Dutch homebuyers' confidence falls to lowest level since early 2024

Confidence in the Dutch owner-occupied housing market sank in October to its lowest point since January 2024. This extends a seven-month decline as buyers remain wary of affordability and mortgage rates.

The Eigen Huis Market Indicator fell to 85 points, down from 86 in September, according to the country’s largest homeowners’s association indicator. A reading of 100 is considered neutral; scores below that indicate a predominantly negative statement. The index stood at 95 in August 2025.

Just nine percent of respondents said it is currently a good time to buy a home. More than half - 55 percent-said buying has grown more difficult over the past year. Additionally, 54 percent expect conditions to worsen further in the year ahead. Seventy-two percent anticipate that mortgage rates will stay the same or rise.

The findings come even as official data from Statistics Netherlands show some easing of pressure on the housing market. Homes are taking longer to sell, yet many potential buyers still question whether they can afford one.

Cindy Kremer, director general of Vereninging Eigen Huis, said the gap between perception and market conditions risks slowing mobility. “What the Dutch think about the housing market says a great deal about what they do next,” Kremer said. “Homes are sitting on the market longer, yet buyers still doubt whether a house is affordable for them. If that confidence is lacking, people may postpone a move. That hurts the entire housing market: mobility declines, and new-construction projects struggle to get off the ground when buyers are unwilling to commit.”

Among those who said now is not a good time to buy - roughly half the sample - about one in five cited mortgage rates as a key reason. When asked why conditions feel unfavorable, 85 percent pointed to the difficulty of affording a home, 25 percent mentioned limited supply, and 12 percent cited intense competition. Many respondents also noted that new construction is not producing the types of homes needed to improve mobility.”