A wave of former rental properties hitting the Dutch owner-occupied market is driving home sales toward an all-time high this year.
ING Research now expects roughly 245,000 existing homes to change hands in the Netherlands in 2026, topping the previous record of 242,000 set in 2017. Sales have already hit around 59,000 in the second quarter alone, up about 3% year-over-year. At the same time, listings were running roughly 20% above year-ago levels by the end of June, giving buyers more choice, easing bidding-war pressure, and slowing price growth to an estimated 3% this year, down sharply from 9% last year. ING expects growth to cool further to around 1.5% in 2027.
The bank attributes the surge largely to private investors offloading rental properties into the owner-occupied market as tighter regulation and higher taxes make buy-to-let ownership less profitable. This offloading will free up supply and improving market mobility.
IAM Member Impact: Although the forecast represents good news for members serving the domestic moving market in the Netherlands, members supporting corporate housing or temporary living arrangements for inbound transferees to the Netherlands may see continued rental scarcity and rising rents.
Source: ING Think