Buying a home in the Netherlands: how it actually works
In the Netherlands the asking price is a starting point, not a price tag. Bids are made blind, usually in a single round, and they are about far more than the amount: the conditions you attach and the completion date often decide who wins. Once a seller accepts, the contract follows within days.
This is the short version of what we explain to our clients in the first meeting. If anything here matters to your situation, call us and we will go through it with you.
From first viewing to the keys
Your brief
We agree what you are looking for, what you can spend and how fast you need to move, and we set up alerts so you see suitable homes before they are widely known.
Viewings
We come with you. We look at the things a viewing is really for: the state of the building, the neighbours, the light, and what the seller is not saying.
The paperwork before you bid
Ground lease deed, owners association minutes and reserves, the energy label, the floor area measurement and any foundation survey. This is where we earn our fee.
The bid
We advise on the amount and on the conditions: a financing clause, a building survey, the completion date and the deposit. Then we negotiate on your behalf.
Contract and cooling off
The purchase deed is drawn up, usually on the standard Dutch model. After you receive the signed contract you have a statutory cooling off period of three days in which you can still walk away, without giving a reason.
Deposit and completion
Within a few weeks you place a deposit of ten per cent, or a bank guarantee. On completion day we inspect the home with you, then the notary transfers it and you get the keys.
What you pay on top of the purchase price
Almost all homes here are sold kosten koper, which means the buyer pays the transfer tax and the notary. Budget roughly four to six per cent of the purchase price, depending on which transfer tax rate applies to you.
Rates checked in September 2026. Tax rules change, so please confirm with your adviser
The things nobody tells you in advance
How much over the asking price should I bid?
There is no rule, and anyone who gives you a percentage is guessing. What matters is what comparable homes in that street actually sold for in the past year, which we look up before you bid. In a popular street a home can go well over the asking price. A home that has been listed for months may go under it.
What is erfpacht, and should it worry me?
In Amsterdam much of the land is owned by the city and leased to the homeowner. What counts is whether the lease is perpetual and already bought off, and if not, what the next revision will cost. It changes the value of the home considerably, so we always read the deed before you bid.
Can I get a mortgage as a non-Dutch national?
Usually yes, if you live and work in the Netherlands. Lenders look at your residence status, your contract and your income rather than your passport. We work with HONK Hypotheekadvies, who advise in English, so your financing and your bid are planned together.
Does the expat tax scheme affect my budget?
It can, because it changes your net income and therefore what you can borrow. The allowance is thirty per cent of salary in 2026 and drops to twenty seven per cent from 2027, with higher salary thresholds from that year. Ask your employer or tax adviser what applies to you before you set a budget.
Should I rent first?
If you are new to the city and not sure which side of it suits you, renting for a year is a sensible way to find out. If you know where you want to be and you plan to stay, buying is usually the better financial call, given what rents in Amsterdam now cost.
Do I need a buying agent at all?
You are not obliged to have one. Bear in mind that the seller does have one, whose job is to get the highest price from you. A buying agent evens that out, checks the paperwork and handles the negotiation, for a fee agreed in advance.