mortgage

Rising mortgage rates, fuelled by the conflict in the Middle East, have led to a cooling of the Dutch housing market, with the average mortgage amount stalling for the first time in three years. Data from De Hypotheker shows that while existing homeowners are staying active by porting their lower interest rates to new properties, first-time buyers are increasingly being squeezed out. The market is also becoming highly fragmented; activity has plummeted in areas like Utrecht, while provinces such as Zeeland and Groningen have seen a surprising surge in interest, highlighting a shift towards a more stabilised yet regionally divided property market.

Dutch mortgage applications dropped sharply in January, with homebuyer requests down over a quarter from last year. HDN data reveals a slowdown after 2025's rate-driven peak, amid persistent housing shortages. Stable but slightly lower average home values signal a cautious market start.