The Dutch residential housing market saw €9.7 billion of transactions in 2025, a 29% increase from 2024, research from Capital Value has revealed.
New build in particular took off, which represents 55% of transactions.
Investors and housing associations ploughed €5.3 billion into new rental housing, adding around 17,700 new rental homes to the Dutch market.
However high fiscal burdens, such as elevated transfer tax, rent regulation under the Affordable Rent Act (Wet Betaalbare Huur), and strong price increases in the owner-occupied housing market all served to push many existing landlords out of the market.
Arjan Peerboom, chief executive at Capital Value, said: “Dutch institutional investors made substantial investments in new rental housing in 2025 and intend to continue doing so in the coming years.
“Whether this will be possible depends on a favourable investment climate, sufficient supply and efficient permitting procedures.
“To successfully address the housing shortage in the Netherlands, significantly more capital is needed. The investment climate for international investors and the financial health of the housing association sector are key areas of concern.
“Both have come under considerable pressure in recent years, at a time when every effort should be made to enable these investors to contribute sustainably to the housing market.”
Some €4.3 billion worth of existing rental housing was sold, mostly to owner-occupiers.
As a result, rental housing stock declined by 26,000 homes in 2025 due to sales to owner-occupiers, according to the Dutch Cadastre (Kadaster).
International and private investors are largely absent from the Dutch new-build market due to a combination of fiscal pressure, interest rate levels and rent-regulating measures.