ACCESS NL > Features > Housing: Why We Chose the Slow Life Down South
Housing: Why We Chose the Slow Life Down South
2025/01/17 | By Nastaran Fadaei Heidari | Photo by Mathilde Nieuwenhuis
Every time someone learns about our international background and the fact that my husband is from The Hague, the first question we are asked is, “Why do you live in Heerlen?” But before answering this question, I would like to share our story.
My husband and I have enjoyed living and working in different countries. Before moving to the Netherlands, we lived in Kraków, Poland, where I worked as an ESL teacher, and my husband worked in HR. When we found out we were expecting twins, we knew we had to choose a country where we could stay long-term to raise our children. We chose the Netherlands, where my husband is from, and where his family lives.
While we were in Poland, we considered several places that might suit our needs as a growing young family. One day, while researching the different provinces of the Netherlands, I came across Limburg, the southernmost Dutch province, which borders both Germany and Belgium. When I mentioned it to my husband, he only knew about Maastricht, the capital of Limburg, which is an impressively beautiful city situated on the banks of the Maas River with a well-known university.
Initially, we chose to search for a flat somewhere in the Randstad metropolitan area (conurbation), where most job opportunities are. However, months of house hunting proved how unbelievably difficult it is to rent a flat in the Randstad due to an ongoing housing shortage and high demand.
The housing crisis in the Randstad made us consider moving to a smaller town in other parts of the country. After more research, I realised that housing prices in the seven-municipality conurbation of Parkstad in Limburg were much more affordable. In fact, we could purchase a spacious house for our family of four with a reasonable mortgage, which was dramatically more cost-effective than in the northern part of the country.
As a young family of four, we wished to have a spacious house with a garden, close to nature, in a small town where our professional expertise could be valuable to the community. We wanted to avoid the hustle and bustle of larger cities and preferred the more serene aspects of suburban living. For me, as a newcomer, it was important to learn Dutch quickly and practise it daily. Residents of smaller cities are notably less stressed, friendlier, and always helpful.
That is how we ended up in a beautiful house within walking distance of the scenic Brunssummerheide nature preserve, where we enjoy fresh air, greenery, and playing with our twins. That’s why we chose to live in a wonderful city like Heerlen—primarily because, in a developed country like the Netherlands, you can still find a high quality of life, good food, excellent schools, and just about everything a family needs to thrive.
For example, the Schunk Libraries in Heerlen have become cultural hubs where I can practise Dutch, meet people, and integrate more fully into Dutch society. The opportunity has even given my husband the chance to leave his desk job and pursue the technical degree he has always wanted. Our children can also participate in the many cultural and educational activities and workshops offered by the Schunk Libraries. One of the best things is that we can now manage our finances better, as we were not forced into taking out a massive long-term mortgage.
Our move down south checked all the boxes, and in the end, it turned our dream of living a storybook life in the Netherlands into a reality.
As originally published in ACCESS magazine.
For more information about Finding a place to live in the Netherlands click here.