Overheating Amsterdam property market benefits Rotterdam

Expats shunning the crowded and over-priced Netherlands’ capital city are heading down south to buy Rotterdam property.

Regarded as a comparatively sleepy alternative to the Netherlands’ buzzing capital, Rotterdam is now advertising its many advantages including reasonably-priced property and a less chaotic lifestyle. Private investors are following in the footsteps of expat professionals as demand increases and interest in the alternative location soars. Expat mortgage and loan providers have already moved in, eager to take advantage of new business as it happens.

Rotterdam is already popular with a number of multinationals including Unilever and Shell Downstream, and its universities are attracting young, international talent to the city. Visitor numbers are up as well, drawn by fascinating museums, iconic modern architecture and buzzing nightlife and, for long-stayers, the cost of living is 11 per lower than in the capital as well as lower than Utrecht and The Hague. Best of all for expats working in said capital, Amsterdam is just a 40-minute train journey away. The local authority is anticipating an influx of expat families, and is planning for more international schools as a result.

At present, Rotterdam shows a good balance property-wise between supply and demand, meaning expats have more choice and less competition when buying a home. There’s a choice between houses, apartments and condos in skyscrapers as well as several upscale neighbourhoods already popular with executive-level expatriates. Kralingen is a good example for its tree-lined streets and boating lake, and Noord’s Blijdorp district is more affordable and quieter than the centre of the city. Further from the centre, Hillegersberg’s green spaces and lakes add charm to accommodation at all prices.