We’re all going on a summer holiday (where it shall rain)
Translated by Thomas Ansell
Before the advent of international air travel, having a holiday home on the Wadden Islands was considered a bit posh. Houses, bungalows, and camping spots on the islands have always been in demand, although it’s fair to say that once Dutch people tasted the Canary Islands in the 1970’s their appetite for the islands waned.
Now, though, and thanks to the rise of the ‘Covid staycation’, houses on Ameland, Vlieland, Terschelling; and Schiermonnikoog have risen by 30 percent in the last year. 2020 saw a record number of homes on the islands sold, too, reports the Omrop Fryslân.
The Dutch association of estate agents (NVM) slicked back their hair and confirmed that the number of holiday homes sold in the whole of the Netherlands has risen in the country. According to the NVM and their shiny watches, the popularity stems from people wanting to travel in their own country, and home-working.
Across the whole of the Netherlands the price rise has averaged out at about 13.6 percent, with the average holiday house now priced at over 172,500 euros.
However, the Wadden Islands have been particularly popular, with prices there rising on average by more than 30 percent. Most people that could afford to buy a second home on the Wadden Islands in 2020 paid more than 375,000 euros: so get ready for Gert-Jan and Cornelia pushing into the ferry queue in their Range Rover at the Lauwersoog in the near future.
The Frisian lakes, and Overijssel’s countryside have also seen big spikes in popularity for people seeking second homes: with price rises averaging over 25 percent.
