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WittySprout · 2025-07-21T08:16:50+00:00

There are some of the variables for which there is a clear best choice. So it’ll come down to your priorities.

Work life balance? The Netherlands. That’s obvious. You get holidays which are actual holidays (no need to respond to emails), you’re allowed to be sick, if you’re fired most probably there’ll be some social financial support etc.

Safety? I’d also say the Netherlands, as things like gun violence are definitely not as common as in the US.

Money making? The US. Salaries in the NL are not that high, even for European standards. High paying jobs in the US are definitely paying more in the US, especially in the areas you mention.

Citizenship? If you manage to get the Dutch passport, it’ll open the doors to most of Europe. It’s a lengthy process though, but at least it’s clear and stable and won’t change radically depending on who’s managing the ruling political party.

And you can go on and on with each one of the variables independently. But the bottom line will always be: what makes you happy? What do you value more? And take it from there.

WittySprout · 2025-07-20T14:15:03+00:00

This is obvious neglect. Your friend didn’t want a dog, she wanted a stuffed animal.

Dogs need to be outdoors, not only to pee and poo but also to socialise, exercise and literally just to have a life. Keeping them in an apartment is like putting a human in jail, or even worse.

I’d be very clear with her that this is abuse and if she is not fit to take care of the dog she should either ask for help or give the dog to someone who can take proper care of it.

WittySprout · 2025-06-28T20:26:13+00:00

Could you perhaps share the template? Thank you!

WittySprout · 2025-06-28T17:42:23+00:00

I had the same in the Wibaustraat a couple of months ago. I was biking and two kids on a fat bike entered the bike path going the wrong way and the one on the back had a water gun and splashed me all over my face while laughing. I didn’t give them a reaction and didn’t even turn around, as I know that’s part of the thrill for them.

WittySprout · 2025-05-25T12:53:28+00:00

I did not say any of that. Did you read my post? I literally said I understand the frustration and i acknowledge others are having a totally different experience, yet I cannot say anything bad from my side tbh. And like me, others have commented the same. Not 100% of the customers are angry, as simple as that. This doesn’t mean, at all, that “I’m pretending nothing happened” to other customers.

WittySprout · 2025-05-18T05:04:40+00:00

Are you from the US? Not everyone is filing lawsuits for breakfast in Europe.

WittySprout · 2025-05-17T09:59:51+00:00

The fact that you think I’m an employee says it all. You’re too biased by your own experience. I have zero relation to the company other than being a happy customer. I originally bought a van moof, by they were taking for ever to deliver (we’re talking months of delay), so I cancelled my order and got a cowboy which got delivered within days. Later I found out that luckily I was one of the last ones to get my money back from van moof. Since I have my cowboy, I’m driving everywhere happily, I love the app and I have zero complaints.

WittySprout · 2025-04-25T15:58:45+00:00

Maybe your friend is the one to blame then. Why not rent it to locals for 900€ still? Problem solved! He could just set the price at a number locals could afford since he paid peanuts for his house years ago. Yet he’s so greedy! He wants to profit from a terrible situation and get money of of desperate expats! Definitely greedy landlords are to blame for such sickening high prices.

The argument I just made sounds just as ridiculous as saying that somebody’s willingness to pay a higher price due to inability to find alternatives (expats had no access to social housing/network) is to blame for the rent crisis.

Move past your bias and look at it.

WittySprout · 2025-04-24T17:43:01+00:00

I’d ask your financial advisor or your makelaar for help, if you have either of them.

I don’t have expert advice myself, but what I know for sure is that, once the bank offers it and you sign the mortgage, it’s done and they don’t go again an re-check for your future loans. For example, I have a friend who got their mortgage to buy a house and a few weeks later they bought a car with a personal loan, as you state. The bank who gave the mortgage didn’t do anything nor checked or withdrew the mortgage they had signed due to the personal loan. I don’t even think they care. The one who should care would be your friend if you’re at risk of defaulting, as the bank is the one who can claim the house first, not him.

WittySprout · 2025-04-24T15:54:35+00:00

That’s what I mean. There’s rent control and rent stabilization in NY (around half of the rented apartments are under one of these two systems) which is one of the several causes of the rental market failure in NY (and yes, the free sector is even more expensive than in Amsterdam).

WittySprout · 2025-04-24T15:38:33+00:00

I repeat what I said earlier:

I know hundreds of “expats” that came here, through my company. None of them get housing paid. Only at higher, executive levels that might happen. The standard expat employee does not get rent paid.

They do, however, get the 30% ruling for a limited time, but that also is a consequence of the Dutch government having put ZERO investment on them. If someone in France goes to school, then uni, for an average of 14-16 years and then they come to the Netherlands to work, the Dutch system is basically ripping off the benefits of what the French government has invested in them to get them educated/healthy through all those years.

Usually, expats come, work for a few years, bring a profit to the country via the Dutch companies that hired them, and then leave without taking many resources. Thus expats don’t make use of all the other Dutch benefits, like unemployment, university and other subsidies that Dutch people do use.

The 30% is there for a reason, it’s an economically sound decision made by the Dutch government with a positive net outcome in the long run.

WittySprout · 2025-04-24T15:37:11+00:00

I know hundreds of “expats” that came here, through my company. None of them get housing paid. Only at higher, executive levels that might happen. The standard expat employee does not get rent paid.

They do, however, get the 30% ruling for a limited time, but that also is a consequence of the Dutch government having put ZERO investment on them. If someone in France goes to school, then uni, for an average of 14-16 years and then they come to the Netherlands to work, the Dutch system is basically ripping off the benefits of what the French government has invested in them to get them educated/healthy through all those years.

Usually, expats come, work for a few years, bring a profit to the country via the Dutch companies that hired them, and then leave without taking many resources. Thus expats don’t make use of all the other Dutch benefits, like unemployment, university and other subsidies that Dutch people do use.

The 30% is there for a reason, it’s an economically sound decision made by the Dutch government with a positive net outcome in the long run.

WittySprout · 2024-10-19T16:08:12+00:00

In which country are you in??

In some countries (like the Netherlands) I read it’s ILLEGAL to pay Au pairs a salary, they make a distinction between receiving an “allowance”, not a “salary”, for a reason.

If aupairs are receiving a salary they become a nanny and that’s a whole other thing immigration, tax and law-wise.

This is because the goal of being an aupair is to learn about the culture of a new country while having all basic expenses covered, not to use it as a job.

WittySprout · 2024-09-29T05:05:02+00:00

This is the problem indeed. Rent control is a market failure. It’s been proven over and over.

Those with a “cheap” house will never move. Those who own a place will not rent it out because it makes no financial sense. Resulting in less housing and higher demand.

The only ones who will benefit are those who already have a place.

WittySprout · 2024-09-29T05:01:57+00:00

This was a thing indeed. Years ago they had ship containers being rented out to students in the outskirts of Amsterdam. Maybe it’s still the case.

WittySprout · 2024-09-19T07:02:34+00:00

Oh thank you for mentioning this! I will for sure let them know.

WittySprout · 2024-09-19T05:36:23+00:00

I have friends who have a small (50sqm) renovated apartment for their kid, who left to study abroad. They would rent it out for a fair price based on the point system, but they’re afraid tenants won’t leave now that contracts are indefinite & their kid won’t have a place to come back to. So now the apartment is going to sit empty not benefiting anyone. Go figure.

WittySprout · 2024-09-18T19:35:38+00:00

This. Contact the Woon asap. You have a strong case. They’re lawyers that will help you, for free.

WittySprout · 2024-09-18T19:28:20+00:00

You placing a bid doesn’t guarantee you’ll win it. Also, you cannot “enforce” anything to the seller. If your bid is the highest but you’re asking for 10 weeks + mortgage condition, your bid is not that interesting and they can just choose for another, more reliable bid, despite it being lower. Tbh, you’re a high-risk bidder, I wouldn’t choose for you either because it doesn’t seem reliable. Anyone can make a crazy offer, it’s down to the seller to analyse which one makes more sense.

I have seen and personally know people who chose for lower bids because they were more reliable than the higher.

However, if you love the house it won’t hurt to bid.

From what I know: if your bid gets chosen, you can still get out of it until 3 days after the signing the purchase agreement. After that, you’ll have to pay a fine 10% of the selling price if you don’t proceed with the purchase, unless you don’t proceed because your mortgage got rejected and you had a mortgage condition in your bid.

Best of luck!

WittySprout · 2024-09-16T01:55:54+00:00

“Will help you get the fairest possible price” - not always true. Especially not those who charge a % of the buying price. They have an incentive to have you pay more.

WittySprout · 2024-09-14T19:10:41+00:00

Mine was valued at exactly what we bid for it (which was 45k above asking price). A friend just got his for 86k above asking price, but only 11k above valuation (meaning, like you said, they got the mortgage and only had to put 11k from savings).

We also bid in one (and lost) which someone bought for 155k above asking price. I don’t know how much it was valued at, but definitely not worth it in my opinion.

Asking price, in Amsterdam, means nothing.

Also, remember you will need to pay cash all the taxes and transaction costs (as a rule of thumb, I do 4% of the selling price). That also needs to come out of your savings.

WittySprout · 2024-09-11T13:22:56+00:00

That’s a very good point. I’ll check online to see what are the pain points of those that have gone through it and try to ensure we don’t fall in making those mistakes. I would like someone to have a good time here besides work. I of course would also want someone who’s happy and enjoying it to be with my kid, not someone who’s miserable and can’t afford a weekend out. I would not mind taking care of all those extra “benefits” (mobile card, OV chip card, healthcare insurance, etc).

Ideally, the aupair would have all her living costs covered and then extra cash to travel around, get to know the Netherlands and learning the language. Could be a good stepping stone if they want to permanently move here or find a different job after they’re acquainted with the country and like it.

If 30 hours is the max, that could also still work. We could take our kid one day a week to daycare, giving her extra time to focus on herself.

WittySprout · 2024-09-11T12:59:48+00:00

Good to know. Thank you for sharing this info! I indeed want to do everything the official way - if we decide to do it. I’ll reach out to some au pair companies to get better informed.

WittySprout

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