How did our French recruiter, Yann Charron who lived a large part of his life in New Caledonia deal with finding housing in the Netherlands and what tips can he give ?
If you do not already know someone living in the Netherlands, finding good housing can be time and energy consuming (especially in Amsterdam). As you are required to show a permanent address and a BSN number in order to find employment, this is an essential step.
We gathered for you what we think will be your best online friends to help you in this process:
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Facebook: Yes! Facebook is still out there and a very useful tool to easily get information and advice from people. You definitely want to be part of groups like “Expats In Amsterdam”, “Room available in Amsterdam”, “Amsterdam rent a room, apartment or studio”.
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Pararius: It is the ultimate website to look for new rental property in Holland. The apartment listings are provided by home rental agencies, real estate brokers, and housing corporations. It is easy to use and it provides good results with a precise filtering system for your criteria.
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ExpatRentals: This website contains useful information for Expats (insurance, finance, local support) through their diverse services (Xpat Jobs, Xpat Sales, Xpat Pages) and works in a similar way as Pararius for the renting. It will offer short and long term rentals as well as rooms and business properties, which isn’t the case of Pararius.
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Holland2Stay: Holland2Stay is a company that offers a complete rental accommodation with an upfront booking process. That is the ideal solution for your first months in this new country.
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Kamernet: It’s an online platform, where you can directly get in touch with roommates, tenants and landlords. Unfortunately, to do so you will need a premium account. However, it is an option to consider to avoid the several scams on the Dutch rental market.
As guidelines, note that a 2 bedroom apartment in a suburb will generally start at around €1,300 monthly exclusive in the major cities. For a prime location in central Amsterdam expect prices in the €1,800-€4,000 range. Rental prices will obviously depend on the size of the property and the location.
Apartments will be either fully furnished (gemeubileerd), partly furnished (gestoffeerd) or unfurnished (kaal).
If you decide to go for a shared apartment, most rooms will cost between €500 and €900 per month, depending on the location and size (ranging from 10m² to 25m²). Remember to check whether utility bills are included in the rent.
We hope these tips will help you settle in the Netherlands easily! Good luck in your house search and we look forward to seeing you in the area. ;)