Fear of ‘waterbed effect’ in peripheral municipalities due to purchase protection of homes in Amsterdam | White Weekly Nieuw-Vennep
Fear of ‘waterbed effect’ in peripheral municipalities due to purchase protection of homes in Amsterdam
HAARLEMMER LAKE Now that cities such as Amsterdam and Haarlem will start basic protection for existing homes in 2022, the so-called ‘waterbed’ of these measures. Chances are the real estate industry then turns to cards to secure their returns. Various projects are currently investigating the possibility of introducing purchase protection themselves. Haarlemmermeer is not that far.
Last year, a third of all existing homes sold in the four major cities had installations. This has enormous consequences for the availability and affordability of the homes. The purchases by investors have a price-increasing effect. They buy houses and then rent them out for a lot of money. Since 2020, this type of practice has been put a stop to new-build homes. As of 2022, municipalities will also have the option of introducing purchase protection for existing homes through a legislative amendment. Municipal authorities can designate areas where a permit is required to be allowed to use the purchased homes. A condition is, however, that cheap and medium-priced owner-occupied homes exist in these scarce areas.
PROPORTIONALITY Amsterdam is one of the cities that want to make use of these possibilities. In February 2022, the city council will submit a proposal to introduce this to the city council. The purchase of a house there must be ten at least four years to live. Up to which WOZ value houses will fall under the purchase protection, it is up to municipalities to determine themselves. They must indeed be the chosen value proportion, so that there are no unnecessary owner-occupied homes. The consequence of this policy freedom is that municipalities design and design homes that they keep as cheap and medium-priced. In Amsterdam, the purchase protection will apply to the entire city for owner-occupied homes with a WOZ value up to and including 512,000 euros.
SUPPORTING ROLE The provincial PvdA faction has advanced from the purchase protection, because available homes are no longer made accessible for buyers who are looking for one in the relevant municipalities. The people behind are concerned about the consequences that the introduction of purchase protection could have for places. The faction has this week asked questions to the States. the parties ask, among other things, that the province can offer a role to municipalities that are considering the waterbed effect for sale by also introducing protection.