The Dutch are satisfied with their living situation compared to other Europeans, despite growing moving wishes

Compared to other countries in Europe, the Dutch are most satisfied with their current living situation. This is apparent from research from research agency Opinium, commissioned by International Makelaarsbedrijf RE/MAX Europe.

Striking, because the number of Dutch people who want to move is growing at the same time. Last year, around 3.6 million Dutch people wanted to move, about half a million more than three years ago. About half of them, more than 1.4 million people, cannot find a home despite an active search. The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) announced this week.

Opinium also asked twenty thousand Europeans from 21 countries how they estimate their chances in their local housing market. About a thousand participants per country made the survey, which according to the researchers is enough for a representative picture of all residents.

Dutch homes are well maintained compared to those in other European countries

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In the Netherlands, more than 80 percent of the residents are satisfied with their current living situation according to the research. « Dutch homes are well maintained compared to those in other European countries, » says Joost Nieuwenhuijzen, director of the European network for housing associations European Federation for Living (EFL). « That is partly because the home ownership in the Netherlands is relatively high, and the owners themselves invest a lot in their homes. »

Moreover, the Netherlands has relatively much social housing that is made more sustainable and renovated, whereby the rent is relatively little increased. As a result, those houses remain reasonably affordable, Nieuwenhuijzen explains.

This does not apply to all rental properties in the Netherlands. Nieuwenhuijzen: « Huisjesmelkers in the private rental invest less in the quality of their homes, because they want to rent out for a few years, for example, and then stop it again. » The CBS housing investigation recently showed that the Moisture and fungal problems of Dutch houses increase, Especially in rental properties.

But in general, ventilation problems are little present and the private rental sector in the Netherlands is small. Certainly at European level, Nieuwenhuijzen van Efl sees. « For example, look at the United Kingdom or Germany, » says Nieuwenhuizen. « Houses are maintained worse there, with poor ventilation and a higher energy bill as a result. » The Netherlands also has a ‘fairly strong rental protection’ compared to other European countries.

Movement

The participants who indicate that they cannot move while they wanted to give the high prices as the main reason. In the Netherlands, 57 percent experience this problem. This makes the Netherlands in 17th place of the 21 participating countries.

According to the research, the Dutch do experience the most problems in the move because the available houses are not satisfactory. About 35 percent of the Dutch find the location of an available house not satisfactory, or do not find the layout, state of the house or size good enough.

Yet there is a growing group of Dutch people who want to move and the number of people who can’t find a house is growing despite an active search.

It is mainly about young adults who still live with their parents and only tenants who want to move. Most, in vain, have been looking for a home for at least half a year. The figures for 2024 come from the three-year housing research of the CBS.

« You can interpret that if: » The housing market is locked for an increasing number of people, « says Tanja Slow, main sociologist of Statistics Netherlands. The fact that so many people have an unfulfilled move wish has never happened since the CBS started this research in 2012.

A possible explanation, in addition to the shortage and prices on the housing market, is a changing residential wish of young people, says slow. « More and more young people are looking for a house and do not want to go to a small apartment with a high rent. And if you really want something that is not feasible, you will be looking longer. » It also sees slow that more people want to continue to live in their neighborhood.

Secondary school

The growing unfulfilled movement of young people is « a typical Dutch problem, » says EFL director Nieuwenhuijzen. Firstly, « the pricelessness of homes in the Netherlands is greatly magnified, » he says. Especially because the Netherlands « is just a small country. » « Most European countries are much larger, which means that the shortage on the housing market is more often local than national problems.

Moreover, as quickly as possible from home after high school is unique for Dutch culture, see Nieuwenhuijzen. « In southern Europe, such as Spain or Italy, people continue to live at home for much longer. Often until they find a partner and thereby buy a house. » The fact that young people in the Netherlands experience so many problems on the housing market is therefore possible to be due to those cultural differences.

Nowadays, Dutch house prices are so high that it is difficult for starters to get a first house without receiving a large equity or a donation of family. Since the Jubelton was abolished in 2023, the number of starters has risen with such a donation. Moreover, those amounts are getting higher, For example, ING reported Friday. Partly because of this, house prices are being pushed up and the market is still pulled.

Buying without bidding is almost impossible on the Dutch housing market, it is also apparent from the most Recent figures from the NVMthe largest brokerage association in the Netherlands, it turned out that in the past three months, more than two-thirds (68 percent) of all NVM homes sold have been outbid. With terraced houses that was even 80 percent. On average, a house was sold for 4.4 percent above the asking price.

Similar problems also play in Austria. At European level, Austrians consider the chance that they can move the smallest within twelve months, the study shows. Logical, says Nieuwenhuijzen. There too: little to choose from and high prices, especially in larger cities. « There is a lot of social housing, but with long waiting lists. Just like in the Netherlands, people are forced to the private sector, which is more expensive. »

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