This guide will outline the main websites you need to find either a house to buy or rent a house in the Netherlands. Due to the high demand, it may not be an easy task, however, this article will help you navigate the current real estate market and what you need to be prepared for after you get a viewing.

The most common website

First of all, you need to know how much you can spend on a new home and have your requirements so you can start your search. Your first stop to find houses will primarily be Funda, because it has the largest amount of available properties in the Netherlands. It’s used to find property from the villages to central Amsterdam.

However, due to popularity and high demand for property in the Netherlands it may be challenging to even get a viewing. Sometimes properties are sold even before they are available on Funda. Getting a viewing is difficult in these times and many properties are already sold even before they appear on Funda. For this reason, it is advisable to make use of a purchasing real estate agent (Aankoopmakelaar).

Personal XP

Lilia found that searching for apartments was mostly her job. “It was mainly me looking on Funda and sending links to our agent,” she laughs. The agent's job was more about setting up viewings and dealing with the paperwork

Other trustworthy websites

Even though Funda is the main website to search for a property in the Netherlands, there are plenty of other housing marketplaces to search for a new home. It’s important to be careful with social media as there are a lot of scams currently going on but several platforms are recognized as trustworthy, mostly for rentals:

How to find housing

There are three basic rules to take into account while searching for housing:

  • Three types of rentals: Furnished, carpet and curtain, and unfurnished. Sometimes unfurnished even means a stripped clean house including no floor or paint, just plain walls.
  • Each housing listing on the websites receives somewhere between up to a couple of hundred responses. It is therefore vital that you respond quickly and that your application stands out. Also, be able to move quickly and have all your documents ready.
  • It is unusual to find a house remotely in the Netherlands, to get viewings you need to be present in person

Here’s a couple of lifehacks that can increase your chances in finding a property of your dreams:

  1. Be an early bird: As said before each listing receives somewhere between 300-500 responses. Responding first to a listing can drastically increase your chances of getting a viewing for a house.
  2. Prepare a personalized message: When responding to a listing you will be asked to share your availabilities and there will also be a box that allows you to write a message. Write a template and adapt it to your needs to get a more personalised message and stand out.
  3. Visit and call agencies: Most of the deals with agencies are done via the phone or in person, the old-fashioned way. Which is why it’s important to make a human connection with an agent.
  4. Prepare your documents beforehand: Have all your documents prepared in a pdf format as some agencies ask to see them before allowing you to visit the apartment for KYC and compliance. Most of the times the background check is done by a third-party company so it’s useful to keep the momentum going and send everything right away.

Information to share

After all your efforts to apply to different apartment visits, a real estate agent may reach out to you asking either if you are available for a visit or for additional information. 

Here is the information usually asked for by agencies:

  • First name and last name
  • Phone number
  • Date of birth
  • reason to move
  • Moving date
  • How many people are you renting with?
  • What is your relationship to these persons?
  • Do you match the income requirement?
  • Do you have any pets?

Income questions:

  • Gross Monthly Salary
  • Type of employment contract
  • What is your company?
  • Company's industry
  • How long have you been in the company?
  • Do you have an employer's statement?
  • Is your probation period over?

Business owners specific questions:

  • What is your industry?
  • Since when did you start your business?
  • Annual figures for the last 2 to 3 years
  • The annual turnover for 2022, 2021, and 2020

For Students specifically :

  • What are your studies?
  • Do you have a grant?
  • If so how much?
  • Graduation date
  • Do you currently have a side job?
  • Income
  • Do you have a guarantor?
  • Gross income of your guarantor.

Hopefully, this will help you find your new home in the Netherlands, good luck!