More, faster, higher: housing market in overdrive
In the second quarter of 2024, the owner-occupied housing market gained considerable momentum: more buyers bought homes faster at higher prices. That’s according to the latest housing market figures from NVM (nationwide) and MVA (Amsterdam). What are the exact numbers and what do they mean for buyers and sellers?
Most Important Trends and Figures of the Dutch Housing Market in Q4 2024
More home sales
More than 43,000 homes were sold (+19% compared to Q4 2023).
Nearly 145,000 homes were sold throughout 2024 (+10% compared to 2023).
The average time to sell was only 27 days.
Price development
Average sales price: €483,000 (+2.5% compared to Q3 2024, +11.5% annualized).
In 144 municipalities the average price is above €500,000; in 11 municipalities even above €700,000.
Smaller municipalities saw the strongest price increases (+13.5% year on year).
- Appartements are popular
More than 14,000 apartments were sold, an increase of 28% compared to Q3 2024.
Buyers between the ages of 25 and 35 were the most active.
Positive sentiment due to falling mortgage rates and higher incomes.
More supply through the sale of rental properties (sales) as a result of the Affordable Rent Act. But this also has consequences for the supply of rental properties, which you can read later in the blog.
The combination of shortage and high demand has led to rapid sales.
Most Important Trends and Figures of the Amsterdam Housing Market in Q4 2024
The Amsterdam housing market showed rising consumer confidence and more housing supply, partly due to the stable mortgage interest rate. This ensured serious buyers and fast sales.
Offer and asking prices
The number of homes offered increased by 6% compared to Q3 2024 and by 54% compared to Q4 2023, to 2,070 homes.
Median asking price: €707,572 (-1.4% compared to Q3 2024, -0.6% compared to Q4 2023).
Asking price per m²: €8,013 (+0.4% compared to Q3 2024, +2.6% on an annual basis).
Transactions and prices
Homes sold: 2,919 (+35% compared to Q3 2024, +27% compared to Q4 2023).
Median transaction price: €601,220 (-1.9% compared to Q3 2024, +11.2% annualized).Transaction price per m²: €8,414 (+1.0% compared to Q3 2024, +8.3% on an annual basis).
Regional differences in city districts
Supply: Sharply increased in the East district (+89% compared to Q4 2023), smallest increase in the South-east (+12%).
Asking prices: East saw a 6.4% increase year-over-year; South East experienced a decline of 4.6%.
Transaction prices: Increase in South East (+15.2% year-on-year) and down in Center (-3.1%).
Overbidding and selling time
On average, 7.7% above the asking price was paid (79% of homes).
The sales time was on average 28 days, a slight increase compared to 2023.
The West district had the highest percentage of homes above the asking price (89%); Weesp the lowest (66%).
Tightness indicator
The shortage indicator in Amsterdam is 2.1, which indicates continued scarcity.
There is the most choice in the Center (tightness indicator: 4.3); the least in Southeast (1.3).
Challenges and perspectives
Despite more supply, the Amsterdam housing market remains tight, with high percentages of overbidding and quick-acting buyers. According to MVA chairman Floris van der Peijl, rising transactions and consumer confidence reflect a healthy market, but the reality remains unruly due to persistent scarcity.
With the increased supply and improved consumer confidence, both the national and Amsterdam housing markets offer opportunities, but overbidding and high prices are still a challenge for many buyers. It has also become more difficult for tenants. The supply of available rental properties fell by 40.4 percent in the fourth quarter compared to a year ago. (Figures Pararius). The square meter prices are rising. The supply is historically low and prices are rising so fast that a rental home is no longer affordable for large parts of the population. Since the tax reforms and the introduction of the Affordable Rent Act, pressure on the rental market has only increased further. Many homes have been sold off and there is great competition between tenants in cheaper private sector housing.