The key numbers · 2026
- Housing shortage: 384,000 homes — about 4.6% of the national stock (2026, down from 4.8% in 2025)
- Average existing-home price: ~€493,000 (≈ $562,000), Q1 2026, up ~5% year on year
- New-lease rent, free sector: €21.12/m² national average, Q1 2026 — Amsterdam ~€28.53/m² (Q1 2026)
- Rent caps: social segment max €932.93/month; regulated mid-market cap ~€1,228/month (2026)
- Transfer tax: 2% if you'll live in it · 8% if you won't (from 1 Jan 2026)
- No restrictions on foreign buyers — your problem is supply, not permission
Renting: three segments, one shortage
Since the Affordable Rent Act (Wet betaalbare huur, July 2024), every Dutch rental is scored on the WWS points system — size, energy label, amenities — and the score dictates which segment it falls in and whether its rent is capped:
| Segment | WWS points | 2026 rent | What it means for you |
|---|
| Social | ≤143 | Max €932.93/month | Income-tested, years-long waiting lists — effectively unavailable to newcomers. |
| Regulated mid-market | 144–186 | Capped at ~€1,228/month | Capped by law, so demand massively outruns supply. Landlords are selling these off instead. |
| Free sector | 187+ | Market price — €21.12/m² average on new leases (Q1 2026) | Where newcomers actually rent. A 70m² apartment averages ~€1,480/month nationally; ~€1,950+ in Amsterdam. |
The address problem comes first. You cannot register at the gemeente — and therefore cannot get a BSN, a bank account, or a residence permit — without a legitimate address, and landlords shortlist tenants with Dutch payslips. Budget serious time for the housing search, consider a relocation agent for the first lease, and treat "12 months' rent upfront" requests with caution: large advance-payment demands are a known squeeze on newcomers. Expect a deposit of 1–2 months.
Buying: open to foreigners, brutal for everyone
- No nationality restrictions. Americans and Canadians can buy freely — no permits, no extra taxes on foreign buyers.
- Prices: the average existing home sold for ~€493,000 in Q1 2026 (CBS/Kadaster). Amsterdam sold prices run ~€8,300/m² (NVM/MVA, Q1 2026). Only 5 of the country's ~342 municipalities average under €300,000.
- Overbieden is standard. In the Randstad, homes routinely sell above asking. Go in with a researched maximum, not the list price.
- Buying costs (kosten koper): roughly 4–6% on top of the price (indicative) — transfer tax, notary, valuation, and advisory fees. Transfer tax is 2% if the home will be your main residence; 8% if not (from 1 January 2026, down from 10.4%).
- Mortgages: possible for foreign residents with Dutch income; harder against foreign pension income alone. Interest on your main-home mortgage is deductible in box 1. Cash buyers should note a second home sits in box 3 (see Tax & Finance).
Our standing rule applies here too: rent for the first year. You'll learn whether you want the city or the suburb, and you'll avoid paying 8% transfer tax by mistake because your occupancy plans changed.