“Charming 2BR with balcony near Central Station”?

“Shady building with fitness centre and canal view”?

Dream on.

Housing is notoriously tight in the most popular parts of this crowded country, and that goes double for Amsterdam. People who want to live in the less popular suburbs or small towns have an easier time. Between real estate agencies and newspaper ads, they’ll likely find something.

But those with their hearts set on the choicest parts of the Randstad are likely to be in for a nightmare. The demand for rental housing in the Randstad’s best neighbourhoods – and all of Amsterdam except the unpopular southeastern suburbs – simply exceeds the supply, especially in the lower price brackets.

An agent from GIS Apartments in Amsterdam, which serves many foreign clients, says she has no magic tips. Her best advice: "Start early. It's very difficult."

Agencies: a well-heeled foreigner’s first stop

Using an agency – as relocation agencies do for their clients – is the best bet. Look under “makelaars” in the Gouden Gids, and choose one that mentions “appartementen.”

In theory, they’ll show you a selection of properties that meet your criteria. But finding something can sometimes take a while – "especially, of course, if you're in the vicinity of Amsterdam,” the GIS agent says. “Everyone wants to be in Amsterdam or nearby Amsterdam. (But) Rotterdam has the harbour, and a lot of people go to work there, and the Hague is the government centre,” so finding a place in those cities is hard too.

When you accept a place, you pay the agency a fee, usually equivalent to about one to two month’s rent. And that’ll probably be four digits - agencies often don’t have much to offer at the low end of the spectrum. And although the apartments they find for you are, in general, at least ones you’re legally allowed to live in, that’s not always the case.

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