Average age of Dutch homebuyers continues to rise as property prices soar

The average age of homebuyers in the Netherlands increased significantly over the past years, according to figures from Statistics Netherlands and the Land Registry. That can only partly be explained by the increasing age of the Dutch population, and likely has more to do with stricter mortgage rules and rising property prices, according to the statistics office.

Last year the average home buyer in the Netherlands was 39.4 years old, the highest age since Statistics Netherlands started keeping track of it in 1995. Compared to 2010, the age of the average homebuyer increased by 4 years. In that same period, the average age of all Dutch increased with olnly 1.6 years.

In 1995 the average homebuyer was 34.6 years old and in the next years it stayed about the same. Between 2002 and 2007 the average age increased to 36.1 years. The crisis on the housing market put an end to that increase. During the crisis years the proportion of first time buyers on the housing market increased.

According to Statistics Netherlands, the fact that the age of the average homebuyer increased so significantly has to do with stricter mortgage rules and the rising property prices. This means that first time buyers have to contribute more of their own money, and therefore have to save for longer before being able to buy a home.