Sometimes the desire to move does not begin with a major decision, but with a (small) sense of lack. In this case: a garden. Living in their home in the Ebbingekwartier, the feeling gradually grew that the house was becoming a bit small and the city increasingly crowded. The neighborhood was pleasant, the neighbors were nice, but it felt less convivial than before.
Therefore, they initially simply continued their search in Groningen. They even placed a bid on a house, until they were outbid by €90,000. “Perhaps new construction is practical after all,” was the conclusion. But where in the city can you find a new-build home with both space and a garden?
And then Meerstad came into the picture.
Not as a long-cherished dream. In fact, Meerstad had never really been a serious option. Ten years ago, it felt like a completely different world to Ineke and Henk. But because of their daughter and son-in-law, who also bought a new-build home in Meerstad, they decided to take a look. First a bike ride. Then another look around. And slowly, “we are definitely not going to live there” changed into “hey, it’s nice here.”
“On a summer afternoon, we cycled from the city to Meerstad. We went for a drink at the StrandHuis and it felt a bit like a holiday. It was relaxed, spacious, and green. The seed was planted,” says Ineke.
A house that suddenly became possible
Through a new construction project, a house subsequently came along that fit within their budget. At first, they were still cautious. But when a property unexpectedly became available, they seized their chance. An email, a phone call, and suddenly there was the message: congratulations, you have been selected in the draw. Thus, an idea became reality.
“We never actually expected that we would leave the city.”
Furthermore, the transition from the city to new construction turned out not to be entirely new for Ineke and Henk. They had bought a new-build home before and therefore knew that a construction process consists of many choices: where will a light point be placed, how should the kitchen be designed, which materials do you choose, and what do you only discover once you actually live there?
This time, however, they were much more closely involved in the process. That sometimes meant looking critically, adjusting, and consulting again. But it was precisely because of this that they were able to make their house increasingly their own.
“It really is a village”
What perhaps surprised them most was not the house, but the atmosphere in Meerstad.
In the city, they were used to the hustle and bustle, traffic, and lots of activity. In Meerstad, they soon noticed how different daily life feels. At a pedestrian crossing, cars stop well before you have crossed. People have a chat. The streets feel spacious. And where they initially thought Meerstad was mainly a neighborhood of Groningen, they discovered: it really is a village!
According to them, that village character is not only in the space, the water, and the greenery, but also in the way people interact with each other. New neighbors are all busy with their gardens, borrow things from each other, and help each other when necessary. No mandatory community life, but a natural willingness to do something for one another.
And that suits them well. They didn’t move for a life where everyone maintains the garden together every day, but they appreciate that there is a kind of natural involvement.
From bustle to tranquility
Is everything better outside the city then? No. And that is exactly what makes their story so relatable. “What we do have to miss is the spontaneity of the city. Popping into a shop, grabbing a drink at a terrace, spontaneously having a glass of wine, or going to the cinema: in Meerstad, you have to plan that a bit more. You can’t just walk around the corner for a forgotten grocery item,” says Henk.
For one, that is a greater loss than for the other. Ineke still works in the city during the day and already gets her share of the bustle there. Coming home then means exactly that: cycling out of the crowd and into the peace and quiet. Wonderful!
At the same time, they see that Meerstad is in full development. There are more and more activities and initiatives. The StrandHuis organizes events, there are activities for children, and residents themselves take initiatives to make the neighborhood lively. Ineke: “A beautiful example: a neighbor who bakes pizzas for the neighborhood himself on Friday evenings. It is exactly those kinds of small initiatives that I believe contribute to the feeling that people want to make something of Meerstad together.”
“I enjoy my garden”
When you ask about the moment they think that’s why we moved here, the answer is actually very simple.
The garden.
The space.
The house.
Coming downstairs every morning and thinking: wonderful!
The garden has now been designed so that there is plenty of room for pleasant dining, drinks, and playing games with family and friends. An image that fits perfectly with the reason they once started looking for another place: more room to live.
And their favorite spot in Meerstad? That ultimately turns out to be their own home. They are very happy with how it turned out and especially with the space they now have. But the StrandHuis, the water, and the forest behind the house have also become regular favorite spots.
A gamble? Or simply the right choice?
In hindsight, it is easy to say that the move to Meerstad was logical. But for them, it wasn’t at all. Initially, they did not want to go to Meerstad at all. They even had the idea: we’ll just do it. And if we don’t like it, we can always go back.
They won’t be needing that way back for the time being. Because what started with missing a garden ended in a house that makes them happy every morning, a neighborhood that feels convivial, and a place that feels more and more like home. And perhaps that is the most beautiful thing about their story. Sometimes you don’t have to know where you want to live for years. Sometimes you only discover it when you cycle there once, look around, and think:
“Hey… it’s nice here.”
Meerstad was never the plan.
But it became their place.
