de sleutel tot ieders droomhuis

The steps to buying a house in the Netherlands

30 juli 2020

How is the Dutch housing market different from another? Aren’t all housing markets the same? The answer is no. No matter what country you’re from, every country has its own customs and traditions. International housing markets are no different! If you follow these steps, you will maximize your chances of finding a suitable home in the Netherlands. 

Step 1: finding the right place

If you have worked and lived in the Netherlands for six months or longer, you may be eligible to buy a house! However, there are a lot of things to consider. First of all you will need to decide for yourself where you want to live and in what kind of property. Do you want an apartment, a detached house, or a terraced house? How many rooms do you need? 

Step 2: arranging funds

Your choice of what kind of house you want, and where, is directly influenced by your financial possibilities. It’s important to know that your mortgage can only be as high as 100% of the appraised home value. Anything you bid above that will have to come out of your personal savings.  

Step 3: mortgage advisor

A mortgage advisor can help out with your mortgage loan application. They can help you with the application itself and finding the best mortgage for your situation. Please bear in mind that we advise you to talk to a mortgage advisor before you bid on a house, or even before you start looking for one in the first place. You can contact our inhouse mortgage advisor Casper Beerens for free advice. 

Step 4: real estate agent

This is the most important step to consider, even more so on a foreign housing market. In the Netherlands it’s common practice for both the buyer and seller to each have an agent that guides them along the process. A real estate agent has lots of valuable knowledge on the Dutch housing market, including rules and regulations, regional expertise, and of course the advantage of being able to negotiate on your behalf in their native tongue.  

Rules that are easily overlooked are things like home insurances, land registry, property ownership, and lots of other minutiae. If you could use help in buying a house in the Netherlands, definitely consider contacting a real estate agent to help you find a home abroad.