At the beginning of 2026, the housing market in the Netherlands continues to show solid growth, although the pace is lower compared to 2025. On February 23, 2026, CBS and Kadaster released the first preliminary data for January: prices for existing homes increased by 5.4% year-on-year and by 1.2% compared to December 2025. The average transaction price in January reached €493,875.

📊 These figures are important because they provide the first factual snapshot within 2026. This is not based on forecasts or expectations, but on actual registered transactions. At this stage, the market shows positive dynamics and enters the year without signs of a price reversal.

📉 At the same time, current data should be viewed in the context of 2025. On January 11, 2026, ABN AMRO published its Housing Market Monitor, stating that housing prices in the Netherlands increased by 8.6% in 2025. This means that the +5.4% recorded in January 2026 represents a more moderate pace compared to the previous year.

🏦 At present, major banks and the central regulator provide similar, though not identical, forecasts for 2026. The expectations are as follows:

— ABN AMRO: price growth of 3% in 2026;
— De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB): around 4% in 2026;
— Rabobank: 4.8% in 2026.

📈 When comparing these forecasts with the January data, it becomes clear that the market started the year stronger than ABN AMRO expected, slightly above the DNB baseline, and close to the Rabobank scenario. While this is only the first month of the year, at this stage Rabobank’s forecast appears to be the closest to the actual market trajectory.

📅 The timeline illustrates this clearly:

— December 17, 2025: Rabobank projected 4.8% growth in 2026 and expected around 227,000 transactions;
— January 11, 2026: ABN AMRO released a more conservative forecast of +3%;
— February 23, 2026: CBS and Kadaster reported an actual +5.4% price increase in January.

🏘 It is also important that the Dutch housing market remains active not only in terms of prices, but also in overall demand. According to DNB, one of the key factors supporting the market is the ongoing housing shortage. Against the backdrop of limited supply, even a more moderate pace of price growth does not indicate weakening demand.

📌 As of now, several key conclusions can be drawn:

— the housing market in 2026 continues to grow based on actual data;
— the January increase of +5.4% is already above part of the banking forecasts;
— the growth rate is lower than in 2025, when prices rose by approximately 8.5–8.6%;
— Rabobank’s forecast currently aligns most closely with the observed market dynamics.

⚖️ Given the current data, the Dutch market remains one of the most predictable in Europe, with moderate price growth, high liquidity, and limited supply. For those considering this market as a tool for capital preservation, it makes sense to look at specific properties already now, and the available options can be explored on our website.