What do you want your commute to look like?

Do you remember when you learned to ride a bicycle as a child? That experience can come in very handy living in the Netherlands. The whole land is criss-crossed with bicycle paths geared to get you outdoors and to your destination without always tell guests who visit that the easiest way to explore Eindhoven is by bicycle.

Often when expats arrive, they have neither bike nor auto. And the simplest, fastest solution, at least in the beginning, is to bring some extra money along and buy your own bike, bike locks, rain gear, and basket or bike bags shortly after arriving. That’s because you’ll need time to register your residency, get your BSN number, and set up a Dutch bank account before buying a car.

But how do you want to get to work over the long term? If you buy a car, you’ll need to pay the motor vehicle tax once every three months. You can use a calculator on the Dutch government’s website to calculate what that will cost you. But having a car will give you the option of living further from Eindhoven and then commuting to work.

So if you dream of a Dutch style farmhouse with thatched roof in the countryside and you are happy commuting in and around Eindhoven, go ahead and look for that dream home.

But if you’d rather not splurge on an auto or see yourself happier on a bicycle, scooter, or fat bike, then you’ll probably want to forego that farmhouse kilometers from the nearest grocery store or neighbour.

Are you catching a theme here? It all depends on your preferences. But asking yourself what those preferences are by working through these seven variables and any others you can think of before committing to a large investment like a house is a sure fire way to guarantee long-term satisfaction with your house purchase.

Our Experience with a Fixer-Upper

My husband and I bought a gemeentelijke monument in the center of Nuenen. With four children, we knew we needed a different layout than many of the homes we were finding at the time. Not only that, but I wasn’t looking to move again. Our days of buying a starter home in the past, we decided to invest in a fixer upper, knowing this would be the last time we’d every take on a house project of this kind.

Since then, we’ve dealt with adventures like a broken shower drain we had to break brick to repair, a leaking roof, and other surprises. It’s not for the faint of heart. But we love our old home, and we love our location next to a museum dedicated to Vincent Van Gogh. The project isn’t completed yet though.

So I understand completely if you decide you don’t want to live long term in a construction site and instead choose a house that’s ready for moving in to.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the location? Is it livable?

Funnily enough, a location’s advantages and disadvantages are usually the first thing that comes to mind when you’re buying in your home country. But as an expat, you know that things can quickly get a lot more complicated. Still, this remains a vital consideration when you are considering locations in Eindhoven and the surrounding areas.

What we learned about locations in Europe

Considerations I didn’t have until moving to Europe where how walkable was it to the nearest grocery store, huisarts, or gym and where could I legally park my car. Now I wouldn’t consider a location without figuring those things first because that’s one of the perks and considerations of our current home. But we also hadn’t considered that living next door to a small museum would bring busloads of tourists to our front door frequently, because we viewed our home in winter and in the evenings when the museum was closed.

Eindhoven sees a steady influx of expats, especially through ASML. All of these people need houses. ASML itself is joining in combatting the housing crisis by adding affordable housing to the Brainport Region.

But what does all of this have to do with you? It means you need to be quick and decisive. It means understanding how much of a mortgage you can qualify for when you enter the housing market. It may also mean you will be bidding over the asking price of the home.

Making Use of Local Knowledge

Two of the best things we did when moving to the Netherlands were to hire a relocation specialist since my husband’s employer did not provide one, and to use a reliable buyer’s agent. By employing reliable local sources, we were able to get into a home that met our needs. We ended up buying a fixer-upper.

I did still scour Funda daily for homes of interest. And the ones I wanted to view I sent on to our buyer’s agent. He arranged our viewings of the homes and provided references when we wanted a building inspection done. We could reliably lay everything that we didn’t know or understand in his hands.

If you come as the expat spouse or partner of a knowledge migrant, it can be helpful if you view house hunting as your new full time job. Just like your partner who’s starting out new at their job, this can feel challenging. We are here to help answer any questions you may have.

What are you waiting for?

Imagine settling in your new home after you close on it. The neighbours bring you flowers, you set about tidying your home and making it yours. Gradually you greet and know by sight the neighbours who walk their dogs in the morning, and the older gentleman who cycles by in the morning on the way to pick up his groceries. You learn the rhythm of the garbage pick up (or rely on messages from the app, running a bin around the corner when you’re too late!).

And you know what time of day the community newspapers and post will come through your letterbox. And with time, you start receiving invitations to neighbourhood parties or to help decorate the community Christmas tree.

Ultimately we as expats seek an island of safety and stability, maybe even predictability. And we make that in our own homes. I truly believe these 7 considerations will help you make calm and confident decisions in a fast paced housing market. And that will make your Dutch home a reality.