(Editor’s note: This is Pt. 1 of a two-part post about buying a home in Europe. You can jump to Pt. 2 here.)
Buying a home in Europe is an exciting milestone for any expat, but European houses come with quirks that might leave you scratching your head. From steep stairs that feel like ladders to closet-sized bedrooms, European homes are full of surprises. Whether you’re moving from North America, Asia or anywhere else, adjusting to these differences is part of the adventure.
Now, I know what you might be thinking: “I’ll just avoid buying houses with those eccentricities.”
I’ll let you in on a little secret — you can’t avoid them all.
Top of the market? Hardly ….
I bought my home at the peak of the housing market … or so I thought. It turns out, it wasn’t the peak. Fast forward past a few years of stagnated house prices, and the market is again soaring.
According to Eurostat, housing prices rose 3.8 percent compared to the previous year. in the European Union in Q3 2024. The Netherlands was one of six European countries that experienced double-digit growth (10.3 percent) in this period.
Twenty twenty-five will probably bring similar price trends. According to ABN Amro research, house prices in the Netherlands are projected to rise by 7 percent in 2025. Dutch Review reports that the average house price in 2025 could be 520,000 euros.
Wow!
With Europe’s housing shortage expected to worsen and the rising house prices, you might not have the luxury of being picky. Constrained by price tag and availability, one thing is certain: You’ll have to compromise.
Is this really the size of the yard? How steep are those stairs? Is this a room or a closet?
These are all questions I asked myself during my home-buying experience four years ago.
European houses often reflect centuries of architectural evolution, local building codes and unique cultural habits. Some of these quirks are practical, others are remnants of the past and a few are just baffling. If you’re planning to buy a home in Europe, here are some unexpected features you might encounter — and what they mean for daily life.
Something that you’ll see widely covered on this list is plumbing. It’s not uncommon to live in 100-year-old houses, so you’ll get lots of oddities when it comes to plumbing. Bathroom without sinks. Add-on bathrooms off the kitchen. Random sinks in bedrooms. Remember, these are old houses, and modernizing them took some workarounds.
While this list is heavily influenced by Dutch homes, many of these quirks apply across Europe.
Let’s get started:
Mainly row houses
In many places, row houses are the most plentiful. They are similar to American-style townhouses. In some countries — like the Netherlands and the United Kingdom — row houses are what you’re going to get unless you’re prepared to pay a whole lot more.
This means you are very close to your neighbors, sharing walls and side-by-side gardens. The front facade of your house may also be right next to the sidewalk, so be prepared for prying eyes, especially in the dark winter months.
Small gardens
If you’re living in a European city or town, many houses feature postage stamp yards. You’re lucky if you have grass because some owners tile in a garden to cut down even further on “yard” work (if you can consider it a yard at all). A storage shed might be the only storage you have because garages are not always plentiful.
No elevators in older buildings
Many pre-war buildings in European cities are walk-ups with no elevators. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, there is a retrofitted elevator that can fit a few people, but these can be slightly sketchy-looking. If you’re buying a top-floor apartment, be prepared for daily workouts and tricky furniture deliveries.
Light fixtures not included
When moving into a new place, don’t be surprised if the previous owners took the light fixtures with them. In some countries (for example, Germany and the Netherlands), it’s common for tenants or homeowners to remove everything, leaving bare wires hanging from the ceiling. Negotiate with the previous homeowner to leave some of these basic necessities.
Separate toilets and bathrooms
In France, Belgium, the Netherlands and some other countries, it’s common for the toilet to be in a completely separate room from the shower or bath. This can be practical in shared households but confusing if you’re not used to it. In some houses, especially in the Netherlands, these “toilet rooms” don’t always include sinks … talk about inconvenience.
Balconies in the bathroom
I was shocked when I started looking for homes in the Netherlands to find that some bathrooms had an outside door and a balcony. I could think of better rooms for balcony access, but what do I know? While it could sound like a luxurious spa feature, it’s often just an architectural oddity that leaves you wondering why a toilet needs fresh air access. Some say it might be to air out the bathroom condensation or to dry laundry.
And in case you don’t believe me, I’m including photos:
Lack of closets
Built-in closets are a rarity in many European homes, let alone walk-in closets. Instead, you’ll likely need to buy a large wardrobe from IKEA. This can be extremely frustrating if you’re used to American homes with dedicated storage spaces.
Bedrooms as small as closets
Most Dutch homes have a predictable layout for the upper level: two normal-sized bedrooms, a bathroom and a tiny, tiny bedroom. Sometimes this third bedroom barely fits more than a single-person bed.
These small rooms often get repurposed as storage or a home office. I’ve known many expats who have turned it into a full walk-in closet (to combat the lack of closets). Then, after 2-plus kids, they have to decide which kid draws the short straw and gets this afterthought room.
Grinding toilets
Imagine my guests’ surprise when they flush the upstairs toilet in the middle of the night to find that it makes a loud grinding sound.
Macerating toilets have built-in grinders and can be found in some old Dutch houses. It’s common when bathrooms have been added in spaces not designed for plumbing. The grinder helps move waste through smaller pipes. It’s not only inconvenient for the noise, but as I’ve found, also inconvenient because very few plumbers want to service them.
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See more about real estate and housing here in Dispatches’ archives.
Lane Henry is an accidental long-term expat. She is an American who came to the Netherlands for two years—or so she thought. She has now lived in the Netherlands and explored Europe for over a decade.
