Haggling for lower price possible again on Dutch housing market

After years of outbidding being the only way to buy a house in the Netherlands, home seekers can now haggle for a lower price again, brokers said to the Telegraaf.

“We see that the market is turning. Bids are declining. Viewings are declining. Brokers and consumers just have to get used to it again,” Gijs van Wijgerden, director of Makelaarsland, said to the newspaper. “Our job is getting more fun again. It is no longer just submitting an offer.”

According to realtor Remmie Cornelissen from Nieuwegein, haggling is becoming particularly common around homes that need a bit of work. “After all, it’s a drama with contractors now. That does offer opportunities for buyers who are a bit handy.”

Homeowners association VEH is pleased by this development. “There is more choice, although the enthusiasm is declining. But it is not yet the case that house prices are falling. Only the buyer no longer has to strike at all costs,” a spokesperson said to the newspaper.