Housing market 2026: what can we expect?
The Dutch housing market will continue to move in 2026. After a period of strong
price increases and high pressure on supply, new trends are emerging that are important
for both (first-time) buyers and homeowners looking to take the next step. In this
blog we list the most important developments, with practical insights to help you
better understand tomorrow's market.
Startups have an edge in 2026
For first-time buyers in the housing market, it will be slightly easier to buy their first home in 2026.
buy. Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the starter exemption will be increased. This means you won't have to
transfer tax if you are younger than 35, buy a home with a
value of up to €555,000, and you will live there yourself (main residence). Normally
pay your 2% transfer tax on the purchase price, for a house of
say €400,000, that quickly means saving €8,000 in taxes.
A higher NHG limit in 2026
Another important development for homebuyers in 2026 is the increase in the NHG-
boundary. The NHG (National Mortgage Guarantee) is a guarantee that you can take out with your mortgage. This guarantee gives you extra security and often a lower mortgage interest rate, because
lenders assess the risk lower if you NHG have.
As of Jan. 1, 2026, the NHG limit will rise from €450,000 to €470,000. This means that you can get a
house can buy up to €470,000 including any remodeling costs and still be in
qualify for NHG terms. Are you buying a home and are you going to include sustainability measures in your mortgage? Then the limit is even slightly higher, at €498,200.
House prices forecast 2026: rise between 3% and 6%
Many buyers and sellers wonder how home prices will evolve in 2026. The
housing prices are expected to continue to rise in 2026, but at a slower pace than in the
past years. The forecasts from several major banks indicate a price increase of
about 3% to 6% in 2026. Main reasons for the expected lesser
increase than previous years are the softening growth in wages and additional sales of
homes by investors, increasing supply and partially dampening price pressures.
More opportunities for homeowners looking to move
For homeowners looking to move in 2026, there are visible developments that will make the market
affect. In particular, the wave of sales of former rental properties by investors, the
so-called outpound wave, creates a temporarily larger supply of existing homes for sale.
As investors put their rental properties up for sale en masse, significantly more homes will be on the market by 2025, leading to more transactions and slightly more choice for buyers with existing homes.
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