Step outside on a Saturday morning in late August, coffee in hand, and the food forest behind your back fence is already alive — wood pigeons calling, the smell of damp earth and ripening blackberries drifting across your south-facing terrace. There's no road noise. No neighbors visible through the trees. Just the quiet particular to a place that was designed, from the ground up, to make everyday life feel like a long exhale.
This is what ownership looks like at 't Landgoed Baars — a thoughtfully developed estate in the green heart of Overijssel, where the village of Baars sits quietly between three separate nature reserves. The cottage at Bergweg 76-R463 was built in 2022, and it shows. Not in a showy way, but in the kind of careful detail that only emerges when someone has thought hard about how people actually live: underfloor heating underfoot in every room, extra acoustic insulation between bedroom walls so a late-sleeping guest doesn't wake the rest of the house, a thatched and bitumen roof that looks rooted rather than recently dropped here.
The floor plan is compact at 59 square meters — but cleverly so. The open living area doesn't waste a centimeter. Large French doors fold back to merge the interior with the terrace, and when the afternoon sun swings south, the whole space fills with light in a way that makes the cottage feel twice its footprint. The kitchen is properly equipped, not the afterthought you find in many recreational properties. You can cook a real meal here — a Dutch hutspot on a cold November evening, or a slow Sunday lunch for six in the garden.
Three bedrooms means real flexibility. Bring the kids, invite friends for a long weekend, or use the extra rooms for a home office during a working retreat. The bathroom punches well above the cottage's modest scale: wood-look tiled walls, underfloor heating, a walk-in shower with full glass partitions, and a vanity that belongs in a city apartment. A beechwood staircase leads up to the attic mezzanine — a useful, dry storage space that keeps the living areas uncluttered.
The garden deserves its own paragraph. The backyard backs directly onto a natural woodland edge, which transitions into a food forest — community-maintained growing land where you can pick seasonal fruit, herbs, and vegetables. It's not a metaphor for sustainable living; you can actually walk out the back gate with a basket. The front terrace faces south, which in the Netherlands is not a small thing. From April through October, it catches full afternoon sun, and the detached wooden shed at the rear has electricity, water, and laundry connections — meaning the garden is genuinely functional, not just decorative.
Baars itself is a hamlet, barely a dot on the map, and that's the point. But Steenwijk is only a short cycle ride away — a proper market town with a historic center, a weekly market on the Marktplein, a range of restaurants, and all the practical infrastructure you need. The Saturday market pulls in locals from across the Kop van Overijssel region, and you'll find excellent Dutch cheeses, smoked fish from nearby lakes, and seasonal produce that makes the cottage kitchen even more worthwhile.
The surrounding landscape is the real draw for outdoor buyers. Weerribben-Wieden National Park — one of the largest wetland areas in northwest Europe — is within easy reach, with canoe routes threading through reed marshes and open water that feel genuinely remote. Hoonse Meer and the forests of the Drents-Friese Wold offer trail running, mountain biking, and winter walks through frost-covered heathland. In summer, the lakes around Giethoorn draw sailors and swimmers; in winter, when temperatures drop hard enough, those same waterways occasionally freeze well enough for ice skating — a Dutch experience that doesn't get old.
For international buyers, the practicalities are worth understanding clearly. The property sits on leasehold land (erfpacht), currently running at approximately €2,200 per year, with annual park costs of around €4,000 — covering water, electricity, waste, energy, Ziggo television and internet, and full park management. That last part matters: the leaseholder operates the rental program and maintains the estate's appearance, which protects both the quality of your investment and your rental income potential when you're not in residence. Zoning classifies this as recreational use; permanent residence is not permitted under the current designation, though it is presently tolerated by both the municipality and the park operator. International buyers should take independent Dutch legal advice on this point before proceeding.
The rental picture is genuinely positive. This corner of the Netherlands — clean air, cycling infrastructure, proximity to national parks — attracts Dutch families and European short-break travelers year-round. Eco-built, gas-free properties with good insulation and air conditioning are increasingly sought after on the short-stay market. The management structure means you can opt into the rental program without being present to coordinate bookings, cleaning, or maintenance.
Energy performance is a practical consideration that also carries market value. The home runs entirely without gas, using an owned Nefit Bosch electric combi boiler (installed 2022) and a monoblock air conditioning unit with no external condenser required. HR++ double glazing throughout, full roof and wall insulation, and PVC flooring over underfloor heating means running costs stay low and the property carries strong credentials for the growing segment of buyers who care about both environmental impact and utility bills.
Accessible design throughout makes this suitable for buyers of all ages and mobility levels — a detail that broadens both your personal use and your rental audience.
Key features at a glance:
- 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 59 m² eco-built cottage constructed 2022
- Gas-free, fully electric with Nefit Bosch combi boiler and monoblock air conditioning
- Underfloor heating throughout all rooms
- South-facing front terrace and private rear garden backing onto woodland edge
- Direct access to on-site food forest for seasonal picking
- Extra acoustic insulation between bedroom walls
- HR++ double glazing, thatched and bitumen roof, full wall and floor insulation
- Walk-in shower, wood-look tiled bathroom with underfloor heating
- Detached wooden shed (5 m²) with electricity, water, and laundry connections
- Leasehold approx. €2,200/year; park costs approx. €4,000/year (utilities and management included)
- Rental program available via estate operator
- Within cycling distance of Steenwijk town center
- Close proximity to Weerribben-Wieden National Park and multiple cycling and hiking routes
- Accessible for people with disabilities and seniors
- Park costs include Ziggo broadband and television
If you've been weighing up a vacation home in the Netherlands — somewhere that delivers genuine nature, practical eco credentials, and a credible rental return — this cottage is worth serious attention. Properties built to this standard within an managed estate, at this price point, rarely sit on the market long. Reach out through Homestra today to request the full leasehold brochure, arrange a private viewing, or ask any questions about the buying process as an international purchaser. The terrace is south-facing. The forest is right there. Come and see it for yourself.
