HOW TO BUY A HOUSE IN THE NETHERLANDS STEP BY STEP

How to buy a house in The Netherlands step-by-step?

In this step-by-step plan you will gain insight into how you can buy your dream home step by step. Below are the 8 steps to buy a house in the Netherlands and to get an idea of the entire buying process.

Step 1: set your budget to buying a house

The first step is to determine your budget and explore your Dutch mortgage options. What is the maximum mortgage you can borrow? How much do you want to spend on a property? It’s important to keep your house affordable so you can still enjoy life.

You can use our dutch expat mortgage calculator for a rough indication. For a exact mortgage calculation and a tailored made financial advice you can make a free appointment with one of our mortgage advisors.

After this appointment you'll have a clear overview of your maximum Dutch mortgage and your monthly costs. So you’ll know in which price-range to look for a house and avoid buying a home that you can’t afford.

Step 2. Hire a broker

Buying a house in the Netherlands with or without a real estate agent? It’s possible to buy a home without a realtor, but there are many reasons why you should hire one. A real estate agent will represent you in the house buying process. He can help you find the right house, set up home viewings on your behalf, turn in the offer on the home you want to purchase and negotiate on the best price.

Also important, a broker will give you a stronger negotiating position, because the selling agent will take you more seriously.

A real estate agent is also an expert in negotiation and will prevent you from unnecessary overbidding.

Step 3. House hunting

To search for a suitable home you can use the largest funda platform. You can browse on websites like Funda to find out which houses are for sale. I also recommend using the social media mediums and following the broker pages. And final to register for the new housing offer of the relevant broker. Since you already determined your budget for buying a house, you know which houses you can and cannot afford.

Have you found the perfect Dutch house? Then it’s time to call the real estate agent for planning a home viewing! Make before you visit this house a list with questions which you want to ask.

This means that when you’re buying a property in the Netherlands, you’ll have to gather information about the house you want to buy.

For instance about the condition of the house and the obligations attached to the house.

Step 4: Make a bid on a house

Once you’ve found the house you want to buy, it’s time to place a bid.

Pay attention for the value of the property, this can be below or above the listing price, depending on the sales strategy of the selling broker. Your own estate agent will help you to make a fair and complete offer for your dream house.

When you make a bid you can include different clauses. The cancellation, like the financing clause and the structural inspection. When you’re buying a house in the Netherlands, these clauses are your safety net to cancel the purchase agreement without penalties. Yet the more clauses you include in your offer, the less attractive it gets for the seller. When the seller accept your bid the next step in the buying proces will start.

Step 5. Sign the preliminary purchase agreement

Your offer has been accepted, congratulations!

Now it’s time to draw up the preliminary purchase agreement, because the agreement you made with the seller is only binding after both of you signed a purchase agreement.

As a buyer you have a 3 day cooling-off period to consider and cancel the agreement of buying the house without reason or cost.

After a 3 day cooling-off period - is binding in the Netherlands and you have to start with your financing!

Step 6. Apply for a Dutch mortgage

As soon as your bid has been accepted you have to start the mortgage process. In Holland you can’t get pre-approved by a mortgage lender before you have an accepted offer.

As an expat you'll apply for the same mortgage as Dutch natives. There is no such thing as an expat mortgage with special conditions. Make sure to get a mortgage broker who works independent and compares multiple mortgage lenders, like us as a certified expats advisor by Home Financials. This way you’re sure you’ll get the best mortgages, with the lowest interest rate and suiting conditions for your situation.

When buying a home in the Netherlands, you’ll have to get the property appraised. We can mediate in a good appraiser.

Step 7.House insurances

When the mortgage has been approved, it is important to insure your home against material damage. This includes damage to your home or your household effects due to fire, theft or damage.

Home Financials help you with these home insurance policies.

Step 8 Sign the deeds at the notary.. Congratulations!

Last but definitely not least: closing day, the day you become the legal owner of you new house.

This day the notary will transfer the ownership of the house to you and pay the seller. First you’ll inspect the house one last time to check it’s condition. Afterwards you'll sign two notarial deeds: the transfer deed of the house and the mortgage deed.

Congratulations, you now are a real homeowner!

Good, you now know the ten ultimate steps of buying a house in the Netherlands.

Let’s get started with
step 1: set your budget. Make a quick mortgage calculation and book a free appointment with one of our expat mortgage brokers.

What is your maximum mortgage in The Netherlands?