Housing firm: Rent too expensive for middle class

There are too few rental properties in the centers of Dutch cities available on the private market for under 1,000 euros, according to a new joint report from property management firm Vastgoedmanagement Nederland (VGM) and the Netherlands Association of Estate Agents (NVM). Released on Tuesday, the report says that far too often people looking legitimate "middle-of-the-road" rental units are quickly diverted to the outskirts of these cities. The rental market is currently not functioning optimally, states VGM board member Jean-Paul Rouwette. “This is aided by the lack of investment in mid-market rentals,” notes Ger Hukker, president of NVM. VGM also took note of a recent analysis produced by the Amsterdam School of Real Estate (ASRE) with a statement by researcher Johan Conijn saying that the major Dutch cities are outright missing an affordable and accessible mid-rental market. Although the average rent per square meter has decreased slightly when compared to the first quarter of 2015, it has shown an increase when compared to the same quarter of 2014.