How to Find Rental Apartments in Amsterdam
Finding an Amsterdam apartment can be quite tricky. There are many websites out there, but they're not always reliable. Some offer only rooms, or introduce a paywall before you can get in contact with the landlord. We've compiled a list of the best places to search for apartments in Amsterdam so you don't waste time searching through bad ones!
The Market in Amsterdam is Tough
You're not the only one looking for that sweet Amsterdam apartment. The market is really, really competitive with many people looking to buy or rent apartments at every price point in the market.
You'll have to be patient, persistent, and prepared with an understanding of how the housing market works in order to find a place to live.
For more insights, have a look at our Amsterdam Rental Insights from July 2022 article, where we dive into some of the statistics from the past years.
Real Estate Websites
There are plenty of good, established websites to help with finding apartments.
If you're looking for super short term rental, Airbnb is an obvious option. If you’re unfamiliar with the service, Airbnb allows hosts to advertise their homes or rooms for rent on a short-term basis. Your host will often be able to tell you about the neighborhood and give recommendations for local events and attractions as well as things to do in Amsterdam.
While it does require that you have an account with them (which can take some time), there are many advantages: you can browse listings by location or type of accommodation; there is also an option for sharing experiences through comments/reviews from other users; and if your host offers breakfast or dinner in their listing then this will be included in your rate. Most of the time, renting an Airbnb property for a month or more can land you a discount. Just send the owner a message telling them what you're looking for.
However, the city council of Amsterdam has been cracking down on Airbnb in recent years. Because Amsterdam is a very touristic city, many residents figured renting a room or even their entire apartment to tourists was a very lucrative way to make some extra money on the side.
Because this meant that a lot of residential homes were being used as hotels, and tourists don't exactly stick to a 9 to 5 schedule, this lead to a lot of complaints from residents. Ever since 2019, finding an Amsterdam apartment on Airbnb has become somewhat of a rarity, as a permit is now required and very few people hold one.
If you're looking to rent for upwards of 6 months, one of the more traditional websites may be more up your alley. Here are some of the most used ones:
Real Estate Agents
Known as Makelaar locally, real estate agents are a very good option when you are looking for an Amsterdam apartment. They know the market, they know the neighborhoods, and soon, they may know you.
While they do charge a fee for their services, you will very often be aware of upcoming rental apartments, before they are listed on the websites listed in the previous section.
You're also more likely to find a place in a neighborhood you like. For example, if you have children, you may prefer a house in a quiet, spacious neighborhood where there are lots of children, over for example, the city center.
If you want to rent rather than buy, they can also help with paperwork, language and culture issues (including bureaucracy) which may otherwise be difficult to deal with as a foreigner. Trust me, this is The Netherlands. There's plenty of bureaucracy to go around!
Room Rental
If you're not into living large - honestly though, nobody in Amsterdam is. Every apartment is relatively small - you may be interested in renting a room over an apartment.
There are a handful of room letting websites around, the most reputable being Kamernet. It's worth noting that their listings are a bit more on the budget side of things. Photographs are usually taken by the owners themselves, and don't usually give a great impression. You also have to pay a fee to respond to some of the listings.
Expect to pay anywhere between 800 and 1200 a month for a room in Amsterdam; it's definitely not cheap!
Buying an Amsterdam Apartment
Buying an Amsterdam apartment is a possibility, but also very expensive. You’ll need to be prepared to spend at least 650.000 euros if you want to buy something decent. Amsterdam apartments go for anywhere between 7.000 and 10.000 per square meter, so even on the lower end you should expect to pay at least 420.000.
Considering most apartments in Amsterdam aren't exactly new, you should expect to have to invest between 50.000 and 100.000 in renovations as well. Especially the "inside the ring" (meaning inside the ring road, the A10) apartments are all built before 1930, and are mostly made of wood. More often than not, they require some serious touching up before they are up to modern standards.
The Netherlands has one of the highest costs of living in Europe, so be prepared for high prices when buying or renting property. Of course, the flip side is that the social security program, availability and quality of public healthcare, and education are among the top in the world, and largely publicly funded.
It's a trade off, but in general, nothing in The Netherlands comes cheap.
When looking to buy an Amsterdam apartment, it's best to work with an agent (makelaar) who can help find what you're looking for. They know the market, and more importantly each other. Timing is key in a market as hot as Amsterdam, and knowing a property is going up for sale a day before everyone else does is worth every penny.
Summarizing
Alright, so when looking for Amsterdam apartments, here are the key takeaways that we've discussed in this article:
- Amsterdam's market is very hot right now, expect to pay a premium for any type of housing
- You can use Airbnb to cover a few days or a few weeks while you're looking for something more permanent
- Funda and Pararius are two of the largest, agent-approved websites in the Netherlands for listings. The former is even run by the makelaar association
- Dutch real estate agents are called makelaars
- Having a makelaar work with you to find a place to live can give you a timing advantage, and increases your chances of finding an apartment in a neighborhood you like
- Many people are renting rooms - if you are alright with limited space, this may be a good option for you. Don't expect competition to be any less though
- Buying an apartment in Amsterdam is very expensive right now - the market has been rising 20% year over year and prices are soaring
- Most apartments in Amsterdam are older buildings that do require touching up and/or renovation before they are up to modern standards
- Cost of living in The Netherlands is relatively high compared to the rest of Europe
- If you have decided to go with renting, have a look at our Ultimate Rental Guide, it contains more tips specific to renting
That's all we have for now. Even though finding a place to live may be really challenging, it's also a fun journey that will take you to a lot of places while you are discovering what your preferences are.
See which neighborhood you like, find out whether you like the older or somewhat newer building types. Amsterdam has a good mix of both of them.
And if you need any help in your search, remember that RoofHunt has all the latest offering in one place, at no cost.