Homes around the popular Amsterdam fries shop Fabel Friet are selling for lower prices than comparable houses two streets away. According to research by TU Delft Is that related to the long queues that form outside the door almost every day?
Over the past few years, Fabel Friet on Runstraat has grown into a tourist attraction thanks to TikTok, where long lines often form while waiting for a portion of fries. Local residents have been complaining about the crowds and nuisance for some time.
Research into sales prices in Amsterdam
Researcher Rosa van der Drift from TU Delft examined the selling prices of 6,233 homes in Amsterdam between 2015 and 2023. In doing so, she compared houses near Fabel Friet with similar homes further away from the shop. The study shows that homes within a radius of 500 meters of the chip shop fetched an average of 4.9 percent less upon sale than comparable houses at a greater distance, amounting to a difference of 41,000 euros.
The closer a home is to the queue, the greater the price difference. Homes within 70 meters of the business were sold on average 11.4 percent cheaper than comparable homes elsewhere in the neighborhood. Van der Drift does not determine the exact cause of the lower selling prices, but mentions possible explanations such as congestion on the street, noise pollution, the queue itself, and trash left behind by visitors.
Going to court
Local residents have been trying for some time to take action against the nuisance surrounding the chip shop. Residents, the Municipality of Amsterdam, and Fabel Friet faced each other in court in a case brought by the residents due to the nuisance. The judge will deliver a verdict in a few weeks.
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