Moving from Rotterdam to Hilversum Netherlands, what were our challenges?

Moving from Rotterdam to Hilversum Netherlands, what were our challenges? Moving to Rotterdam Netherlands was almost a piece of cake compared to moving from Rotterdam Netherlands to Hilversum Netherlands!
Some of the challenges were... furnished to unfurnished, not having a Netherlands driver's license, dealing with makelaars, moving companies and so much more. Don't get me wrong, life in the Netherlands is awesome and traveling around the Netherlands is even better...until you have to move! There are definitely pros and cons to living in the Netherlands and the pros by far outweigh the cons. So, if you plan on moving to the Netherlands from the US check us out and grab some useful tips.
0:00 Intro
1:00 What makes us fight
2:20 Why we moved
3:39 Dealing with Makelaars
7:00 J&B Makelaars
9:35 The movers
12:56 Ikea
14:00 Trash
16:10 Exploring Hilversum

[@bridgetteball2311]

Thanks for the incredible review, it was an absolute pleasure working with you both and we look forward to having you happy in your home for many years to come.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Bridgette💕

[@only1dutchgirl]

There are thriftstores everywhere where you'll be able to find good pieces of furniture

[@nicollevisser8141]

Yeah In Hilversum you have the kringloopwinkel, right beside the railroad track. It's a great one.

[@davidfaasse9697]

Daar zijn ze weer hoor. Good to see you again. good luck in the new house. veel fiets plezier

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, David!😊

[@Smokindutch63]

Reminds me of our own return to the Netherlands from living in Thailand, and having the whole livingroom filled with Ikea-boxes. Wishing you all the best in Hilversum for the years to come.

[@carlarijff5177]

Congratulations, nice to see you back ❤

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Carla!!💕

[@autistandcat6804]

Woohoo! You are still alive!

[@ikke5212]

😊good to see you both😊

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, ikke😊

[@soepie17]

Congrats! Enjoy your new home!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, soepie17!😊

[@thomaslee5042]

Thank you both! This is good information for my upcoming move to the Netherlands. I'm glad you both are back! Missed your videos!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, thomaslee!😊

[@Mrevolva]

wish you the best!

[@Bluescat1950.]

Glad that it all worked out really fine for you,congrats with your new home!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Bluescat1950!!😊

[@Konaboy]

Good to see you guys! Your living my dream in the Nederlands 🤙👍

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Konaboy!😊

[@joannewink7101]

❤ zo fijn om jullie weer te zien

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, Joanne!💕

[@sigrunwestrus68]

Gefeliciteerd! I hope you soon will feel at home in Hilversum. Just don't make the mistake to call Hilversum a city. It's a village and we are very proud of that! 😄 It's difficult to recommend a 'huisarts', when I don't know where in Hilversum you are living. Personally I can recommend Medisch Centrum Dudokpark. They are situated close to the Raadhuis. Good doctors and convenient place, because they have everything you need in the same building. Dentist, physiotherapists and pharmacy. Good luck!

[@user-wn8cp3qf1x]

Hilversum has been a city when it had a population of 100,000 for a short time. I think that was in the sixties or seventies of last century.

[@MartinWebNatures]

@@user-wn8cp3qf1xindeed city because it's 90. 260 inhabitants now

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you for the information, sigrunwestrus!😊. We will check them out!

[@mavadelo]

@@user-wn8cp3qf1x It is both. There is "official definition" (which makes any place over a certain amount of people a city these days) and there is the "perceptive definition" where Hilversum very much feels like a village. It isn't an accident that one of the nicknames for Hilversum in the surrounding towns is "Hilverdorp". As Sigrund mentions, this is what the people in Hilversum feel about their place.. it is a village, a big village but a village nonetheless. And it is a very nice and goodlooking village at that (except maybe the mediapark and industrial areas but that is always the case with those places)

[@nicollevisser8141]

Yeah, when you go to the center you will say, ik ga even naar het dorp.. you will not say, ik ga even naar de stad. What I will say when I am in Utrecht and go to the center

[@QiuArVee]

Congratulations with the new place! Looking forward to hearing about your new travels and discovering your new surroundings.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, QiuArVee!😊

[@leotakken6789]

Congrats with your new home in Hilversum. A new chapter in your life in the Netherlands. Good luck 😊

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, leotakken!😊

[@ringerheringa3052]

Veel plezier in jullie nieuwe woonplaats!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, ringerheringa😊

[@gert-janvanderlee5307]

Gefeliciteerd met het nieuwe huis!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, gert-janvanderlee!!😊

[@itomg]

Good luck in your new home! Great to see you guys again. Hey you survived building your furniture without any (noticeable) scratches. That's worth a compliment! Have a great life in Hilversum.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, itomg!😊

[@yvonnesopacua9901]

Gefeliciteerd met jullie nieuwe woning 🙏🎊

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, yvonnesopacua!😊

[@MartinWebNatures]

Great to see you back! I was just an hour ago thinking of you guys👍. Hope you love your new home and see you both healthy. Gefeliciteerd met jullie nieuwe huis en woonplaats🎉🍾🥂

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, Martin!💕

[@tillypattiasina9206]

Nice that you were able to find a new home, have fun living in Hilversum and enjoy yourself together.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, tillypattiasina!😊

[@nobodynone]

Gefeliciteerd met jullie nieuwe woning.🎉

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, nobodynone!😊

[@MartijnFrazer]

Wow congrats!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Martijn😊

[@sim-one]

Congrats on the apartment! Looks great and cosy furniture. Have fun exploring Hilversum by e-bike. It’s gorgeous there. Great vid, guys. As it comes to christmastree lightning: 💯same here 😆!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Simone!💕

[@mattgiant8836]

I grew up nearby. Nice area! Enjoy settling in.

[@TheJolanda01]

Hope you are happy there happy biking

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Jolanda!!💕

[@nicollevisser8141]

Hi, so good to hear that in the end it all worked out. I lived in Hilversum for 18 years and I still miss the fact that you are only 10 minutes away from the forrest and that I could bike for more than an hour through the forrest and hardly see anyone. It has beautiful surroundings. And you are closer to Utrecht now! Only 15 minutes by train! I think you will have lots of inspiration as you will now not only find the differences between America and the Netherlands but also within the Netherlands. The changes between Rotterdam and Hilversum are huge. Kingsday is comming next month and Hilversum has a lot of podia with lots of music. Enjoy your new place!

[@BlaauwKlavertje]

Congratulations with surviving the move.😉

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, BlaauwKlavertje!😊

[@hanhenderikse]

Heel veel plezier en geluk in jullie nieuwe huis in "Hillywood"

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, hanhenderikse!😊

[@GewoonFrieda]

Congratulations with your new home. It's a beautiful villige and provincie to live in.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, GewoonFrieda!😊

[@digitaldion]

Welkom in de buurt! I live just down the road, in beautiful Baambrugge. I am so glad that you found a place and are settling in.

[@borchen0]

Baambrugge is not really 'just down the road' from Hilversum...but it is from Abcoude 😊

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, digitaldion!😊

[@sylviasmits9275]

I see you have a garden now. I hope you have a green thumph. Enjoy your new home🎉

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Sylvia!💕 Unfortunately, it isn’t a garden, but a brick driveway with a fence covered in ivy😢

[@nfboogaard]

Hey have a good time settling in, sounds like a stressful period. Hilversum is something else!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, nfboogaard!😊

[@ladystefanigebo5697]

Congratulations on your new place. We are getting so excited to be moving soon and are writing down ALL of your tips.

[@oldman3319]

Hi Tammy and Eric, welcome to my hometown where i was born and raised. There is a lot to see and you can enjoy nature. I wish you the best of luck with your new appartement!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Awww, thank you, @oldman!!😊

[@myafelicia]

Congrats on your new home and the next stage of your lives. Although I'm also from Rotterdam, I absolutely LOVE Hilversum and the surrounding villages and towns. It's just very beautiful there so do enjoy the scenery and people there.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, myafelicia!😊

[@belindakoedood7057]

Wishing you good luck and happiness in Hilversum

[@expatfamilylive9041]

Congratulations! Now we are a bit closer ;) We live in Almere and pass Hilversum every time Marina goes to work to Utrecht by train :)

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, expatfamilylive!!😊

[@catharinaforbes-boeren82]

It sounds that you are settled in at Hilversum, wishing you a great new experience.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Catharina!😊

[@Dutchbelg3]

Veel geluk en plezier in Hilversum! (Yes it is the moment to start exercize your Dutch! 🙂 )

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, Hans!😊

[@dennisverhoef1564]

So funny that you ended up in Felix II. This used to be my go to place when I was younger. Seeing the picture it still looks mostly the same as when I went there.🙂

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

It is a cosy place to hang out!

[@globalonemusic2381]

Eric and Tami: I have been off of YT for some time. It is nice to see you two still posting great videos. I have to tell you that you two have a "Psychiatric Stamina" that most people our age would never possess. Indeed, I AM "jealous". :) Congratulations on your new home. :) Antoine

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Hi Antoine! Nice to “see” you again!! 😊

[@rinynewton8297]

Whooohooo back again. Welkom in jullie nieuwe huis. Have thought about you two.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, Riny!💕

[@ljclauson]

Congratulations on moving to a quieter village. Yes, once outside on the sidewalks of Rotterdam it busy, fast and getting harder to ride a bike safely. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your new place and hilversum because I know zip about.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, ljclauson!😊

[@koertje42]

Looking forward to your first video trying out foods and beers at MOUT! :D

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

We have been to MOUT a couple times now! What a great foodhall!! We love the different options for food and the beer isn’t bad either!😊

[@angelavm84]

Welcome to Hilversum! You're almost there, just 50 more miles East and you're in the better part of The Netherlands.🙃The Hanzesteden are the place to be when it comes to nice, cosy, medieval towns, but for a change of pace you can also go to the Achterhoek, Veluwe or even Drenthe and above.😊Get yourself a nice farm or bungalow! Don't forget to go for a walk in Lage Vuursche and have a pancake or two there. Also, good idea to visit Oudewater, which is a little more south to where you are. The Heksenwaag there is the most famous of our country. Hilversum is one of the strangest towns to drive in imo though. A lot of these roads make no sense, so be careful, but maybe that's me.🤭 Also, my dears, next time you need help, look to your viewers, alright? Would have helped and had your back as I'm certain many others would. I think you still have my email and probably others too! Please use us and step over that polite, American shadow, deal? It would have been my absolute pleasure & delight, truly. One tip, I don't know if you're renting still or bought your home, but in the end buying will be less expensive. Buying a 'nieuwbouw huis' is cheaper due to certain taxes you won't have to pay, but it does depend where you'd like to live & of course what your budget is. You do have a traincard for cheaper fares, right? I'm sure you've gotten this info already, but if you travel between 9.00 and 16.00 you can travel 40% cheaper with a NS dalurenkaart. You'll get used to the trash thing! However, there should be containers near supermarkets etc. where you can throw away excess glass, paper etc. if your own containers are full. One final tip (I'm doing it again, aren't I...🤭) make sure you have enough locks on your E-bikes, they get stolen a lot especially if the battery is present. Enjoy your new home. Here's to many more years of happiness in The Netherlands.

[@jdtc7354]

Deventer, Zutphen, Kampen or Zwolle beautiful Hanzesteden!

[@sylviakleindop8747]

Gefeliciteerd met jullie nieuwe huis èn met het heelhuids doorkomen van de gehele verhuizing. (I have a great deal of trust in you two so I congratualeted you both in Dutch….)

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, Sylvia!😊

[@alexandrajoppe7718]

Welcome to Hilversum! We have been here since 2005 and we love it here 😊

[@aislingbooks]

CONGRATS on the move and also a very interesting video. I used to teach at HBO Nootenboom, a private uni with a dual degree program with AZ State in the States. What I appreciated most about Hilversum is that it's the media capital. And I'm already excited to hear that you'll be visiting a radio station there. Who knows? Maybe you'll be interviewed as expat retiree content creators. You two are very topical now. Sending love from Zeeland!

[@Dutch3DMaster]

Media is not a superglamorous thing in Hilversum if you ask me. Yes I still like the atmosphere around the Mediapark and in the building where I work but I think compared to some American stations it's worldly different. (I hate the traffic situation though, with all the one-way streets and the way they give cyclists a middle finger there and pedestrians even more).

[@yvonnebirch6026]

Welcome to Hilversum. Great area ! Close to the ‘hei’ for walks. Close to Laren and Blaricum. Lovely forests for bike rides. I remember visiting my grandmother in Hilversum. Growing up in Amsterdam we would go for walks and Sunday drives around the area. It is only half hour from the city. Enjoy ! Love from California 🇳🇱👍🇳🇱👍🇳🇱

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you very much, Yvonne!! We are looking forward to exploring the area!!❤

[@lexuz325]

Don't forget Naarden-Vesting, a great fortified city with great restaurants. Also very lively in the summer.

[@helgavanraam29]

Gefeliciteerd met jullie nieuwe 'stekkie'. De Baron is a fav pub of mine (close to Felix II). I was born and raised near by Hilversum. 't Gooi (the area, Hilversum included) is a very calm peacefull place to live in. I wish you all the best in your new home.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, Helga!! We will check out De Baron -thank you for the suggestion😊

[@helgavanraam29]

@@SoultoSoulTravels It is in de Spoorstraat nearby the trainstation.

[@helgavanraam29]

@@SoultoSoulTravelsI was right about the christmas lights. It was your behavior (I had to see the vid several times) towards each other.. non-verbal that let me choose for the christmas lights.😄😉

[@helgavanraam29]

Another suggestion: If you are both happy with the christmas tree; take a big garbage bag, slide it over the tree, place the tree somewhere you can store in the house, your marriage is saved. It has to be a plastic tree not a real one of course and it saves money. My parents are still married ..this year 60 years and doing this for years.

[@mavadelo]

Oh nice, you are living in my old stomping grounds. I grew up in Bussum and Hilversum (mainly Bussum though). This area is called "' 't Gooi" and border the "Utrechtse Heuvelrug", There are some awesome nature areas close by that I can highly recommend. Of course "Het Hilversumse bos", "de Lage Vuursche" (bordering het Hilversumse bos) where the village with the same name houses some of the best pancake restaurants in the country (and is home to former Queen Beatrix in Castle Drakensteyn) In the direction of Bussum you will find large moorlands/heath lands and Bantam. There are the Loosdrechtse Plassen in the direction of Utrecht, the Ankeveense/'sGravenlandse plassen in the direction of Amsterdam. So many opportunities to just cycle for hours on end. I am sure you will love the area, go explore and tell us all about it. :)

[@eddys.3524]

So your move to Hilversum went OK... I hope you like your new house. Ohwww... general practitioners nowadays are a hassle to find.. most practices are full. Good luck finding a doctor. Looking forward to your next video.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Eddy😊

[@sjaakvantilborg1198]

Wel with Tom his last name i knew he would be a nice guy! Good luck figuring it out..

[@gerry6389]

Good luck in your new home

[@MauriceSmit]

Rotterdam won’t be the same without you guys. Quite a change for the two of you. Enjoy it over there.

[@winmachielse1233]

Enjoy your new hometown.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, winmachielse!😊

[@qazatqazah]

Congratulations with your move! (Also, now that you live in Hilversum, I can't wait for you to make some video's in august/september, when the heath will be flowering.)

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, qazatqazah!😊

[@Maria-pq5nm]

Gefeliciteerd with your lovely cossy house. There is a lot to explore in that area. Dudok a famous architect. Het mediapark... Loosdrecht is also a beautiful village. I look forward to see your video's. Enjoy you time to live and explore.❤

[@greetjep8466]

Congrats on your new home 😘 do we get an official housewarming party live video ? 🥳

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Greetje💕

[@rmyikzelf5604]

There should be a municipal waste station you can bring your trash to. Like the IKEA cardboard.

[@anouk6644]

Those are usually hard to reach without a car and those large pieces of cardboard are difficult to transport on a bike. In their case I would call the ‘grofvuil’ to have it picked up.

[@user-wp7zn8ii5u]

It looks like you got a ground floor apartment, that must be a relief. I would love to see an apartment tour. I agree that Ikea furniture assembly is difficult, I refer to it as renewing our romance;)

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

We did get a ground floor apartment and we love it!!!😊

[@patrickol4300]

Second hand stores and they are great fun.

[@spilln01]

Congratulations with your new place !yes moving is hell lol and slower pace of life is so muts beter .

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, spilln01!

[@ingeborgvanessen9595]

Gefeliciteerd met jullie nieuwe huis...🏚🥰 en welkom in het Gooi. Als we iets kunnen aanbevelen ...let us know!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, Inge!💕

[@JaapGinder]

And you two have moved. I hope you will soon feel at home in the new home and in Hilversum. And, as I see, you have a garden! Nice!! Hope there is a place to put some garden furniture and enjoy the sun/shadow. Most of all: good to see that you both are still married 🤭

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Jaap!!💕

[@Pasunsoprano]

I recently moved from a city to a village too. Still searching for that three bin trash can though. Where did you buy it? Also there are many online furniture companies nowadays. So I ordered all sorts of stuff and an electric screwdriver. So every free moment is spent putting together my furniture. Luckily I have a brick shed in my garden to put all the cartboard boxes in, since they only collect them once a month. Plus having to pay quite a bit for dumping old furniture and even having to get it to the dumping site yourself is new for me. But hey, at some point I will have a really nice place to live...

[@gert-janvanderlee5307]

They bought the furniture at Ikea. Big chance they got that trasi can there too.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Hi Pasunsoprano! We got the trash can from Amazon! Congratulations to you with your new home as well🎉

[@Dutch-linux]

you guys are lucky some of us have to be on a waiting list to get a house for 2 years or more that is wahy we need the formation to be done and over with so the pvv can do what they have promised

[@daphneschuring5810]

Enjoy your new Home and get passionate!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, daphneschuring!😊

[@daphneschuring5810]

It's Daphne Schuring ;) Yeah Dutch grammar sucks@@SoultoSoulTravels

[@suzebakker6909]

Hi you guys, I’ve been following you for quite some time and always loved your Rotterdam story’s and now you’e come to live in the neighborhood! What are the odds? I live in Hilversum. I I came here in 1996, moved from Leiden as a graduate and build my life here, had a family. The children are living and studying in Utrecht by now. Anyway, I really enjoy nature in het Gooi. Hilversum has a circle of forests and heide around it in which you can go on hikes and bike tours. It will never get old. Also seeing the seasons turn. I recommend circling to the Bluk on the Zuiderheide and getting a coffee and a Dennenkoek. Or chocolade melk met slagroom. And if you have the time, especially on an e-bike you can cycle from there to Lage Vuursche and end up at the Horneboegse Heide on the South side of Hilversum. De zuiderheide is on the North side of town. Sorry, very confusing. The trip will be an hour or so, just cycling. You can stop at De Paddenstoel for a pancake.

[@wilfredzwart2154]

Congrats with the new home and still being married and the need of more Christmas lights 😂 ect. Maybe a tour in the apartment would be nice?! Hilversum is a great place to be. My cousin lives there, close to the forest! I love to be in Hilversum!

[@EdwinMartin]

Hilversum is a beautiful town. It’s surrounded by nature (woods, lakes and heath) and it’s close to two great larger cities: Amsterdam and Utrecht (only 20 minutes with train). My recommendations for biking: try a tour along the Vecht or through the Lage Vuursche.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you for the recommendations, Edwin!😊

[@Iamsanni]

And Amersfoort!

[@jeffafa3096]

Realtors, or "makelaars", are currently the best way to get a good place to live here. I found my new apartment through one as well, and I'm moving this July because it's still being built right now...

[@larisaloredana5172]

Hi guys, I'm from Romania! I lived in Rotterdam for 1 year, it's wonderful, you're right, but I suggest you visit Romania, especially Brasov, you won't regret it! I wish you all the best! many kisses

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you for the suggestion, larisaloredana!😊 Romania is definitely somewhere we want to visit in the future!

[@Travis-L6E]

Enjoy the new place! Whatever happened to T and T Go Dutch?

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Travis!! T&T moved back to Texas a couple months ago. They are doing very well and just welcomed a new baby boy last month❤

[@mikedehollander6848]

nice video guys, all these stories and the IKEA test is well known

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Mike!😊

[@woutersplinter4981]

Welcome to Hillywood! My place of birth, but grew up in Baarn, the municipality east of Hilversum. Deffinitely a place to live at a steady pace. Enjoy the nice walks and/or bike rides through the forrests and heathlands.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, woutersplinter!!😊

[@philkleingeld949]

Enjoy your new home. It is a nice area! Of course not as great as Rotterdam but still, nice!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, philkleingeld!😊

[@Man-in-the-green]

Yes it is much smaller, but also much nicer.

[@GabberPinda]

If you want a slower phase in life come to Zuid Limburg it's better climate less wind and more sun. Different landscape and less crowded ❤😃 Welcome back👊

[@mayaweirauch1739]

Do you now have room for a kingsize bed? I remember that Eric’s only complaint about your apartment in r’dam was the small bedroom where only a smal bed fitted in. Haha! Probably not because you say the new place is smaller. That’s a pity. Enjoy your stay in Hilversum. Btw I thought that renters are protected in the NL and the owner could not have pulled you out of your r’dam apartment. But you now live happily in Hilversum. Beautiful cityhall there!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Hi Maya! Yes! We have a king size bed!!!YAY🎉 Renters do have rights, but our last apartment was only a short term contract for 2 years.

[@Hrn250]

Unfortunately, finding a suitable home is a major problem in the Netherlands, but you still managed to do it. Goedzo! I wish you a lot of living pleasure.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Hrn250!😊

[@johnhendriks4085]

I think it is a good move. Hilversum is a wonderful town, some of my family lives there. It is surrounded by beautiful nature. Also it is good for public transport, you can travel in all directions in the Netherlands

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, John!😊

[@AnnaDelahay]

de ziektekosten verzekering kan jullie adviseren over een huisarts. 2

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, Anna!😊

[@angeliquemolgr26]

Gefeliciteerd met jullie nieuwe plek!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, angeliquemolgr!😊

[@reviewerdiogeones5857]

Hello new neighbors! Good to see you found a place to live in Hilversum. If you need any advice for things to do or to visit, let me know! Greets from Naarden

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you very much, reviewerdiogeones!💕

[@maryannecomment3302]

Congratulations, it is very difficult to find an apartment. The Netherlands has a huge housing problem with a big shortage of houses and apartments.

[@42earthling]

Congrats on your new home. :) I have to disagree with you on the e-bike, for me it is an easy choice to stick with a normal bike, much healthier and also keeping strength in my almost 60 year old legs. We also have a dutch saying, 'tegen de wind in fietsen, daar word je sterk van'.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, 42earthling! Unfortunately, my 56 year old knees are not so good, so the extra little assist helps them out a bit😊 Tammy

[@rianvandenhoof4124]

Welcome in the center of the Netherlands. I live in Laren, which is very close to Hilversum and it is a very lovely village with a very nice museum and lovely houses. Actually , most people living here are rich, but not all. (I am certainly not rich, but they need care givers as much as less wealthy people.......) Hope you enjoy your new home. I am originally from the south of the Netherlands..... I had a bit off culture shock when I first came here. But, alles went...... behalve een vent....... LOL.

[@Wamubodo]

This is going to be a big change. From bustling Rotterdam to boring Hilversum. But at our age a smaller pace feels more natural, I think. It is a beautiful area and close to your friends in Amersfoort. My sister-in-law grew up in that area and she really likes Laren. So enough to explore. Enjoy.

[@AlexK-yr2th]

Most Dutch wouldn't want to be found dead in Rotterdam. There is nothing bustling that you cannot find in most cities in the Netherlands, minus the tourists of course. Stating that Hilversum is boring, is saying that most of the Netherlands is boring because most cities are like Hilversum unless ur in the expat/tourist area in the Netherlands. Dutch people prefer not to live on top of an anthill. So wrong....

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Wamubodo😊

[@nickdentoom1173]

@@AlexK-yr2thChange Rotterdam with Amsterdam.

[@Man-in-the-green]

Hilversum boring? En Rotterdam bustling? Enig idee wat er allemaal in Hilversum gebeurt? Vast niet.

[@AlexK-yr2th]

@@nickdentoom1173 Niet alles is relatief. Amsterdam is 10x erger maar dat neemt niet weg de statement over Rotterdam. Rotterdam wordt niet minder omdat Amsterdam meer is.

[@erikmulder2574]

Welcome to your new place. You will notice a large difference between living in a city as you did and now living in a village. The pace is different, it’s more likely that strangers say good morning when you walk on the street and probably much more things you will notice. Now you have e-bikes, you can use them for trips around Hilversum. Weesp, Zeist, Utrecht, Naarden and even Amsterdam should be doable. All worth a visit, but be cautious not to get your bike nicked. One question, do you have a set period rent contract or an open contract? The last is better as you will not be forced to move anytime soon. Get settled soon. Erik

[@gert-janvanderlee5307]

Sorry but Hilversum is a City too. A smaller one than Rotterdam of course but almost all Dutch cities are.

[@erikmulder2574]

@@gert-janvanderlee5307 gemeente Hilversum heeft nooit stadsrechten gekregen

[@gert-janvanderlee5307]

@@erikmulder2574 Dat geldt voor heel veel gemeenten, inclusief heel Flevoland. Toch zou ik bijvoorbeeld Almere geen dorp willen noemen. De stad waarin ik geboren ben (en die nog kleiner is dan Hilversum) heeft ook nooit stadsrechten gekregen maar wordt door iedereen stad genoemd. Onze hofstad (Den Haag) heeft overigens ook nooit stadsrechten gekregen. Stadsrechten zijn iets van de middeleeuwen. Dat systeem is al honderden jaren geleden afgeschaft. Al meer dan (volgens mij) 400 jaar heeft geen enkele plaats meer stadsrechten gekregen.

[@erikmulder2574]

@@gert-janvanderlee5307 dat klopt, maar op school is mij ooit geleerd dat alleen die gemeenten zich stad mogen noemen die in een ver verleden stadsrechten hebben gekregen. Ouderwets, en dan krijg je gekke situaties waar den haag een dorp is en ergens in Gelderland 3 boerderijen en een kerk een stad vormen. Maar volgens mij geld deze regel nog steeds

[@gert-janvanderlee5307]

​@@erikmulder2574Dat was toen ook zo. Maar dat is iets van lang geleden. Toen het huidige Nederland als land met een centrale regering nog niet eens bestond en de bevolking van het huidige Nederland nog geen twee miljoen mensen telde. Het huidige Nederland was toen opgedeeld in veel kleinere stukken waar een leenheer het voor het zeggen had. Het zou wel erg vreemd zijn als dat systeem nu nog steeds gebruikt zou worden.

[@alexandrajoppe7718]

For a doctor, have you tried CASA Cura in Langestraat? We have Dr Boersma there. I don't know where in Hilversum you are, but it is worth checking out.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Alexandra! You are the second person to recommend Dr Boersma! We do live fairly close to there, so we will check them out!😊

[@jpdj2715]

Train (PT) indeed is far from cheap in the NL. For the (NS) train there's a monthly subscription, though, that gives you 7 very cheap "choice days". But to get the cheaper subscription rate, you cannot check in during the rush hours. In your case, a month of that subscription and those days added up would have been much cheaper than you €300 - probably less than half.

[@Maverick21491]

Gratz on your new home . Also , can I have a chuckle on Americans moving within the Netherlands for wanting a "slower pace of life "? Good on you guys 😅

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Maverick!😊

[@chipdale490]

Since you guys don't have a car, make sure you get an NS discount card. (There are several variants). You'll get a 40% discount during off-peak hours, weekends and holidays. Totally worth it.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Hi chipdale! We do have that subscription, but unfortunately, most of the travel was done during peak hours😢

[@rikthefrog]

If you buy a discount card from the NS Dutch railways you get 40% discount when you travel out of rush hours. Can save you a lot money. If you not already done this.

[@Thunder1976NL]

You know IKEA does deliver sto the home nowadays? 😉 if you have a foreign drivers license, you might want to check if you can convert it to a Dutch one. Then you could just rent a van like that and do your own moving. These vans can be used on a car license. Check at the CBR for the rules of getting a Dutch license.

[@only1dutchgirl]

I know I could drive in the US with my EU license but I got an international license too. That is just a formality. It's worth to look into that.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thankfully, IKEA did deliver all of our furniture to us!! Thank you for the suggestion to check with the CBR!!😊

[@freudsigmund72]

trying to find a rental in the Netherlands has become really really hard in the past year or so. The governent has introduced legislation designed to increase tax revenue on investments which are exceptionally bad for property owners. Which is one of the reasons landlords are selling off properties in large numbers. At the same time new legislation was introduced with the goal to increase the amount of affordable rentals. However the stand alone result of this law is a stark reduction in rentals as the position of owners was hollowed out considerably while at the same time reducing the rent owners can ask.... So it is good to hear that you have found a good place in Hilversum. 🍾

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, freudsigmund72!😊

[@suzanneke]

Welcome to Hilversum! What part of hilversum did you guys move to?

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Hi Suzanne! Thank you! We are between Museum Hilversum and Corversbos (not sure what that area is called)😊

[@suzanneke]

@@SoultoSoulTravels I think that area is called Boombergen in Hilversum Noord-west. A tip for the next time you take your e-bikes out: de Hoorneboegse heide is beautiful this time of year, or actually any time of year😊

[@harmzegt8066]

Smart choice. (I even moved further north!) big cities like Rotterdam Den Haag Amsterdam and Utrecht become un Livable. So moving north east is a very smart plan.