Third of Dutch over 55 able to downscale to smaller home; Many struggle to find one

A third of Netherlands residents over the age of 55 live in a home that is bigger than what they need. Many of them want to downscale, making room for younger house hunters looking for bigger homes, but can’t find suitable living space, EenVandaag found in a survey of almost 30,000 members of its opinion panel. A fifth of 18- to 34-year-olds are making do with a home that is too small for their situation.

Of all the people over 55 surveyed, 33 percent said that they are using more living space than they need. Of this group, 34 percent are currently looking to downsize, and another 40 percent will eventually look for a more suitable home. Most of them want a home with fewer stairs, to spend less time cleaning, and to make room for young home seekers. “I live alone in a single-family home, and the maintenance is getting a bit too much for me,” a retired respondent said. “There are families who can use the space much better.”

But downsizing is easier said than done, the survey shows. Of the older Dutch currently looking for somewhere else to live, 85 percent are struggling to find a place. Thirty percent have been trying to find the right home for two years or longer. There are too few options and long waiting times for social housing. Some respondents reported that a smaller home would cost them more. “I would like to live in a smaller house, but I can only get an apartment for 1,500 euros,” one said. “Then I would give up a garden and space for 500 euros more per month.”

A fifth, 21 percent, of people over 55 don’t plan to move despite having a home that is too big. Their home is already suitable for living in later or they have sentimental reasons for not leaving. “A nice neighborhood and a spacious home, no apartment can compete with that,” one participant said.