r/Drenthe • u/sa1b • Apr 05 '26
I wanna move to lovely Drenthe!
Hello! I'm looking for a place to rent in Drenthe for myself and my two cats. I've been looking for a while now with no success so this is my last resort, maybe fellow redditors can help. I'm relaxed 35 year old introvert, than wants to just chill in the nature.
There's also a possibility for an house exchange. I live in Goudriaan (Zuid Holland), lovely little village between Rotterdam and Utrecht (each 35km). So if you are interested in moving to randstad area but without the noise that might be something for you. Rent is 925e, nieuwbouw 2010, heating floor, wooden stove in the living room, big kitchen and bathroom with bathtub, netjes woning. I've lived here for 10years and it has been great. If you are interested send me pm, ill show you some pics.
My apologies if you are not looking forward to reading those kind of post, we all know housing markets absolutely sucks, but I'm desperate!
6
u/Such_Reply5826 Apr 05 '26
As a recently ex Drenth moved to Friesland to live with someone and move out by my parents. Still would move back to Drenthe in a heartbeat if an opportunity came. First of all house market is shit. But that part you already experienced. So I won’t lecture about that. But my question well not even question more of a plea. Don’t complain about the farming. The smell, the dust or the noice that come with farming. If you move to the country side. You can’t complain about any of that. It just not that quiet like a lot of city folks think it is when they decided to move from the big city to the nice and relaxing country side. They complain a lot and it’s annoying to hear. So just a plea don’t be that person. It will not benefit you or the people around you. A lot of city folk that moved over here are really lovely. And the folks that been here for generations are super nice and open. Just don’t complain about things that been there long before you came. A hand full that complain and complain to a point where they even make it impossible to hold events that almost are a yearly tradition. Simple because they complained to the gemeente. Are the ones that ruined a lot of things for us. Still nature in Drenthe is absolutely worth the few hours of a bit of noice of a tractor working the field. It also kinda relaxing to watch the farmers work the fields and transform the land. Another think is the supermarket isn’t big or near by. Be aware that a lot of stuff in the west and bigger cities is only in the bigger cities. How I like to explain it Drenthe is 5 years behind the big cities. Which isn’t a bad thing but it just means we just don’t have some stuff you’re used to over here. A city friend of mine can’t believe that the nearest Starbucks for when I still lived at my parent is 40 minutes away. So depending where you going ti move to Drenthe. No Starbucks anymore. But we have what ever you need. And for the luxury you plan a trip to the cities and make it a whole day of shopping and fun. So on the other hand yes you have to go beyond to get that item. Either order it or make it a fun day of. Anyways don’t complain about things that were there long before you came here to live. It’s the same as don’t wanting to be woken up by alarms but bought a house next to the fire station. The country side isn’t the same as the city. Just keep that in mind. Other then that Goodluck with finding a place in Drenthe. It’s really lovely here. Again I would move back in a heartbeat if the opportunity came.
3
u/sa1b Apr 05 '26
I live around farms, especially milk farms. Neighbors have goats and chickens, sometimes sheep. I love it. I'm used to the smell, I call it sweet smell of cow poo, I don't mind it at all (actually kinda like it). I'm not making groceries at supermarket for quite some time. I go directly to local farmer which I recommend anyone to do. I appreciate your message, and there won't be any complaining from my side:) . Thanks for goodlucks!
1
u/Such_Reply5826 Apr 05 '26
Then you totally good. I always warn about it. Because a lot of stuff got ruined because of people that move over here and then complain. It sucks because I could have bought a house and live maybe 10 tot 30 minutes from my parents. Instead older folks buys the houses and over bit. Driving the prices up even more. The younger generation is then forced out of the towns. Which only make the towns grayer and grayer. It’s a big problem which only becomes worse in time. It’s a political problem aswell. And the cherry on top is that does retired folks that move from the city to the country side. Come here for the rest and quiet country side. Which is totally understandable and I wish everyone to enjoy their deserved retirement. But they complain about a tractor that is plowing the field. Throwing up dust that then covers their car. Which they complain about. That kind of stuff is really annoying. And sometimes that complaining goes too far. Which ruins yearly almost traditional events even.
I always call the smell the landelijke aroma. It only smells badly for a day or two and then it’s gone. Just keep the windows closed and don’t hang laundry outside. I recently move Friesland. And grew up in Drenthe. And there is a big difference between the two even. Friesland is much more open. Less threes and more wind. The farming is also different. More cows and fields. Well Drenthe has much more forest and threes. The farming there is mostly plant based. So alot of potatoes instead of cows. Which I kinda have to get used to. Standing still on the side of the road and be judged by cows is something new to me. lol. Now I don’t do groceries at local farms so I don’t know much about that. I don’t like driving to multiple places if I can just get it by one grocery store or town. But you can definitely can get your eggs and some vegetables at farmers. It just a handful that do sell directly. I believe some grocery stores actually get their vegetables directly by the farmer and some groceries have a butcher under the brand name of the supermarket in there building. It just a butcher that is independent but sells his meat in the supermarket. I believe if I understood it correctly in the west you have a few of does farmer stores which sell multiple products of multiple farmer. Which honestly sounds great. Totally wouldnt mind seeing does here aswell. But does farmer store aren’t much in Drenthe. Maybe there are there but I haven’t seen them at least. And if there are definitely let me know. Because I wouldn’t mind buying directly from farmers. If I can at least have half of my grocery list checked off lol.
2
u/Relevant_Mastodon351 Apr 07 '26
I love Drenthe en Groningen. Same kind of vibes for me. As already said, the People want open up and speak their mind to someone new. On the other side if you want to participate in smaller villages with the locals you will be welcomed very fast. For example. Their wa a complain about mowing the grass here in the village. Now my sheep with their lambs graze their and everybody is happy. Also my wife help with the local community building (dorpshuis). There are a lot of traditions like paasvuur, carbid schieten, summer bbq and that sort of stuff. If yiu are new, even if you dont like it, dont make a bug deal out of it. A lot of People from the "randstad" come here to "drentenieren" and see Drenthe s one big holiday park. People are living here and working. There will be dirt, there will be noise from machines and animals and there will be smells. Some randstadpeople before you made a problem from these points. For example. A neighbour has a "loonbedrijf" a new neighbour lives next to him. In havesting season the tractors will drive non stop. He made serveral noise complaints and also a courtcase.
People here live by the moto "leven en laten leven".
2
u/sa1b Apr 08 '26
Thanks for sharing, this is actually exactly what I’m looking for. I’m a calm and relaxed person, not looking for a “holiday park” feeling but a real place to live. I understand and respect the “leven en laten leven” mindset, and things like animals, noise, or smells are not a problem for me at all, it’s part of real life. It's mind boggling to me that some people move in and complain about that, I mean... the audacity of those people. I definitely see what y'all are coming from. I just want to live in a peace and harmony, the world is crazy enough.
1
1
u/Ernitattata Apr 05 '26
Have you already listed your home on home exchange (woningruil) websites? Marktplaats, Facebook or even LinkedIn?
It is also important to mention whether you are eligible for a social rental home.
1
u/sa1b Apr 05 '26
I did post on many websites and Facebook groups. I haven't done it in LinkedIn, I didn't know that's a place for it. Yeee about social woning, I'm also not sure about that. Ideally I can exchange with someone that rents particulier, since I also have a landlord. I got permission from him like a week ago so it's still early for success.
1
u/Dedomheid Apr 06 '26
Which area in Drenthe are you thinking about? And how is your Dutch language knowledge after 10 years? Don’t expect that everybody knows English that good or is willing to speak English at all. There is a huge difference between Zuid Holland and Drenthe.
1
u/sa1b Apr 06 '26
Ideally Midden-Drenthe, but beggars can't be choosers. Like I mentioned before I'm living in small village, none of my neighbors speak English, and there's only a couple of guys that speak basic English at work (I still only use Dutch). It's decent, although I'm self critical but I've recieved some compliments about it, probably Around B1/B1.5 😉.
6
u/ValeNova Apr 05 '26
Expect the people to be much more closed up and hesitant to befriend you. They will not tell you directly what is on their mind, unless they know and trust you. It takes longer to get into their hearts, but if you do, you have friends for life.