Dutch Selling Prices in 2025: What the Numbers Really Tell You

House prices in the Netherlands are not dropping. According to CBS, prices of existing owner-occupied homes rose 6.2% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025, the eighth consecutive quarter of increases. Averages describe a trend, not what you personally will pay, so understand the home's value before you bid.

Key takeaways

• CBS, Q4 2025: the average existing owner-occupied home cost nearly €486,000, up 6.2% year-on-year and rising for the eighth quarter in a row.
• NVM, Q4 2025: the average transaction price of homes sold through NVM agents crossed €500,000 for the first time, at €502,000.
• Kadaster, Q3 2025: an apartment was over €85,000 cheaper than a corner or terraced house, and that gap has widened sharply since 2020.
• Growth is uneven: "other" home types (including detached and semi-detached) rose about 8% year-on-year, while apartments rose under 2%.
• Rates: DNB data show mortgage rates climbed from the second half of 2022 and have not returned to their earlier lows.

Are house prices going down in the Netherlands?

CBS reports that the prices of existing owner-occupied homes rose 6.2% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared with a year earlier, the eighth consecutive quarter of increases. So no, on a national scale prices are not going down. Google's own AI Overview on this question keeps repeating a worry from 2024 that never materialised: instead of falling, prices rebounded, driven by a persistent housing shortage, rising incomes, and mortgage rates that eased from their 2023 peak. Averages hide big regional differences, though. A national figure says little about a specific street in Amsterdam or Utrecht, where the numbers usually sit well above the average. That is why it helps to look beyond average selling prices and to remember that Amsterdam, Utrecht and The Hague behave differently from the national average. The trend is up, but your decision is local, and local is where the useful information lives.

What do 2025 selling prices look like by home type?

Kadaster data for the third quarter of 2025 show that the type of home you want changes the price more than any headline average. An apartment was over €85,000 cheaper than a corner or terraced house, a gap that barely existed in 2020 and has widened sharply since. Growth is uneven too: "other" home types, which include detached and semi-detached houses, rose about 8% year-on-year, while apartments rose under 2%. Meanwhile NVM reported an average transaction price of €502,000 for all homes sold through its agents in the fourth quarter of 2025, the first time that figure passed half a million.

Knowing which segment you are in tells you what determines the value of a house far better than one national number.

Want to see how these numbers compare to one specific home? A free Walter report puts recent comparable sales next to the asking price, so you can see the gap for yourself before you make a move.

Will 2026 be a good time to sell?

NVM's first-quarter 2026 data show a market moving toward more balance: around 34,600 existing homes were sold through NVM agents, supply is rising, and price growth is flattening. Mortgage rates ticked up slightly at the end of 2025 and consumer confidence dropped, which cools the frenzy without reversing it. So 2026 can still be a reasonable year to sell, but the honest answer is that it depends on your local market and your own plans, not on a national headline. In a tight neighbourhood with little supply, a seller still holds strong cards. In an area where new listings are piling up, buyers get more room to negotiate. Check current local data rather than last year's story, and weigh it against the pros and cons of buying versus renting if you also need somewhere to live next.

Will mortgage rates drop to 3% again?

DNB data show that the bank rate on outstanding home mortgages in the Netherlands started rising again in the second half of 2022, after a long period of falling rates, driven by the European Central Bank raising its policy rates. Since then rates have eased a little but have not returned to the historic lows buyers got used to before 2022. Honestly: nobody can promise a specific number, and anyone who does is guessing. A return to a structural 3% would need the ECB to cut aggressively and inflation to stay tame, which is not the base case in current forecasts. What matters for your budget is not the headline rate but your monthly payment and how much you can borrow, so it pays to plan for the one-off costs of buying a home in the Netherlands alongside the rate itself.

What is the cheapest month to buy a house?

The common rule of thumb, mostly from US data, says home prices peak in spring and early summer and dip in December and January, when fewer buyers are active. In the Netherlands the seasonal effect is real but weak, and it is easily overwhelmed by bigger forces. NVM's first-quarter 2026 figures show that supply levels and mortgage rates move the market far more than the calendar month does. A quiet December can still be expensive if listings are scarce, and a busy spring can hand you a bargain if a home was relisted and looks fresher than it really is. Plainly: chasing the "cheapest month" is the wrong optimisation. The better question is whether a specific home is priced logically against recent comparable sales, which you can check in any month of the year.

What do average selling prices mean for your bid?

Averages from CBS, NVM, and Kadaster set the scene, but they never tell you what to bid on one specific home. A national figure of nearly €486,000, or an NVM average of €502,000, is a backdrop, not a valuation. The useful move is to translate the market trend into a value framework for the exact home you want: recent comparable sales, condition, location, and energy label, which is how you go about determining the property's true value.

The asking price is set to attract bidders, not to tell you what a home is worth. Those are two different numbers, and only one of them protects you.

Steven van Wel, CEO Walter Living

The right price is the price that is logical within the same value framework, and it can differ per buyer. When you know why you are bidding what you are bidding, a loss stings less and a win makes sense. Walter doesn't gamble. Walter explains. Pull a free Walter report on your target home to see the comparables and market context behind the number before you commit.

Frequently asked questions

Will home prices drop in the Netherlands in 2026?

It depends on your region, but the national trend is up, not down. CBS recorded a 6.2% year-on-year rise in Q4 2025, the eighth straight quarter of increases, and NVM's Q1 2026 data show the market cooling toward balance with more supply rather than a broad price fall. Treat national averages as background and make a strong offer on a popular house based on local comparables.

Are apartments a cheaper buy than houses right now?

Cheaper, yes, but that is only part of the picture. Kadaster's Q3 2025 data show an apartment was over €85,000 less than a corner or terraced house, and apartment prices grew under 2% year-on-year against about 8% for other types. So apartments offer a lower entry price and slower growth, which matters for both your budget and your resale expectations.

Will mortgage rates drop to 3% again?

Probably not soon, and no one can promise it. DNB data show rates rose from the second half of 2022 with ECB policy increases and have not returned to their earlier lows. A structural 3% would need aggressive rate cuts and tame inflation, which current forecasts do not assume. Focus on your monthly payment and borrowing capacity, not the headline number.

What is the cheapest month to buy a house in the Netherlands?

There is no reliable cheapest month here. The US rule of thumb points to winter dips, but in the Netherlands supply and mortgage rates move prices far more than the calendar. A home priced logically in July can beat an overpriced one in January, which is why an appraisal report and comparable sales matter more than timing.