Home Buyers in the Netherlands Move Farther Than a Decade Ago, Land Registry Reports

Homebuyers Are Moving Further Away Than Ever Before

New research from the Dutch Land Registry (Kadaster) shows that people buying a home today are moving significantly farther away from their previous residence compared to a decade ago. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the average moving distance reached 13.6 kilometres, nearly 3 kilometres more than in 2015. This rising trend reflects a combination of factors—from escalating house prices and regional market pressures to shifting work patterns since the coronavirus pandemic.

Key Findings from the Land Registry Study

• Average move distance: Increased from 10.7 km in late 2015 to 13.6 km in late 2025.
• Pandemic peak: At its height in 2022, the average distance spiked to over 16 km.
• Local buyers shrinking: In 2025, 58% of homebuyers stayed within their municipality, down from 64% in 2015.
• Regional disparities: Buyers from the west of the Netherlands travelled over 18.5 km on average—up from 11 km ten years earlier.

These figures highlight a clear shift: while more than half of buyers still purchase within their own municipality, an increasing share is willing to look further afield.

What’s Driving Buyers to Venture Further?

Several interrelated factors help explain why homebuyers have extended their search radius:

1. House Price Inflation
   Major cities and their surrounding areas—especially in the Randstad—have seen above-average price growth. As central locations become prohibitively expensive, buyers head to suburban and even rural areas where prices have risen more moderately.

2. Tightened Supply
   Municipalities with high job concentrations and amenities have struggled to expand housing supply quickly enough. Limited new-build projects and lengthy planning processes have nudged buyers towards markets with more available stock.

3. Remote and Hybrid Work
   The coronavirus pandemic accelerated remote working trends. Freed from a daily commute, many buyers prioritise space, affordability, or lifestyle over proximity to an office. This shift has opened up regions that were previously overlooked.

4. Infrastructure Improvements
   Upgrades to rail and road networks, along with new cycling routes, make longer commutes more palatable. Better connectivity means living 15–20 km away from the city centre can still allow for reasonable travel times.

Regional Variations: West vs. Rest of the Country

The Land Registry’s data reveals stark contrasts between provinces:

• Western Netherlands: Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam have been top performers in price growth. Buyers here moved on average from 11 km to 18.5 km away over ten years. The rapid tightness of the local housing market pushed buyers into Flevoland, Utrecht and even Gelderland.
• Small Municipalities: Towns like Urk (Flevoland) and Bunschoten (Utrecht) still record a high proportion of local homebuyers, indicating that smaller communities remain strong magnets for their roots.
• Areas of Inflow: Culemborg (Gelderland) registered a 42% inflow of buyers from the Randstad in 2025, reflecting the appeal of more affordable housing without sacrificing commutability.

These regional patterns show that while city dwellers continue to dominate homeownership statistics in urban centres, secondary markets are becoming increasingly competitive.

Impact on Local Housing Markets and First-Time Buyers

Municipalities have expressed concerns about the accessibility of their housing markets for local residents. The Land Registry study highlights that buyers from outside often purchase homes in the same segment as locals moving up the property ladder, rather than directly competing with first-time buyers. However, there is an indirect impact:

• Many local movers vacate starter homes when they upscale. These are typically more affordable and would have been ideal for local first-time buyers.
• In around half of all cases, a local first-time buyer eventually acquired the former home of a local mover—with the other half going to buyers from outside the area.

This cycle means that while newcomers may not directly outbid first-timers, they do absorb properties that fuel the market for local entry-level buyers.

What This Means for Prospective Homebuyers

If you’re planning to buy a home in the Netherlands, consider the following strategies:

• Widen Your Search Area: Be open to surrounding municipalities. You might find better value and more choice 10–15 km from your current location.
• Assess Commute Options: Evaluate public transport and road links. A slightly longer distance can translate into a manageable commute if infrastructure is strong.
• Monitor Regional Price Trends: Use platforms that track house price developments by postcode or municipality.
• Consider Future Work Arrangements: If you expect to continue hybrid or remote work, you can prioritise space and affordability over immediate proximity to an office.

Conclusion

The average distance Dutch homebuyers travel has grown substantially over the last decade, driven by market tightness, price rises in urban centres, and changing work preferences. While core cities remain popular, secondary markets are attracting more buyers than ever. Navigating this evolving landscape requires flexibility, research and strategic planning.

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Data source: Dutch Land Registry (Kadaster)