Housing Market Picks Up Due to Surge in Rental Property Sales

Source: NU.nl – By our Economics Editorial Team
Nearly 34,000 homes changed ownership in the first months of 2025, an increase of over 13 percent compared to last year. A key reason behind this surge is that many landlords are putting their rental properties up for sale. Apartments, in particular, are seeing a high turnover in ownership.

Landlords are increasingly concerned about their returns, partly due to additional rent control measures introduced in the new Rent Act, which will cap rental prices for hundreds of thousands of homes. This is triggering a wave of sales, as rental properties leave the rental market and are being purchased by private homeowners.

One in five homes sold in the first quarter was previously a rental property. In the four largest cities—Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht—this figure rises to two in five, according to new data from estate agents’ association NVM. The majority of these were apartments.

The increase in available homes presents opportunities, says NVM chair Lana Goutsmits-Gerssen with satisfaction. The sale of rental properties provides more choice for first-time buyers. These homes tend to be relatively affordable, making them accessible to this group.

Because the properties coming onto the market are often smaller and more affordable, the average sale price in the first quarter was €473,000—nearly 2 percent lower than at the end of 2024. However, home prices are still 10 percent higher than a year ago.

There are also concerns about this wave of sales. “The situation is becoming more dire for first-time renters,” says Goutsmits-Gerssen. With fewer rental properties available, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find affordable rental housing. The NVM chair therefore stresses the urgent need for new residential developments, with a strong focus on keeping them affordable.