So you want to grab a slice of Dutch real estate! Congrats! But buying a home in a foreign country is filled with differences and know-how. Here are the dos and don’ts of buying a house in the Netherlands!
The prospect of owning a house seems very exciting once you make the decision — but you need to make sure you’re not completely blinded by those polished herringbone wooden floors.
Now, we don’t blame you for getting swept up in the excitement. But before making a house your home, there are a number of things you should — and shouldn’t — do.
To find out more, we headed straight to the home-buying experts: Expat Housing Network. Here, we chatted with Ludo Karelse, an Expat Housing Specialist on their international team who specialises in helping internationals in the Netherlands find their dream home. Wat leuk!
Here’s what we found out.
✅ Do seek an expert’s opinion
One major do: unless you buy houses every day, speak to an expert. It will almost certainly save you money in the long run — and get you a better home!
“The Dutch housing market can be chaotic and fast-paced,” explains Ludo from Expat Housing Network. “Finding the right property, offering the right price, doing the right due diligence and checking all legal documents is very important.”
An expert in the Dutch housing market can:
- Prevent you from overpaying for a home and wasting tens of thousands of euros
- Make sure you don’t underbid and lose the chance to own your dream house
- Guide you on the best areas and types of houses to buy to maximise your investment in the long run
- Advise on what other experts are needed to avoid wasting money
Doing it properly the first time around can save you tens of thousands of euros.
“Having local and professional help can be of high value and will save you costs in the end,” says Ludo.
✅ Do attend as many viewings as possible
When buying a home in the Netherlands, internationals need to have a good understanding of what options are available to them. Not only this but with stacks of competition in the Dutch housing market, it’s often necessary to see as many houses as possible.
Not only will this help you find what you want in a house and explore different neighbourhoods, but it means that if you miss out on bidding on one house, there could be your dream home just around the corner.
“A property listing can be quite different from the actual property,” explains Ludo. “This is why it’s very important to be able to spot these potential discrepancies during your search. The easiest way of being able to spot these differences is by experience.”
READ MORE | Why is there a housing shortage in the Netherlands? The Dutch housing crisis explained
To do so, keep an eye on the Dutch housing website Funda and schedule a viewing as soon as they become possible. When you go, try to be as impartial as possible. Make sure you’re looking for the good and the bad.
Need a hand? Or maybe you’re not in the Netherlands yet? Expat Housing Network’s Complete Services Package can not only schedule viewings for you, but they’ll even attend the viewings for you if you’re not able to come.
✅ Do get a structural evaluation carried out
One of the most important things you should do before signing the dotted line is make sure that you’re buying a structurally sound house. You are in the land of sinking, slanting homes after all!
And it’s not just a simple matter of newbishly knocking on the walls and checking the slant of the floor, tells Ludo.
“Looks can be deceiving. Making sure that the structure is just as good as the cosmetics of a property can be difficult to determine. Doing your due diligence is important.”
So, what is due diligence in this case? “Ask the right questions during the viewing, check the property documents for any red flags, and once you’ve won a bid, have a technical inspector do a structural evaluation,” says Ludo.
In the Netherlands, a structural evaluation is known as a Bouwkundig Rapport. And it’s the only true way you’re going to find out whether your future home is — quite literally — made for you.
These reports usually cost between €275 and €425 but are definitely worth the investment. As part of Expat Housing Network’s Service Packages, an expert will even arrange the inspection on your behalf and review the report for you.
✅ Do research the region
While you may have found your dream home, make sure it’s located in an area that suits your work and lifestyle. Perhaps you’ve never stepped foot in the Netherlands — or your feet have only freshly touched the flat-as-a-pancake ground.
READ MORE | Where to live as an international in the Netherlands: the complete guide
In this case, you probably don’t have a good grasp of the geography of the Netherlands — and in turn, you need to double-check that it’s practical to, say, live in Breda but work in Leiden.
As Ludo tells us, “Finding the right property is one thing, but finding the right location is just as important. The Netherlands is small, but you’ll be surprised how every area can be very different.”
So how can you make sure you’re located in the right place? According to Ludo, it’s research, research, and research.
Try searching for some guides to living in the region where your dream house is located. What’s the cultural sector like? What sort of lifestyle do people enjoy there? What’s the house’s proximity to work hubs or big cities — all these questions should be answered before you decide to buy a property.
Ok, so, you know what you should do when it comes to buying a house in the Netherlands — but what shouldn’t you do? Let’s get into it.
❌ Don’t excessively overbid
Rule number een: never bid more than you have. Given the current housing crisis, it’s quite common in the Netherlands to overbid — but you shouldn’t bid more than you can spare.
The main thing you need to consider when placing a bid on a home is the market value. Why is this? As Ludo explains, “The bank will only give you up to 100% of the appraised market value. Anything over that will need to be covered by your savings.”
Basically, just because you want to pay €550,000 for your dream house doesn’t mean the bank agrees the house is worth that much. And because the bank is on the hook if you can’t pay your mortgage, they’ll only lend money they know they can make back.
Making the call on how much you should put down for a house can be nerve-wracking, especially when the process is happening in a country you have yet to get used to. Again, this is where Expat Housing Network can step in and advise you.
Once you have determined the price you’re willing (and able) to pay, Expat Housing Network will then write and submit your offer on your behalf, meaning you know it will be delivered, safe, sound, and with advice from Dutch housing experts.
❌ Don’t forget about the three-day reflection period
So, let’s say your personal expert has handed over your bid, and it’s been accepted — but now you’ve changed your mind.
Geen probleem (no problem)! A huge advantage of buying a house in the Netherlands is that buyers and sellers have a three-day reflection period.
“Once you have signed the purchase agreement, as a private buyer, you have an additional three-day reflection period,” explains Ludo. “During this period, you can cancel the purchase without any financial consequences.”
This period could also be longer in some cases as the three-day waiting period can’t end on national holidays or during a weekend. Decided it’s not the home for you? That’s ok, your expert will help you notify the sellers.
❌ Don’t sign a purchase contract without properly understanding it
This goes without saying, but you really need to make sure that you’ve not only read the contract but that you also understand it.
This is a big ask when said contract may be in a different language, or you don’t understand certain Dutch concepts when it comes to buying a house.
This is why it’s echt (really) important to have an expert, such as those at Expat Housing Network, look at your contract with you.
You know what resolutive conditions are, right? And what about the erfpacht? No? That’s ok. Together with an expert’s help, you can receive a fully comprehensive breakdown of the agreement.
In fact, who says your contract has to be something that can only trip you up? There are also many ways that you can adjust it to your advantage.
As Ludo tells us, “There are a bunch of obligations in the purchase agreement. But, there are also a few articles that can protect you as a buyer.”
“One of them is the resolutive conditions. You can ask for a financial clause, for example, which protects you in a situation where a mortgage application is denied.”
Knowledge of what you can do with your Dutch purchase contract is a must before you go ahead and sign it.
❌ Don’t settle on your non-negotiables
Just because you’re an international who is new to the Dutch market, this doesn’t mean you should settle for anything less than the best option for you at this point in your life. Do you want that balcony window? It may take time, but there’s almost certainly one somewhere waiting for you.
Don’t settle for a house you’re not happy with, as Ludo says, “Buying a property and buying a home are separate things. Don’t settle for anything less than your dream. It’s out there!”
Got a grasp on what you should and shouldn’t do when it comes to buying a house in the Netherlands? Good — now go forth, reach out to Expat Housing Network, and conquer!
Tell us about your experience of buying a house in the Netherlands in the comments below!