Report: Buyers have fewer fixer-upper homes as only 1.3% of those for sale need work

Only 1.3 percent of homes currently occupied by owners across the Netherlands need to be fixed before they are sold, according to the latest study by eXp Nederland. According to the researchers, that leaves relatively little choice for buyers who want to adapt their new homes to their own taste.

At the time of the study, 91,327 owner-occupied homes were listed for sale nationwide. Of those, only 1,209, or 1.3 percent, needed renovation.

In Friesland, which, according to eXp, has the strongest fixer-upper home market, only 59 of 3,097 homes would require renovations. That is 1.9 percent, followed by Drenthe with 1.6 percent and Overijssel with 1.5 percent. Zuid-Holland and Limburg rounded out the top five provinces by share of renovation properties, with those homes accounting for only 1.4 percent in both.

“For buyers willing to compromise on a home’s condition, a renovation property can offer an alternative route into the market, potentially allowing them to buy for less while also getting the chance to finish a home to their own specifications,” Frank Rohlof, head of eXp Nederland, said in a press release.

“Our research shows, however, that these opportunities remain relatively scarce across the Netherlands. Even in the provinces with the highest share of fixer-uppers, fewer than 1 in 50 homes currently available fall into this category.”

The study also shows that affordability also remains a major concern for many buyers. Many prospective homeowners would be interested in the possibility of purchasing a fixer-upper home, as it can be cheaper compared to modernized properties.