The transaction volume in the Dutch residential investment market reached €5.4 billion by the end of the third quarter of 2025, representing a 26% increase compared to the same period last year. The strongest growth was recorded in existing rental housing: €3.0 billion was invested in this segment, up from €1.8 billion in the same period of 2024. A notable development is the growing share of student housing, now accounting for 18% of total investments. While the increased investor interest in existing rental housing is a positive sign, it also raises concerns for the wider rental market. A significant portion of the 13,000 existing rental homes sold is likely to be converted to owner-occupied units, thereby reducing the rental housing stock. Institutional investors and housing associations invested €2.3 billion in new-build housing up to the third quarter, a modest increase of 5%. This represents around 8,300 new rental homes — insufficient to offset the expected loss from sales to the owner-occupied sector. To make new-build development more attractive to both domestic and international investors, more targeted policy measures are urgently needed.
