Buying guides / First steps
Buying a home in the Netherlands
From your first budget to the final inspection, know what needs to happen before the keys.
Start with a budget you can live with
Before booking viewings, speak to a mortgage adviser. Ask what you could borrow and what that would mean each month. The lending limit and your comfortable spending limit may be different.
Build your own budget around ordinary life. Leave room for maintenance and the costs of moving. If you expect your income or household to change, discuss that before setting a maximum offer.
A mortgage calculator is a useful opening estimate. It is not a lender’s decision. Dutch lending limits generally depend on your income and the property’s value, with exceptions for particular situations. AFM guidance
Use the viewing to decide what needs checking
Take notes while you are there. Ask about visible damage and recent work, then request the documents that support the answers. A fresh coat of paint does not tell you when a roof was repaired.
For an apartment, look beyond the rooms you will occupy. Buying makes you a member of the owners’ association, the VvE, which manages the building’s shared parts. Read its maintenance plans alongside its finances. Government guidance on VvEs
Agree the protections before signing
Your offer should explain the conditions you need, including any financing or inspection condition. Their wording and deadlines matter. Agree them with the seller when making the offer, rather than leaving them until the contract is prepared. Notarial guidance on conditions
A private buyer of a home generally has a statutory three-day cooling-off period beginning the day after receiving the signed contract. Weekend and public-holiday rules affect its end date. Ask for the exact deadline in writing. Government cooling-off rules
Keep the work visible until handover
After signing, keep one list of deadlines and who owns each task. Track the mortgage application and any outstanding property checks. Read the final inspection arrangements before transfer day.
At the inspection, record anything that differs from what was agreed and raise it before signing at the notary. Keep the handover records somewhere you can find them after the moving boxes arrive.
General information, reviewed on 1 November 2026. Rules and individual circumstances can differ. Confirm the details of your purchase with your mortgage adviser, agent or notary. Official sources are linked beside the relevant guidance.