Thousands of homes listed as “new” on property platform Funda had in fact already been up for sale for months, sometimes at significantly higher asking prices, RTL Nieuws reported on Friday.

In 2024, around 7% of all homes on Funda were relisted, according to figures from real estate analytics firm Walter Living. In most cases, these homes had been previously advertised at higher prices, with an average price drop of €20,000, the firm found.

Housing professor Dirk Brounen (54) from Maastricht University told the broadcaster that the lack of transparency could mislead buyers. “It’s the biggest purchase most people ever make. You want the full picture,” he said.

Walter Living monitors the entire Funda listings database and found that more expensive homes are more likely to be relisted. Of homes initially priced under €300,000, just 4% were placed back on the site. That figure rose to 10% for properties with asking prices between €500,000 and €750,000.

In Utrecht, for example, an apartment currently on the site has been relisted four times in six months. Its price has dropped by €100,000, from €650,000 to €550,000. In Amsterdam, a house advertised as “new” at the start of May had already had five price reductions this year, falling from €850,000 to €700,000.

Steven van Wel, founder of Walter Living, said the practice itself is not necessarily wrong. “What we take issue with is that it’s done secretly,” he said. Buyers may wrongly assume they have to bid at least 10% over the asking price, he said. “You might make a different choice if you had all the facts.”

The Dutch homeowners’ association, Vereniging Eigen Huis (VEH), has called for stricter rules. “Estate agents should be required to disclose if a property has been listed before and at what price. That way, buyers have access to complete and honest information,” a spokesperson told RTL.

The Dutch estate agents’ association NVM said sellers and buyers each have their own strategies. “It’s always good to ask the listing agent whether a property has been for sale before or at a different price,” the agency said. “Agents will always be open about this, because there are often special circumstances behind a relisting.”

Funda told RTL said estate agents should have the freedom to change or restart an advert to reflect a new sales strategy. “There are many reasons why a home may be relisted, often related to a new situation,” a spokesperson said. “The original listing is no longer relevant.”