rental market targeted at middle-income tenants who struggle with high rents in the private sector. Properties from corporations are usually recently built, a couple hundred euros cheaper and usually larger. But they are extremely difficult to get. It often takes locals 2-6 months to get an apartment from a corporation. They own around 32% of middle and free market rentals. 76% of their properties are social housing for low-income groups. How can you rent these? Only directly from their websites: Properties may be published on real estate websites but the only way to rent from a housing corporation is to have a registered search account with all documents verified. The process can take many weeks, often people who have been registered as a ‘searcher’ for the longest time will be selected for an apartment, in other cases apartments are allocated based on lottery. The search can take anywhere from 3-5 months before you can secure an apartment. Also note, these apartment are delivered _kaal - without floors, furniture, appliances, curtains, light fixtures etc. _You have to purchase everything from scratch. Who is eligible for these? Residents in the Netherlands who can provide the full list of documents. You always need to have a Dutch bank account, Dutch employment contract, DigID, local registration(BRP) & payslips from the Netherlands. If you’re an expat who has lived in the Netherlands for 4+months, you can apply, but prepare for a lengthy process and to rely on luck. #### Conclusion For those who just moved to the Netherlands, attempting to rent from housing corporations may not be worthwhile. The lengthy application process, strict eligibility requirements, and limited availability can make it a frustrating experience. Also they own just over a quarter of rental properties in middle & free sector, making the odds even lower. Instead, by putting your attention and effort on listings from private landlords/agencies, we have much higher chances of finding an apartment in a reasonable timeframe. Read also [Rental Process](https://www.relocify.nl/a/wiki-rental-process) [Pricing](https://www.relocify.nl/a/pricing) [Why are Dutch Rentals Often Poorly Maintained?](https://www.relocify.nl/a/why-are-dutch-rentals-often-poorly-maintained) [Relocation Score](https://www.relocify.nl/a/relocation-score) [Buying Property](https://www.relocify.nl/a/buying-property)