Amsterdam housing market cools, but shortage persists
Fewer transactions and fewer bids above asking price point to a calmer market, while supply remains limited.
The Dutch owner-occupied housing market is showing signs of cooling. In August, the Kadaster recorded almost 3 per cent fewer home transactions than a year earlier, while market data for Amsterdam point to fewer bids above asking price and longer selling times.
CBS reported, based on Kadaster data, that 18,886 existing owner-occupied homes changed hands in August. That was almost 3 per cent fewer than in August 2025. Over the first eight months of 2026, however, the number of transactions was more than 4 per cent higher than a year earlier.
The average transaction price of an existing owner-occupied home was €503,523 in August. That average is not a price index: it does not account for differences in property type and quality. CBS therefore uses a separate index for statements about price developments.
Broader market data also point to more choice for buyers than before. NVM reported 37,727 homes for sale in the second quarter, 20.3 per cent more than a year earlier. The number of homes sold rose by 6.6 per cent during that period, while the average selling price was 2.1 per cent higher.
For Amsterdam, this does not mean a return to a slack market. A local market overview, based on NVM and MVA data, reports that buyers still pay above the asking price on average, although that percentage is lower than a year earlier. Selling times are around seven weeks. Such figures can vary considerably by district and property type.
The cooling has several possible causes. Higher financing costs limit how much buyers can borrow, while more former rental homes and new supply increase choice. At the same time, demand in Amsterdam remains strong because of employment, education and the city’s limited space.
The new figures therefore present a mixed picture above all: the market is becoming less overheated, but affordability has not been resolved. A less steep rise in prices helps buyers only if they also have sufficient income, savings and access to finance. For tenants, moreover, this development does not automatically change the shortage in the rental market.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The number of home transactions fell year on year in August.
- The number of homes for sale was higher in the second quarter than a year earlier.
- Amsterdam remains a tight housing market.
Left
Arguments A slightly calmer market is not enough as long as housing remains out of reach for lower- and middle-income households. The government must build, protect social and mid-market rentals, and tackle speculation.
Values The right to housing, affordability and tenant protection.
Consequences More regulation may affect returns and supply in the private rental sector, but could limit housing costs for vulnerable groups.
Centre
Arguments The market needs more construction and predictable policy. A combination of new-build housing, increased mobility and targeted protection can ease pressure without completely freezing the owner-occupied market.
Values Affordability, feasibility and institutional stability.
Consequences The effect will come slowly; temporary measures will remain necessary as long as new construction lags behind.
Right
Arguments More supply will arise mainly if building, subdividing and selling are made more attractive. Excessive price regulation and uncertainty could instead drive investors and landlords out of the market.
Values Ownership, market forces and room for investment.
Consequences Fewer rules may increase supply, but without targeted protection, lower-income households may lose out in competition on the market.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The national transaction figures are based directly on CBS and Kadaster data. The Amsterdam interpretation is phrased more cautiously and linked to a market source using NVM and MVA data.
- confirmed There were 18,886 home transactions in August, almost 3 per cent fewer than a year earlier. — CBS published these Kadaster figures. source
- confirmed In the first eight months of 2026, more than 4 per cent more homes were sold than a year earlier. — CBS and Kadaster. source
- confirmed NVM reported 37,727 homes for sale in the second quarter. — NVM market information for the second quarter of 2026. source
- confirmed On average, Amsterdam buyers still pay above the asking price. — Local market overview based on NVM/MVA data; this is not the same for every segment. source
Editor's note
The national CBS and NVM figures are strongly supported. Amsterdam figures are market data and may vary by segment; they have therefore not been presented as a general trend for every neighbourhood.Sources
- Prijsstijging koopwoningen vlakt in augustus verder af — CBS
- Marktinformatie Wonen — NVM
- Huizenmarkt Amsterdam — Makelaar Amsterdam, op basis van NVM/MVA-gegevens
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „woningmarkt amsterdam”
- NOS — „woningmarkt amsterdam”
- Het Parool — „woningmarkt amsterdam”