Living in De Laares
De Laares is densely built and genuinely urban, and most of its 998 homes are houses rather than apartments — front doors, gardens, street parking.
At 8,180 residents per km² the buurt is busy without being packed.
Enschede is a university city near the German border with some of the lowest big-city prices in the country. The technical university sustains steady rental demand, and cross-border shopping in Gronau is a genuine local perk.
The housing market in De Laares
At €362,000 average WOZ value, De Laares ranks 19 out of 65 Enschede neighborhoods on price — 21% above the city median. You pay for the location here. For scale: Enschede's cheapest buurt averages €147,000 and its most expensive €860,000, so De Laares sits in the middle band of the city.
Average WOZ value per year (CBS). The reference date lags the current market by ±1 year.
The direction of the market: between 2015 and 2025 the average WOZ value here rose from €172,000 to €364,000, up 112% — faster than the city as a whole (+100%). WOZ values lag the market by about a year, but the trend itself is reliable.
Ownership is split: 52% owner-occupied against 48% rental, including 34% social housing. Enough homes trade hands to give you comparable sales, but check what's actually for sale versus rented in the specific block you're eyeing — the mix can flip from one street to the next.
Who lives here
Demographically, De Laares is a young-adult neighborhood — the 25-to-45 group outnumbers everyone else (31% of its 2,460 residents), followed by children under 15 at 22%. Households split into 45% singles and 36% families with children — a real mix rather than one lifestyle. The average household counts 2.2 people.
As for who your neighbors would be: incomes skew modest — 50% of households are in the lower national bracket.
Daily errands, coffee and dinner
Day to day: groceries are a non-issue — 3 large supermarkets within a kilometer; with roughly 32 cafés and restaurants within a kilometer, you will never cook out of necessity.
The practical checklist most buyers forget to make: pharmacy 7 min walk · GP 7 min · hospital 1.8 km · library 1.3 km · 2 cinemas within 5 km. None of these will decide a purchase on their own, but a GP taking new patients nearby is the kind of thing you only miss after moving.
Families and schools
For families: the nearest primary school is 5 minutes on foot; daycare is well covered (5 locations nearby) — though Dutch waiting lists mean you register the week you know you're expecting, not the week you need it; secondary school is a 4-minute bike ride, which Dutch teenagers do in all weather.
Getting around
Getting around: the station is a 10-minute cycle, standard Dutch commuting range; a highway on-ramp 1.3 km away makes car trips easy — check whether through-traffic noise reaches the street you're considering; car ownership is moderate (0.8 per household).
Before you bid in De Laares
Before you bid in De Laares: in a premium buurt the risk isn't buying a bad home, it's overpaying for a good one — anchor your bid on recent sales of comparable homes, not on the asking price.
None of these averages can tell you whether the specific house you found is fairly priced — that depends on its size, energy label, state of maintenance and the recent sales around it. That is exactly what a free HomeReview report checks, in about 10 seconds, for any Dutch address.
Frequently asked questions
Is De Laares a good neighborhood to live in?
That depends on what you're looking for. De Laares suits families with children and buyers after city buzz best; it's a weaker match for first-time buyers and buyers after peace and space. The average home value is €362,000 (21% above the Enschede median) and the neighborhood has 2,460 residents. Ultimately the specific street and home matter more than the neighborhood average.
What is the average home value in De Laares?
The average home value (WOZ waarde) in De Laares, Enschede is €362,000, based on the official CBS neighborhood statistics.
Is De Laares mostly owner-occupied or rental?
52% of homes in De Laares are owner-occupied and 48% are rentals, of which 34% of all homes are social housing (woningcorporatie).
Are house prices in De Laares rising?
Between 2015 and 2025 the average WOZ value in De Laares rose from €172,000 to €364,000 (+112%); Enschede as a whole moved up 100% over the same period. WOZ values lag the current market by about a year.
How old are the homes in De Laares?
39% of homes in De Laares were built before 2000 and 61% after. Older buildings can mean higher maintenance and energy costs — check the energy label before bidding.
How far is the nearest train station from De Laares?
The average distance to a train station from De Laares is 2.5 km; a large supermarket is 0.7 km away on average.
Is De Laares an expensive part of Enschede?
Yes — average home values in De Laares are 21% above the Enschede median, so budget for competition and possible overbidding.
Is De Laares good for families with children?
The nearest primary school is 0.4 km away and there are 5 daycare locations within a kilometer. 36% of households here have children at home.
Similar neighborhoods in Enschede
Closest in price — worth a look if De Laares is out of reach or you want alternatives.
Source: CBS Kerncijfers wijken en buurten (buurt BU01530002) · Data updated 2026-07-11. WOZ values are neighborhood averages; individual homes vary.