Pricier homes don't automatically mean better living environment

Homebuyers in the municipalities of Pekela, Staphorst, Waadhoeke, and Het Hogeland pay the least for a pleasant living environment with good air quality and work-life balance, among other things. Those in Amsterdam, Bloemendaal, Laren, and Amstelveen pay the most for a high-quality living environment, NRC reports after analyzing home prices per square meter with the Broad Prosperity Indicator in the various regions.

The Broad Prosperity Indicator measures well-being, with scores for safety, social involvement, and health, among other things. Rabobank and Utrecht University calculate the indicator annually and published the most recent version in June. The Netherlands scores high internationally, mainly because locals do a lot of volunteer work and tend to trust each other.

Within the Netherlands, broad prosperity is highest in the Gooi en Vechtstreek region, the Achterhoek, the Veluwe, and several regions in Friesland, Overijssel, and Noord-Holland. It is lowest in and around Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and the shrinking regions in Limburg and Groningen. The differences aren’t massive. The difference between number one (the Gooi en Vechtstreek) and number 40 (Delfzijl and surroundings) is one-tenth on a scale of zero to one.

Home prices, on the other hand, vary greatly. In Pekela, homebuyers pay an average of just under 1,500 euros per square meter. In Amsterdam, it’s 7,700 euros on average. “Compared to the broad prosperity scores, home buyers in expensive municipalities pay a lot more for a limited gain in broad prosperity,” NRC said. Buyers in cheaper municipalities receive quite a lot of prosperity for their purchase price.

In Pekela, home prices are “very different from the Randstad,” house sales expert Petra van der Laan told NRC. “I see programs on TV where people buy a house for 500,000 euros and then renovate it. Here, you can buy a detached house from 250,000.” The region has more facilities than people sometimes think, she says. “If not here in Pekel, then in the village further on. You can get there in 10 minutes by car.” There is also “a sense of community here.”

Kerkrade also has that combination of cheap and cozy, realtor Jos Renkens told the newspaper. “Kerkrade is a cozy village, especially in the center.” Home prices are relatively low, like in the neighboring municipalities. That’s partly because the region borders Germany. “Home prices are somewhat lower there, and that puts pressure on prices here.”

The proximity to Germany makes both Kerkrade and Pekela attractive, the realtors think. “Germany is perfect for shopping. Not so much for daily groceries, but for drugstore products, drinks, and cigarettes,” Van der Laan said.