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I have a potential job opportunity I'm looking to accept in Netherlands. Looking for some information on the places to look for a house(on rent). My work will be flexible and wont have to go in to office everyday, my office is located around Amsterdam Zuid. I may travel frequently so being closer to the airport will be an advantage(though not a must).
Do I need a car? How are the second hand markets for cars?
I will be coming from the US, is there something that I should absolutely ship from here? I plan to move my furniture and stuff.
Any advice and tips on what a first time visitor should consider before moving to Amsterdam?
Last edited by dutchfan007; 08-22-2015 at 03:34 PM..
If it's a long temporary move moving all your furniture might be quite a hassle given the distance. If you live and work in the city, most likely you will be just fine without a car. The weather has cold winter, be ready for many overcast days but not too much snow. Unlike in LA expect 4 distinct seasons, you might miss Socal sunny days in the winter but you will also be glad to avoid the hot dry heat of the summer.
Overall people are not more or less welcoming than in LA, but are probably less fake and less backstabbers.
I have a potential job opportunity I'm looking to accept in Netherlands. Looking for some information on the places to look for a house(on rent). My work will be flexible and wont have to go in to office everyday, my office is located around Amsterdam Zuid. I may travel frequently so being closer to the airport will be an advantage(though not a must).
Do I need a car? How are the second hand markets for cars?
I will be coming from the US, is there something that I should absolutely ship from here? I plan to move my furniture and stuff.
Any advice and tips on what a first time visitor should consider before moving to Amsterdam?
Welcom here.
2nd hand market for cars is good. Most people here don't buy new, but 2nd hand so there's lots and lots of places where you can get a good car for a reasonable price. You can get an old beater to get you around for less then 1500 or a 5 year old for around 10k - 15k or more. It depends on what you want.
BUT it costs a lot for parking tickets. Most places it will cost you around € 40-50 a day and waiting list for a parking license in front your home are like 1-2 years or longer (depends on location).
This is the main reason for people not to have a car at all and do everything with public transportation, which is very good and affordable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dutchfan007
How bout accommodation? Are the apartments similar to ones in US, in terms of space and rooms?
The apartments in the Netherlands are probably pretty different from what you're used to. Our houses and apartments have just one main bathroom, unlike America. Two story houses mostly have a second toilet.
A lot of houses and apartments have an "open kitchen" which means it's in the living room, often an L shaped living room with an open kitchen in the bottom of the L.
Also most are a lot smaller then what you're probably used to, especially in Amsterdam, and expect to pay big $$$$ Here's a (very) random pick in all classes of what you can expect to pay. You can select on the side for neighborhoods. one m2 equals ot 11 ft2 Huizen te huur in Amsterdam [funda]
is your company paying moving expenses? if you move into an older place it may very well be smaller than you expect. Hard to move stuff in. They pull up a a moving van with an escalator attached and try to get it all in thru a window.
so what i am saying is do you really want/need to move furniture?
Car? i have friends with cars. they seem happy. comes in handy if you want to go places on the weekend without dealing with the trains. trains are pretty good tho. i rent cars sometimes. i get speeding tickets each time.
don't forget the electrics are different. present day laptops and electronics will take 110/220 you just need the right plug or a converter you can get for a euro to attach to the american plug so it'll fit into a European socket. you have to get a euro tv. your dvd player may not work with the euro tv. so dont bring your tv, but yes bring your laptop
you can get your current cellie to work here - get it jailbroke for 15 euro and then get a sim
amsterdam zuid has a train station and a metro station and of course bus and tram stations. amsterdam zuid train station is a major stop. lots of trains to schiphol or anywhere else.
they have like 6 music television stations here. that play freakin music! get a bike. get a cheap bike cuz you are only borrowing it from the amsterdam bicycle god. sometimes the bicycle god demands a sacrifice. what do we say to the bicycle god? not today bicycle god, not today.
not for nothing having a bike here is amazing. ride out at night thru the centrum. see the lights on the bridges. see the lights in the windows. smoke lots of dope. happy days is in amsterdam zuid, near a bridge. friendly fellows. the lighter i got there says 'best in town'
beer is cheaper than coke. when you order ask for a pils.
the guys on street corners muttering charlie under their breath are selling nose candy. every so often we lose a tourist or seven to whatever garbage it actually turns out to be. if you just have to be naughty i understand they are now handing out testing kits at certain locations.
bring your own bag to the grocery store or buy one for .15 you koalabear killing monster.
kringloop is a thriftstore/2nd hand. good prices and they will deliver for a fee.
when you go into centrum dress up a bit. and if you want to wander at night, for best results, try to do it without looking stoned out of your gourd.
you will meet people at work, other expats and whatnot. there are bars that cater to the expat crowd. if you stay in the zuid neighborhood you will meet expats, downtown you will meet tourists.
im not hitting on you but i have big feet. i find comfortable big shoes are harder to find here. you will need comfortable walking shoes here. you might want to bring extra. i find it wierd that in a country of freakin beanpoles it is hard to find big shoes. i am convinced i am doing something wrong.
allergy medicine, stuff like that, whatever you got otc, bring extra at first until you findout the local equivalent.
for real estate/renting (huurwoningnen is what you are looking for)
funda dot nl
pararius dot nl
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