A series of government reforms to the private and public housing sectors has helped create a level playing field for commercial investors in the residential sector, resulting in more deals, according to Dutch housing minister Stef Blok.

A series of government reforms to the private and public housing sectors has helped create a level playing field for commercial investors in the residential sector, resulting in more deals, according to Dutch housing minister Stef Blok.

'There is very clearly a positive sentiment [in the market] because people see we improved the investment environment by deregulating the rental sector and created the possibility to increase rents more,' the minister said.

The encroachment of the country's social housing associations on the private rental sector has also been rolled back. 'It is very important for the Dutch residential real estate market that investors are not confronted with an uneven playing field,' minister Blok said.

He was speaking to PropertyEU at the Netherlands investment briefing during Provada.

The Dutch real estate fair in early June coincided with two large deals in the Dutch housing market. UK-based property investor and manager Round Hill Capital acquired a Dutch residential portfolio from CBRE Global Investors for around €180 mln in the biggest deal of its kind in the Netherlands since the financial crisis. In the second transaction Dutch residential property investor Bouwinvest acquired 572 homes in Amsterdam and The Hague/Rotterdam area for €150 mln.

CLICK HERE to watch a video interview with minister Stef Blok on the regulatory changes in the Dutch housing market.