Selling a retail property in 2026: vacancy, repurposing, and opportunities
The complete guide to selling a retail property helps you assess value, lease agreements and sales conditions together.
The state of the high street
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported earlier this year that vacancy rates in Dutch high streets have fallen for the third year in a row — from a peak of 8.3% to 6.1%. Good news, you might think. But behind that figure lies a shift: vacancies are now primarily concentrated in mid-sized towns and peripheral shopping streets, while A1 locations are almost fully occupied once again.
For those who own a retail property and want to sell, this means one thing: the market is fiercely segmented. A property on the Demer in Eindhoven practically sells itself. A property in a peripheral street in a mid-sized town requires creativity.
Three sales strategies
Strategy 1: selling as an investment. Do you have a tenant with an ongoing contract? Then you are essentially selling a cash flow. Investors look at the gross initial yield (BAR). For retail properties, this currently lies between 7% and 11%, depending on location and tenant. Calculation: annual rent ÷ BAR = asking price. A property that generates €60,000 rent per year is therefore worth €750,000 at a BAR of 8%.
Strategy 2: selling to an owner-occupier. An entrepreneur who wants to use the property themselves often pays more than an investor. Emotion plays a role, and they do not need to achieve a specific yield. Disadvantage: these buyers are thinner on the ground and you have to wait longer.
Strategy 3: selling for redevelopment. This is where the greatest opportunity lies for vacant properties in peripheral streets. More and more municipalities are allowing transformation into housing, healthcare, or hospitality — sometimes even with subsidies. Construction firms and developers are actively searching for suitable properties.
Redevelopment: the practice
The most common redevelopments in 2026:
- Retail to residential: popular in city centres, requires a change to the zoning plan (bestemmingsplanwijziging) and structural adjustments (escape routes, sound insulation). Renovation costs: €1,200 - €2,000 per m².
- Retail to hospitality: high potential at high-visibility locations, but you have to deal with noise and odour standards and municipal closing times.
- Retail to healthcare or services: think of physiotherapy, hair salons, beauticians. Less renovation needed, broadly applicable.
Important: enter into discussions with the municipality before the sale. A 'principle decision' (principebesluit) for a change of use easily increases the selling price by 15 to 25 per cent, because you remove uncertainty for the buyer.
What to do with a current tenant who hands in their notice?
Has your tenant just informed you they are leaving and you want to sell the property? Do not wait until the property is vacant. A property that is still "warm", with fixtures and atmosphere, sells faster and at a higher price than an empty, cold shell. Take good photos while it still looks tidy and launch the sale immediately.
Price range 2026
Based on transactions from the past six months:
Are you unsure about the right price or strategy? Request a no-obligation offer and we can look together at what fits best.