After two nights of Northern Lights in the Netherlands, the Dutch skies are hosting another magical spectacle tonight: the kiss of Venus and Jupiter.
The two planets have been seen moving towards each other for the past few days. Tonight, in what is called a “planetary conjunction,” their long-anticipated date will take place!
The best part? You can see it all with the naked eye — and here’s how! 👁️
Look up!
Between 7.30 and 8.30 PM, after the sun has gone down, the phenomenon will easily be observable by simply looking up at the night sky.
As Wim Schmidt of the observatory Sonnenborgh tells RTL Nieuws, it is best to “look southwest and a little low. Venus and Jupiter will be the brightest dots you see in the sky.” 🔭
Don’t wait too long to look up though! After 8.30 PM, the planets will become less visible.
But although it may seem like Venus and Jupiter are close to one another, their actual distance from each other is around 670,400,000 kilometres! 🤯
If we put that into perspective: To cross the distance between the two planets, you’d have to travel 77 years by plane, or 765 years by car. ✈️
Nonetheless, the proximity between Venus and Jupiter tonight is a rare sight, and won’t happen again until 2040. So keep your eyes peeled to observe the glorious sight. ✨
Will you keep an eye out for the kiss between Jupiter and Venus? Tell us in the comments!
Sure you’re all up-to-date on the latest developments about buying a house in the Netherlands. But how does it work for internationals looking for that dreamy Dutch house and mortgage?
How do you place an offer on a house? What do you do when your offer is accepted? What kind of paperwork is involved in buying a Dutch home?
Buying a house in the Netherlands is something that even Dutchies struggle with. Everybody can use some help with that — especially internationals.
1. Consider how long you will stay in the Netherlands
There are many things to consider when buying a house in the Netherlands as an expat. First things first: how long do you plan on staying? Image: Depositphotos
Buying a house in the Netherlands might not be the right thing for everybody. If you expect to move to a different country one to two years from now, it’s probably not the best idea.
The reason for this is simple: you have to invest some of your own money when you buy a house, and you might just lose that money if you need to sell in the short term.
But if you’re planning to stay here for a couple of years (and you know, care about your money), buying a house in the Netherlands may just be the smart thing to do.
2. Have a free consultation and see if you can actually get a Dutch mortgage
In the olden days, when people worked for 50 years for the same employer, one could only hope to obtain a Dutch mortgage when they were on a contract for an indefinite period.
This was the fabled vast contract, meaning a permanent employment contract.
But this is 2023, and having a permanent contract is no longer an absolute must when you want to get a mortgage in the Netherlands. That’s good news for all you ZZP’ers, college-debt-having, flexible-contract folks out there!
To see if you can get a Dutch mortgage and, even more importantly, how much money a bank will lend you, it’s best to set up an appointment with a mortgage advisor.
By speaking with an advisor, you can find out everything about the conditions of getting a Dutch mortgage, ask questions specific to your situation, or get into the nitty-gritty about how high a mortgage you can actually obtain.
Where do you see yourself living? This is an important factor when deciding to buy a house in the Netherlands. Image: Depositphotos
Now that you have an idea of your budget, it’s time to determine what you really want from a Dutch house.
Of course, a lot of this is personal, it all depends on where you work, what you like, if you have kids, or have a dream about living on a Dutch houseboat, for example.
But some of these Dutch housing dreams require a bit of knowledge about the Dutch housing market.
For example, buying a house from the 1700s might be nice but please do know that you’re in for a bit of maintenance — which can be expensive here since a lot of Dutchies are renovating nowadays.
And who can blame them? With inflation hitting the Netherlands hard, and the country boasting some of the highest gas prices in the entire EU, those with older homes need to make sure their windows are fitting as snugly as possible.
many people are drawn to the classic canal house, but the countryside also has its attractions. Image: Depositphotos
Or, for example, would you rather live in the city or the countryside? Lately, the pull of the Randstad has started to reverse, with more people choosing to buy outside of the ring of cities as opposed to within it!
If your attraction to the Dutch countryside was for purely budgetary reasons, then you may want to reconsider. With higher demand for housing outside of the Randstad, comes higher selling prices for said houses.
That being said, Kenneth points out that there’s still a huge attraction to the Dutch countryside.
“The prices per metre squared outside of the Randstad are still not even close to the prices within the Randstad, as these are also still going up,” he explains.
“Combine this with the fact that many of us are (still) embracing the hybrid way of working — and as a result searching for more metres squared to create that home office — still makes the “countryside” a really attractive area to buy!”
4. Find that house and make an offer
Once you make an offer on a Dutch house, you’re going to be needing some important paperwork. Image: Depositphotos
So you spotted a house, viewed it and want to make an offer? Well, we don’t want to pressure you, but this is a crazy market and houses in the Netherlands go fast.
If you’ve found a house that you like, make an offer as soon as you’ve made up your mind.
And if you really want the house, then it’s likely you’ll be offering more than the asking price. However, we do have some good news: the percentage of people who overbid on a house has dropped significantly — especially in the last half of 2022.
To give you an idea, in the fourth quarter of 2021, 80% of successful house purchases were the result of overbidding. In the second half of 2022, this percentage has almost halved, falling to 44% — meaning 2023 is looking promising.
How should you make an offer on a house in the Netherlands?
By email! It may feel weird that you’re casually sending an email that says “I want to buy your house for €543,000” — but this is how it’s done in the Netherlands. This can be sent either by you or get your realtor (makelaar) can do it.
A bit of Dutch goes a long way when making an offer on a Dutch house. Image: Depositphotos
Next, there are two Dutch phrases you’ll need to know:
Onder voorbehoud van Financiering
Literal translation: with the condition of financing. Actual meaning: subject to your finance being approved. Essentially, if you’re not approved for your mortgage, the deal is off. Why you need it: if you don’t include this in your contract and can’t secure your finance, you may have to pay 10% of your offer as a penalty!
Bouwkundige Keuring
Literal translation: with the condition of aconstruction examination Actual meaning: building or architecture inspection Why you need it: if this is a relatively old house you intend to buy, you want to get this as a condition.
This check will point out any major flaws in the building that could end up costing you money later.
If your offer is subject to a bouwkundige keuring you can still cancel it if they find a structural flaw in the house — or a giant sinkhole.
5. Offer accepted for a Dutch house? Make sure you’re ready!
You’re going to need quite a bit of paperwork once your offer on a Dutch house has been accepted. Image: Depositphotos
All that hard work has led you to this: your offer on a Dutch house has been accepted, and you’re almost a Dutch homeowner! Hoera!!
Enjoyed that moment? Good! Because the work isn’t finished at all. You still need to arrange your Dutch mortgage — we’ll get into in the next steps.
But for now enjoy, go out for a walk or drinks and think about whether you’re really happy with that house. After all, buying a house in the Netherlands is a very quick process.
The Three Day Cooling Down period
Let’s say you take your walk and mull things over. You’ve just bought a house in Amsterdam for half a million euros and suddenly realize you’re totally not up for it.
Geen stress (No stress). This is where the cooling-down period comes into play!
Whenever you agree to buy a house in the Netherlands, you can cancel the deal within three working days. This can be done without specifying any reason and without it costing you a cent.
The cooling-down period starts just after midnight the day after you’ve received the written news that your offer has been accepted. If you do decide to pull out, you need to explicitly inform the selling party.
It’s also good to know that there’s no cooling-off period for the selling party unless this has been specifically agreed upon in the sales contract.
6. Prepare your Dutch mortgage application (it’s paperwork time!)
Next step, gather all the paperwork you need for your Dutch mortgage. Image: Depositphotos
If you’re wondering what’s next, it’s paperwork (and loads of it). A good mortgage advisor can help you with this.
So, what do you need to get your hands on?
Employer’s declaration
This is a statement made by your employer confirming your annual income based on salary, bonuses, and fringe benefits. This could be as simple as showing your employment contract.
Salary specification
This is your monthly payslip, which will correspond to the information given in your employer’s statement, and will also show aspects such as the 30% ruling, expenses, payable taxes, etc.
Necessary information about the mortgaged property, such as:
a copy of the purchase agreement signed by both parties,
the original valuation/appraisal report, and
a copy of a survey report.
I’m not going to lie, this is a bunch of work. But if your employer helps you out and you’ve got a good mortgage advisor, it’s definitely manageable.
Then, your mortgage company will take care of the next steps. “We gather all the paperwork, discuss your situation and wishes, then we select the money lender with the best fit and apply for an offer,” explains Kenneth.
After you’ve chosen your mortgage provider, your broker will review your paperwork and get back to you with whether or not your Dutch mortgage application is accepted.
7. Sign the dotted line and, celebrate!
Everything sorted? Make sure to take a moment to celebrate your new Dutch home! Image: Depositphotos
Rrrring! It’s your mortgage advisor on the phone telling you that the bank has accepted your mortgage application. This is it!
We’re entering the final stages of the process of becoming a homeowner and getting that Dutch mortgage. This is where you sign all the paperwork.
All this magic will happen at the notary’s office, or as they say in Dutch, the notaris.
The notary manages all the legal steps involved in buying a home. They’ll also manage the exchanging of the keys and wiring of the money.
Your mortgage advisor should have some good advice on which notary to pick in which region.
If you worry that language barriers are going to be an issue, your advisor will also have good contact with trustworthy interpreters should you need any, and will even hold your hand at the notary if you need it.
After you’ve signed off on all the paperwork at the notary you get the keys, and it’s actually your home!
Note: Some people may perceive the notary as a costly and useless step in the mortgage process. But it’s really helpful to have somebody draw up all the papers, calculate the costs, and make sure everything goes okay bureaucratically.
8. Sort your taxes and be a responsible adult
Sort your taxes, and then you can sit back and celebrate. Image: Depositphotos
You can relax now, or start renovating your new home straight away. But you’ll also want to get hands-on with your taxes after you set up a Dutch mortgage.
Why? Because you can actually get a quick refund from the Dutch tax office that compensates for some of the expenses involved in buying said Dutch house.
Then there’s also the “mortgage interest deduction” that you need to be aware of.
This is a sweet Dutch tax arrangement that you can apply for. It basically means you can deduct the costs of the interest that you’re paying for your mortgage
Word to the wise: being a homeowner in the Netherlands greatly influences your tax situation, so make sure to ask your mortgage adviser all about the upsides of the Dutch tax system when it comes to owning a home.
Have you recently bought a home in the Netherlands? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in September 2022, and was fully updated in March 2023 for your reading pleasure.
In two lawsuits that were served yesterday, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service is demanding 12-month prison sentences for men who did not use a condom despite agreeing to do so.
Why? Because non-consensual condom removal, also called “stealthing”, it’s a form of forced unsafe sex, they say. And that makes it rape.
Two concerning cases
As RTL Nieuws writes, the two separate trials cover the same issue.
In the first trial, the convicted is 28-year-old Khaldoun K., who had met up with his victim after meeting her on a dating website.
During their date, the woman had consented to have sex with K., provided he would use a condom.
Though he initially agreed, Khaldoun K. allegedly proceeded to remove the condom without his victim’s consent or knowledge.
In the second case, 26-year-old Ruben R. is being charged with the same crime. In addition to a prison sentence, the Public Prosecution is also demanding a restraining order against him.
During his hearing, R. expressed regret. He claims that in the “heat of the moment,” he forgot to put on a condom, but he had intended to use one.
No law on ‘stealthing’
While other countries, such as Switzerland and Germany have laws against “stealthing”, the Netherlands does not. “The rule of law is shamefully behind in women’s rights,” one of the victims said.
Are you an international trying to get a Dutch number, but don’t want the whole hog of needing to buy a phone, too? Well, it sounds like you might need to check out a SIM-only deal! 💁🏻♀️
Between figuring out the weird beast that is the Dutch tax authority, to navigating the perilous waters of Nederlands, the life of an international in the Netherlands isn’t easy — factor in choosing a SIM subscription, and you’re just about swamped.
Maak je geen zorgen (don’t worry), because we’ve got a small cadeautje: five reasons why choosing a SIM-only subscription is your best option. 🙌
1. It’s cheap (and that’s the best price!)
These days we’ve got bills to pay, inflation to contend with, and Tikkies to send. Our wallets are drained, and we’re all looking for the best kortingen (discounts) on mobile data subscriptions.
Enter… (drumroll please!) SIM-only subscriptions.
Finding a SIM-only contract that’s cheap and powerful enough for you? Easy as pie! Image: Freepik
A SIM-only deal is a type of contract where you pay a monthly rate for the texts, calls, and mobile data that you use. As you aren’t paying off a mobile phone through your subscription (hence the name “SIM-only”), you’re shaving off a huge chunk of the cost.
Adding to the magic, this means that they’re priced lower than ordinary subscriptions. Instead of paying upwards of €50 to €60 per month, your SIM-only deal will average around €10 to €30.
2. There’s no long-term commitment
Not a fan of heavy dedication or drawn-out goodbyes? Geen probleem (no problem), because a SIM-only subscription won’t bug you for a committed relationship. 😉
Maybe you’re still trying to decide if the subscription is for you? Well, you can temporarily pause your subscription next week, next month, or next year. You’re fully in the driver’s seat, and the choice is yours.
Contrast that to your typical smartphone+SIM subscription — where you’ll have to keep paying off the price of your mobile till your contract ends — and this makes life much easier.
Note: Depending on your subscription, you may have to give notice of your cancellation within a certain period. Although you can temporarily pause your subscription, cancelling it may incur additional costs.
3. Internationals have deals galore
They say variety is the spice of life, and this definitely rings true for internationals looking for the perfect deal to power their online life.
Sending your new friends adorable pictures of your cats? Your sim subscription had better be purrfect! 😻 Image: Freepik
Luckily, SIM-only subscriptions are here to slay. 💅
If you’re intent on travelling around Europe while you’re Netherlands-based (hoera for digital nomadism! 🌴), you can bag SIM-only deals that are valid throughout the EU.
Or maybe you’re a cosy homebody, and you’re looking for the perfect internet connection for those Netflix and chill weekends? You’re a lucky duck because a Ziggo internet connection will give you a tasty korting (discount) on some SIM-only deals.
Perhaps you’re homesick and love Facetiming your family, instead? An unlimited data deal would then be a solid choice.
There’s truly a deal for everyone, from the aspiring influencer that needs ALL the gigs to upload their TikToks to the student on a budget that’s counting every cent.
4. They’re as flexible as a master yogi
Whether you’ve recently ditched the yoga studio or the two of you were never besties, a SIM-only subscription will definitely be flexible enough for you.
And no, this doesn’t mean that your SIM-only subscription can do an impressive headstand — it’s even better than that.
A SIM-only subscription in the Netherlands is all the flexibility you’ll ever need! Image: Freepik
SIM-only contracts are easy to set up, making them one of the best decisions for tourists or those new to the Netherlands.
Ja, hoor, you can just choose your package, buy your SIM, pop it into your mobile, and you’re good to go.
There’s literally no reason to not take the plunge and try out a SIM-only subscription. 🤷🏻♀️
5. Dutch bureaucracy? We don’t even know her
SIM-only subscriptions are easy peasy lemon squeezy to set up and will save you from a lot of headache-inducing red tape.
No forms, papers, and hoops to jump through to get a Dutch number? Sign us right up! 🥳
Your transition to life in the Netherlands will be off to a running start, as you won’t be sitting around and waiting for a valid mobile connection to get your utilities, GP registration, and other fiddly bits sorted.
In addition to this, as you won’t be paying off a mobile phone during your subscription, you may even avoid a loan registration at the BKR (Credit Registration Office).
Done and dusted, these are just five reasons why SIM-only subscriptions seriously kick ass. 🙌 Now, get that phone sorted, call up your friends, and start sending those Tikkies!
Will you be checking out a SIM-only subscription? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
The long-awaited STAP budget round that was meant to open earlier today has been postponed due to MAJOR technical difficulties.
The government-funded training subsidy allows eligible employees to develop their professional skills via education and training.
The first round of 2023
A total of €170 million are allocated to the subsidy each year and split among applicants in several registration rounds. Each applicant can apply for a €1,000 contribution for the development of their professional skills.
This morning, during what was meant to be the first application round of 2023, hundreds of people were left waiting to get their hands on the contribution, but in vain.
Since the major technical malfunction could not be solved in the short term, the applications for the STAP budget have been closed for now, and will not be open until further notice.
Frustrated applicants
Frustrated applicants are taking to Twitter to express their anger (and confusion) with UWV, the benefits agency behind the STAP application.
Feeling needled by all the Covid-19 shots you’ve had to get? Well, you may not have to get another jab, as nearly everyone in the Netherlands has now built up sufficient immunity to do without them! 💪
According to an advisory report by the Dutch Outbreak Management Team (OMT) for vaccinations, there is no requirement for a fresh round of vaccinations this spring.
The OMT was asked to compile a report on the desirability of another round of vaccinations due in spring 2023, with input from experts in the fields of epidemiology, vaccinology, virology, and immunology (among many others).
Re-vaccinations may not be necessary
RIVM vaccination studies included in the report have also discovered that antibody levels plateau after a fourth booster.
This entails that further re-vaccinations (such as the bivalent booster due in spring 2023) will likely only have a minimal effect in building up antibodies in an individual that already has stable protection.
Even the elderly experience milder infections. Image: Depositphotos
Even at-risk groups, such as the immunocompromised and the elderly, have been noted to be experiencing far milder infections.
As such, a general re-vaccination round for even these groups is not advised.
However, the report also makes it clear that re-vaccinating the severely immunocompromised will vary on a patient-to-patient basis, and should be discussed with one’s healthcare provider.
The virus is no longer a pandemic
The report also states that, from an epidemiological perspective, omicron and its sub-variants are no longer a pandemic.
This is because a pandemic refers to an uncontrollable spread of a virus that puts a strain on public healthcare infrastructure.
As the virus and its strains are currently endemic, they are a constant viral presence that is easier to prevent. 🦠
In addition, the advisory report noted that with the high degree of accumulated immunity in the population (via infection, vaccination, or a combination of both) and the milder strains of the new omicron variants, the disease burden would likely remain low.
The House of Representatives will need to assess the report
The OMT’s report will be sent to the House of Representatives for a final decision.
Depending on their decision, the advice outlined in the report will either be followed or disregarded.
What do you think of the OMT’s decision? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
Did you see it? Dutch residents were able to see the Northern Lights again last night!
All Dutch social media platforms are full of leuke fotos of the recent natural phenomenon.
Many people travelled to the Dutch coast to see the Northern Lights, RTL Nieuws reports.
Let’s go!
On the second day in a row, even more people have decided to drive to the sea to see the lights in person.
One of the best spots was Zwarte Haan, a hamlet on the Wadden Sea, where a real traffic jam escalated on the road to the beach to catch a glimpse of the aurora. The Northern Lights were also visible from as far south as Zeeland. One Belgian couple drove two hours to see it, according to the NOS.
“My girlfriend was in Lapland the other day, and there she saw the green northern lights. When we heard it could also be seen here, we got in the car. Here it’s red.” – said a tourist on the beach to NOS.
I just had to share this beautiful photo of the rare northern lights (Aurora Borealis) which were visible for the first time since 2005 in the northern Wadden Islands of The Netherlands. Hope you enjoy it! pic.twitter.com/TVMReIU6VD
Het prachtige schouwspel van rode en groene kleuren was deze avond voor de tweede avond op rij kortstondig zichtbaar. Enorm uniek in ons land! Een vers plaatje geschoten vanaf de Veluwe! pic.twitter.com/7Z7ajqAm04
Yup, here we go again. Fifteen more strike days have been announced for Dutch regional public transport, and the first one is TODAY.
The rest of the strike days will take place over the coming six weeks, and affect Openbaar Vervoer country-wide. Yikes! 😮💨
Strikes aren’t going anywhere
In case you don’t know why this is all happening (and has been for weeks): It’s because there has yet to be an agreement on ongoing collective labour negotiations.
What do the trade unions demand? A wage increase for about 13,000 employees. 📈
Trade union FNV wants the salaries of the affected workers to be increased by 16.9% over a one-year period, while the CNV demands a 14% increase over 18 months.
The VWOV (Employers Association Association of Employers Publicrepeatedly indicated multiple times that it cannot match the demanded salary increases. Their last offer was an 11% increase.
While people are starting to get fed up with the situation, the strikes likely won’t go anywhere until an agreement is reached.
I’m getting sick and tired of public transport in the Netherlands and their continuous strikes. They’ve been refusing every offer on the table to the point where they refused the last offer the company could give. You’re being a nuisance to the rest of your country at this point.
We’d love to tell you otherwise, but the exact plan of what OV will and will not run is unknown. All you can do to plan ahead is to check your route on the day itself, using sites such as 9292.
According to RTL Nieuws, NS trains should run according to their normal timetables, just like most buses, metros and trams in Rotterdam, The Hague and Amsterdam.
The reason for that is thatcompanies’panies’ employees fall under a different collective labour agreement.
All aboard the strike train
Ready to use the strikes as an excuse to work from home? Great, these are the days you can look out for. 😉
Thursday, March 2
Monday, March 6
Wednesday, March 8
Friday, March 10
Tuesday, March 14
Wednesday, March 15
Monday, March 20
Wednesday, March 22
Friday, March 24
Wednesday, March 29
Thursday, March 30
Monday, April 3
Wednesday, April 5
Friday, April 7
Do you think the strikes will have their desired outcome? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
Soon, there might be an additional fee on streaming services, such as Netflix and Spotify, and all the other services that need a lot of internet traffic.
However, the Dutch cabinet opposes a plan from the European Commission to allow telecom companies to impose such a toll when it comes to streaming your favourite movies and music through their services, the NOS reports.
At the same time, the European Commission has recently consulted on the possibility of approving the levy.
“Are you still watching?”
Because of the new toll, people would need to pay more; therefore, there would be fewer people streaming from their cellular data.
According to Micky Adriaansens, Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, this levy would be largely passed on to subscribers and viewers.
Streaming your favourite series is one of the best programs after a long day! Image: Unsplash
As a result, they will pay more, while already spending money on telecom companies for access to the internet and other services. This gives telecom providers double payment”, says Adriaansens to NOS.
Net neutrality
Such an internet toll collection “does not directly lead to additional investments in the construction or quality of digital infrastructure,” according to a study commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.
The best telecom networks in the world are already found in the Netherlands, according to RTL Nieuws.
Additionally, telecom companies are not allowed to block, slow down, or charge differently for different types of internet traffic under the European Union’s “net neutrality” regulations. No distinction is made between the different types of internet traffic under net neutrality.
On April 27, 2023, Rotterdam will turn orange as King Willem-Alexander travels by the iconic water taxi across the Maas river to celebrate his birthday!
The countdown has officially begun for King’s Day 2023, and preparations are proceeding in full blast.
An important part of this will be the day trip, where King Willem-Alexander will take a one-kilometre tour through the city of Rotterdam with his family. 🧡
The walk will start at 11 AM near Afrikaanderplein in Rotterdam-Zuid. After a festive welcome, the royals will walk to the Maashaven, where they will travel in style — getting into a water taxi, that is. ⛴️
The water taxi will sail past the SS Rotterdam, Hotel New York, and then under the Erasmus Bridge to the Leuvehaven, the water taxi tour ending in Plein.
The rest of the route continues on foot, King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, and their children will walk across Blaak towards Markthal. You don’t want to miss this sight! 👀
The tour will end at 1 PM on the Binnenrotte. According to Mayor Aboutaleb of Rotterdam, the route is carefully planned out so that “everything is included […] to immerse the royal family in all the scents, colours, and flavours of the city,” he reports to indebuurt.nl.
The festivities continue
The final location of the walk, the Binnenrotte, will also be the location for the closing birthday party.
Time to get your groove on at this free event — many different artists will perform (however, the setlist hasn’t been announced yet).💃🏻
The theme this year will be We’re All Kings and Queens “because everyone is special, and a crown fits on every head,” announced the King’s Day website in Rotterdam.
Will you be visiting Rotterdam to celebrate King’s Day 2023 this year? Tell us in the comments below!
