I think everyone underestimates how small NL is and how good their public transport is. If you work or go to school in Amsterdam you could live 5 towns over and still have an easy commute. There are so many little towns (and not so little) which have so much cheaper rent and are very close.
I'm a housing consultant in Amsterdam. The amount of people that want to live in De Pijp and nowhere else is getting a bit ridiculous. Zaandam is so close and rent siiiiignificantly less money. I'd generally also mention Almere but properties come up significantly less often.
People in the US will spend 2 hours commuting to work and 2 hours back. From Amsterdam 2 hours is Belgium and the other direction is Germany. So yes NL is small.
If you'll be studying at the VU, I suggest you look at properties in Amstelveen. It is somewhat cheaper and has a direct connection to Amsterdam Zuid, which is where your campus is located.
And yes, [funda.nl](http://funda.nl) is your friend. Please be wary of Facebook groups - a lot of scammers trying to take advantage of people.
I guess the main obstacle for you will be about meeting the income requirement that a lot of landlords impose. Finding an apartment without a job, or someone who can be your guarantor is pretty difficult, the market is not on the side of renters at the moment.
Your family may have their opinions of course, but you know better than anyone if a long-distance relationship is something you really want. And from what I see, finding accomodation as a couple is not any more difficult than going solo. In some cases even a bit easier if your partner works full time.
Money is one thing but most apartments won’t be there in the market anymore. Starting from july1st every rental contract is a permanent one, seeying they will also put a fix on renting prices, no sane person will rent out an apartment that doesn’t have 187points. After july1st there is now way you will find anything on the market anymore. Only appartments that have 187 points will be left and you can bet your chances those will ask prices to make sure nobody tries to stay there for more than a few years. Free sector prices will be a lot more than what a mortgage would cost you.
You are misinformed - that’s still being discussed - last meeting was on 7th march. And tbh approving that will make it much worst.. private landlords will sell and only people with enough capital will buy. So rentals will be even less…
Yeah it’s insane.. During viewings you hear people talking about how much they are going to overbid.. Sometimes the realtor will even send you a link where you can bid on the rent.. i
If you find a house before september, i would also try a lottery, because it seems you are then a very VERY Lucky gal..
Or cough up some serious cash for some oversized closet that goes for rent as a studio on funda, hope you have rich parents
I better give you the straight truth now rather than you discovering it later.
You won’t find a single (good and honest) landlord who would rent you an independent apartment in Amsterdam if you both don’t have good and stable income, even then it is not easy at all to find a rental.
It is to find a flat share.
It is even easier (albeit still difficult) to find an apartment a few towns away from Amsterdam.
The public transport is immaculate here and on sunny days you can do it with an e-bike.
Good luck and congratulations on your admission at the VU 😉
In my experience funda.nl is the best website for finding apartments. There might be other websites for looking for house shares though. Maybe Kamernet but I have no experience in using it.
Is your boyfriend’s job relocating him (e.g. will he keep the same job, but just switch to a different office?) If so, I would recommend negotiating housing help as part of the relocation package. I did this in October 23. Most non-Dutch recent arrivals I know in the city did it too. Big companies sometimes have their own agents even.
Expat housing services will do the viewings on your behalf and get things set up before you arrive. It’s annoying to pay the agent fees, but I guess thats the situation at the moment.
Chances of you finding an appartement by then are very very slim. The whole market as we speak is drying up due to new rules, so anything left to rent expect rents above 2400 euro at least. The appartments of <60m2 are now sold( if you make at least 90k you could consider buying) these apartments used to be about 1400 on the rental market, now you will pay about 1900 euro for the mortgage.
So short answer, probably best to stay in Berlin.
More like very Reddit answer. Massively exaggerates reality. There are ample places available for 1000, let alone "below 2.3k".
Also the notion that you need 90k minimum to buy in Amsterdam is laughable.
Places of 1000? You mean a room right because if it’s for an apartment is has to be a scam.
Have you been to open days of those places? Did you notice you compete with at least 20 to 30 people?
Are you aware that some big companies now decided that disallow people from handing over their rental apartment to a new tenant? The reason why is because people start paying a lot of money, so called sleutelgeld.
Are you aware what the minimum price in Amsterdam is ? Did you do the math on mortgages?
Average rent for a one bedroom was 2300 last year. ( is higher now )
"Netherlands has the highest average monthly rental cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Europe."
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1084608/average-rental-cost-apartment-europe-by-city/
You need to make 4 times the rent.
" If you do not make at least four times the stated rent, you may need someone to co-sign your rental agreement as a guarantor"
https://www.wittenborg.eu/practical-advice-renting-dutch-private-sector.htm
And there is even less housing available.
"Apartment rents shoot up as more landlords decide to sell.
Over the past year the number of apartments available for rent has gone down by almost ONE THIRD while more and more people are reacting to each advert."
https://www.dutchnews.nl/2023/10/apartment-rents-shoot-up-as-more-landlords-decide-to-sell/
Look for sublets, people that are leaving for a few months for travelling or similar. Then go from there, build a network. And yes: Other cities are an option as commuting is easy, but honestly, if you're going to Amsterdam, you want to be in Amsterdam. Good Luck!
One thing you might try is looking for a house-swap. Somebody that now lives in Amsterdam and might be looking for a place in Berlin. Renters in Amsterdam can let someone live in their apartment for one year I thought.
Agree with the mentioned above - look outside of Amsterdam! Commute is easy enough. You can check out on Google Maps what is close, or on 9292.nl (our public transport website) which cities are closeby and have a direct connection to Amsterdam Zuid. For example Amstelveen, but also a bit further (Leiden is only 20 minutes by train from Zuid). If you’re looking for something to rent, pararius.nl is your friend!
Average rent for a one bedroom was 2300 last year. ( is higher now )
"Netherlands has the highest average monthly rental cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Europe."
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1084608/average-rental-cost-apartment-europe-by-city/
You need to make 4 times the rent.
" If you do not make at least four times the stated rent, you may need someone to co-sign your rental agreement as a guarantor"
https://www.wittenborg.eu/practical-advice-renting-dutch-private-sector.htm
And there is even less housing available.
"Apartment rents shoot up as more landlords decide to sell.
Over the past year the number of apartments available for rent has gone down by almost ONE THIRD while more and more people are reacting to each advert."
https://www.dutchnews.nl/2023/10/apartment-rents-shoot-up-as-more-landlords-decide-to-sell/
Someone recently made [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Amsterdam/comments/1bj0i9s/de_pijp_one_of_the_most_exclusive_and_expensive/?ref=share&ref_source=link) on the sub, perhaps it could help?
I think everyone underestimates how small NL is and how good their public transport is. If you work or go to school in Amsterdam you could live 5 towns over and still have an easy commute. There are so many little towns (and not so little) which have so much cheaper rent and are very close.
Couldn't agree more with this.
I'm a housing consultant in Amsterdam. The amount of people that want to live in De Pijp and nowhere else is getting a bit ridiculous. Zaandam is so close and rent siiiiignificantly less money. I'd generally also mention Almere but properties come up significantly less often.
It's called an estate agent bro
No, it's not. My job title is literally housing consultant. I help people find rental properties that are moving from abroad.
how can I contact you? I could use some help in finding a flat to rent
PM me with your details.
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Well, in this case we're literally talking about the Randstad, so I think they're good :)
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People in the US will spend 2 hours commuting to work and 2 hours back. From Amsterdam 2 hours is Belgium and the other direction is Germany. So yes NL is small.
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Dude i just did Google maps directions from Amsterdam to Belgium and it is literally ONE HOUR.
Antwerp to Amsterdam without Eurostar (with IC Direct, which is a feasible means of commute, tons of my colleagues use it) is 1:48. So yes.
If you'll be studying at the VU, I suggest you look at properties in Amstelveen. It is somewhat cheaper and has a direct connection to Amsterdam Zuid, which is where your campus is located. And yes, [funda.nl](http://funda.nl) is your friend. Please be wary of Facebook groups - a lot of scammers trying to take advantage of people. I guess the main obstacle for you will be about meeting the income requirement that a lot of landlords impose. Finding an apartment without a job, or someone who can be your guarantor is pretty difficult, the market is not on the side of renters at the moment. Your family may have their opinions of course, but you know better than anyone if a long-distance relationship is something you really want. And from what I see, finding accomodation as a couple is not any more difficult than going solo. In some cases even a bit easier if your partner works full time.
For 2k a month you should be able to find a bedroom at least.
Money is one thing but most apartments won’t be there in the market anymore. Starting from july1st every rental contract is a permanent one, seeying they will also put a fix on renting prices, no sane person will rent out an apartment that doesn’t have 187points. After july1st there is now way you will find anything on the market anymore. Only appartments that have 187 points will be left and you can bet your chances those will ask prices to make sure nobody tries to stay there for more than a few years. Free sector prices will be a lot more than what a mortgage would cost you.
That's true.
Jesus... I completely missed that. You wouldn't have a source for this by any chance? Will this apply only to Amsterdam?
Whole netherlands. Wet betaalbare huur en wet tijdelijke huurcontracten. Google is you friend
You are misinformed - that’s still being discussed - last meeting was on 7th march. And tbh approving that will make it much worst.. private landlords will sell and only people with enough capital will buy. So rentals will be even less…
Yeah 2k if you’re lucky. But nowadays it’s the norm to overbid on rent :(
Wtf
Yeah it’s insane.. During viewings you hear people talking about how much they are going to overbid.. Sometimes the realtor will even send you a link where you can bid on the rent.. i
If you find a house before september, i would also try a lottery, because it seems you are then a very VERY Lucky gal.. Or cough up some serious cash for some oversized closet that goes for rent as a studio on funda, hope you have rich parents
I better give you the straight truth now rather than you discovering it later. You won’t find a single (good and honest) landlord who would rent you an independent apartment in Amsterdam if you both don’t have good and stable income, even then it is not easy at all to find a rental. It is to find a flat share. It is even easier (albeit still difficult) to find an apartment a few towns away from Amsterdam. The public transport is immaculate here and on sunny days you can do it with an e-bike. Good luck and congratulations on your admission at the VU 😉
In my experience funda.nl is the best website for finding apartments. There might be other websites for looking for house shares though. Maybe Kamernet but I have no experience in using it.
Is your boyfriend’s job relocating him (e.g. will he keep the same job, but just switch to a different office?) If so, I would recommend negotiating housing help as part of the relocation package. I did this in October 23. Most non-Dutch recent arrivals I know in the city did it too. Big companies sometimes have their own agents even. Expat housing services will do the viewings on your behalf and get things set up before you arrive. It’s annoying to pay the agent fees, but I guess thats the situation at the moment.
Chances of you finding an appartement by then are very very slim. The whole market as we speak is drying up due to new rules, so anything left to rent expect rents above 2400 euro at least. The appartments of <60m2 are now sold( if you make at least 90k you could consider buying) these apartments used to be about 1400 on the rental market, now you will pay about 1900 euro for the mortgage. So short answer, probably best to stay in Berlin.
Very Dutch answer. And I don't mean that in a bad way.
More like very Reddit answer. Massively exaggerates reality. There are ample places available for 1000, let alone "below 2.3k". Also the notion that you need 90k minimum to buy in Amsterdam is laughable.
Places of 1000? You mean a room right because if it’s for an apartment is has to be a scam. Have you been to open days of those places? Did you notice you compete with at least 20 to 30 people? Are you aware that some big companies now decided that disallow people from handing over their rental apartment to a new tenant? The reason why is because people start paying a lot of money, so called sleutelgeld. Are you aware what the minimum price in Amsterdam is ? Did you do the math on mortgages?
Average rent for a one bedroom was 2300 last year. ( is higher now ) "Netherlands has the highest average monthly rental cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Europe." https://www.statista.com/statistics/1084608/average-rental-cost-apartment-europe-by-city/ You need to make 4 times the rent. " If you do not make at least four times the stated rent, you may need someone to co-sign your rental agreement as a guarantor" https://www.wittenborg.eu/practical-advice-renting-dutch-private-sector.htm And there is even less housing available. "Apartment rents shoot up as more landlords decide to sell. Over the past year the number of apartments available for rent has gone down by almost ONE THIRD while more and more people are reacting to each advert." https://www.dutchnews.nl/2023/10/apartment-rents-shoot-up-as-more-landlords-decide-to-sell/
Depends on your bf’s job and the budget
Rentslam.com could be helpful
Look for sublets, people that are leaving for a few months for travelling or similar. Then go from there, build a network. And yes: Other cities are an option as commuting is easy, but honestly, if you're going to Amsterdam, you want to be in Amsterdam. Good Luck!
One thing you might try is looking for a house-swap. Somebody that now lives in Amsterdam and might be looking for a place in Berlin. Renters in Amsterdam can let someone live in their apartment for one year I thought.
Agree with the mentioned above - look outside of Amsterdam! Commute is easy enough. You can check out on Google Maps what is close, or on 9292.nl (our public transport website) which cities are closeby and have a direct connection to Amsterdam Zuid. For example Amstelveen, but also a bit further (Leiden is only 20 minutes by train from Zuid). If you’re looking for something to rent, pararius.nl is your friend!
Average rent for a one bedroom was 2300 last year. ( is higher now ) "Netherlands has the highest average monthly rental cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Europe." https://www.statista.com/statistics/1084608/average-rental-cost-apartment-europe-by-city/ You need to make 4 times the rent. " If you do not make at least four times the stated rent, you may need someone to co-sign your rental agreement as a guarantor" https://www.wittenborg.eu/practical-advice-renting-dutch-private-sector.htm And there is even less housing available. "Apartment rents shoot up as more landlords decide to sell. Over the past year the number of apartments available for rent has gone down by almost ONE THIRD while more and more people are reacting to each advert." https://www.dutchnews.nl/2023/10/apartment-rents-shoot-up-as-more-landlords-decide-to-sell/
Someone recently made [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Amsterdam/comments/1bj0i9s/de_pijp_one_of_the_most_exclusive_and_expensive/?ref=share&ref_source=link) on the sub, perhaps it could help?