Platform on new construction, renovation, restoration and transformation
By 2030, there will be too few houses in the Netherlands. Especially in urban areas, the housing shortage is increasing. It is expected that the Netherlands will be short of between 150,000 and 160,000 homes by 2030. Although materials are being used today to build quickly, not all people looking for housing can be provided with a suitable home.
Where is the housing shortage greatest?
Even in 2030, housing shortages will be felt mostly in and near large cities. Many people prefer housing in cities Amsterdam, Utrecht or Groningen. By 2030, North Holland and South Holland are expected to be more than 125,000 houses short. In other areas such as North Brabant and Gelderland, there will also be a housing shortage as early as ten years from now. Many houses need to be added.
What causes housing shortages?
The shortage of housing in the Netherlands is caused by several factors. Rapid population growth due to immigration as well as preferred areas to live to work create more demand than supply in regions such as major cities. Many people are also forced to move to cities for work or other pursuits. People move to urban areas because of a variety of factors. If your preference is to live in a city or near a city, you may assume that you will pay more for a house (buy or rent) than for a house in a village.
Adding houses, how fast is that happening?
If construction companies get a permit to build, the construction of new houses can proceed quickly using modern materials to build. Yet construction is often delayed because new construction is pricey. People match supply to demand, and the demand for new houses is determined by people who can get loans. Zeeland and Friesland do not expect a housing shortage in 2030. New houses are comparatively expensive, so the demand for newly built houses will continue to increase as people have more money to spend.
How does housing shortage affect home prices?
The value of owner-occupied (and free-sector rental) homes is high. People are looking for alternatives near big cities, such as small towns near a big city. Residents then pay comparatively less for housing and can easily travel back and forth to the big city. Housing in areas where there is a housing shortage, house prices remain high. Houses have been rising in value more slowly since 2018, but the likelihood that values will fall does not seem likely in 2019.
