How do you find expat housing groups?

In the Netherlands in 2026, the housing market has become a digital arena. For expats who have just arrived in the country or are still planning their move, online housing groups are the lifeline to a new home. The traditional route via brokerage sites such as Funda is often saturated, making the informal market — 'private' rentals and sales — via social networks and closed groups essential. However, finding the right groups is an art in itself; it requires a keen eye for quality, safety and speed.

Housing groups not only provide advertisements, but also a wealth of local knowledge, tips on contracts, and warnings for rogue hosts. In this article, we'll discuss how to find the most effective expat housing groups in 2026 and how to use them strategically.

Facebook groups: The undisputed leader

Despite the rise of new platforms, Facebook will remain the main hub for expat housing in 2026. The strength of Facebook lies in the enormous diversity of groups, ranging from general national groups to very specific neighborhood levels.

• Use search terms: Use specific combinations such as “Expats in [city] housing”, “Apartments for rent in [city]”, or “Find a room in [City]”. Groups such as 'I am Expat' or 'Expats Utrecht' often have separate subgroups for living.
• Closed groups versus public groups: Preferably look for closed groups (private groups). In 2026, these will be moderated more strictly by administrators who check profiles for authenticity, which reduces the risk of scams. Public groups are often breeding grounds for bots and fraudulent ads.
• Interactivity: It's not enough to just become a member. Make your own call (“Wanted” post) with a photo and a short biography. Hosts who don't want to advertise publicly due to the massive flow of responses often look for candidates who look trustworthy in these groups.

WhatsApp and Telegram communities

In 2026, WhatsApp communities and Telegram channels will be the “fast queue” of the housing market. Because these groups provide instant notifications to the user's phone, homes are often rented here even before they appear on Facebook or Funda.

These groups are often harder to find because they work on the basis of invitation links. You'll usually find these links in descriptions of larger Facebook groups or via expat networking events. Telegram is particularly popular because it allows larger groups and has better search features. There are bots active in these channels that push real-time updates as soon as a new home in a certain segment becomes available. Please note that the speed of these groups also comes at risk; always take the time to check before responding.

LinkedIn: The professional network

For the “highly skilled migrant” and the business expat, LinkedIn will be a surprisingly effective housing platform in 2026. This is the place for the higher segment and for people who are looking for a home via their business network.

Many expats post a status update asking their network for help finding a home. Because your profile directly shows your employer and professional background, this offers hosts an enormous amount of trust. In addition, there are specific groups such as “Real Estate Netherlands for Professionals” where high-quality homes are offered that do not appear on the regular market. The advantage of LinkedIn is transparency; you usually know exactly who you're doing business with.

Platform-specific groups: Reddit and Discord

For the younger generation of expats and digital nomads, Reddit and Discord will be important resources in 2026. Subreddits like r/Netherlands or city-specific pages like r/Amsterdam have weekly “housing threads”.

While these platforms contain fewer direct ads, they are essential for verifying the legitimacy of other groups. Here you can ask, “Does anyone have experience with this specific Facebook group?” or “Is this landlord trustworthy?” Discord servers for expats in the Netherlands often offer separate channels for “housing tips,” where residents share their experiences about which groups are most effective and which to avoid.

Local expat centers and associations

Although we live in a digital age, physical expat centers (such as the IN Amsterdam, The Hague International Center, or Holland Expat Center South) will have their own curated groups and lists in 2026.

These centers often run private online portals or LinkedIn groups that are only accessible to registered expats. The properties offered here are often pre-screened for fair rents and legal contracts. Membership in a local expat association (e.g. for specific nationalities) often also provides access to internal mailing lists or closed groups where homes are shared before they enter the public market. This “us knows us” system will be one of the safest ways to find a home in 2026.

Recognizing qualitative groups

Not every group is worthwhile. In 2026, separating the wheat from the chaff is essential to prevent loss of time and fraud.

You can recognize a good expat housing group by a number of characteristics:

• Active moderation: The administrators actively remove suspicious ads and block profiles that appear “spammy”.
• Strict rules: There are rules about mentioning the rental price, location, and availability in the title of the post.
• No pay-to-view scams: Groups that ask to pay just to see a link to an ad must be reported immediately.
• Local language support: Although the groups are in English, the best groups often include members who help translate Dutch terms into ads.

Finding the right groups is an ongoing process. In the dynamic market of 2026, it pays to be present on multiple platforms at the same time. The combination of Facebook's massive reach, Telegram's speed and the reliability of professional networks such as LinkedIn is the ideal strategy for successful home hunting.