House prices up 4.98% y-o-y in Q1 2020

The Netherlands’ house prices have continued to rise, buoyed by record low interest rates, and with supply unable to keep up with strong demand. The average purchase price of all dwellings rose by 4.98% during the year to Q1 2020, following y-o-y increases of 3.48% in both Q3 and Q4 2019, 4.46% in Q2 and 5.28% in Q1. On a quarterly basis, house prices increased 2.55% during the latest quarter.

 

Home sales are rising amidst supply shortages

In the first four months of 2020, the number of dwellings sold rose by almost 9% to 70,433 units from the same period last year, following zero growth in 2019, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS). 

During 2019, there were almost 71,000 completions, over 6% up from the previous year and the highest level in a decade. Yet, it remains inadequate to meet surging demand. The housing shortage in the Netherlands was estimated at about 200,000 units this year.

Rents, rental yields: attractive yields for a developed economy at 3.7% to 6.4%

Amsterdam apartment costs are around €6,900 per sq. m.

Netherlands: typical city centre apartment buying price, monthly rent (120 sq. m)
	Buying price	Rate per month	Yield
Amsterdam	€ 828,240	€ 2,569	3.72%
The Hague	€ 438,360	€ 2,050	5.61%

Recent news: The Dutch economy shrank by 1.7% in Q1 2020 from the previous quarter, the steepest decline since Q1 2009, marking the end of a long period of continuous growth over the 23 previous quarters, mainly due to declining household consumption, according to the CBS. The economy is projected to contract by 6.8% this year, following expansions of 1.8% in 2019, 2.6% in 2018, and 2.9% in 2017, based on estimates released by the European Commission.