House huntingAI photos on Funda: what to check before you bid
Where photos have been edited, ask for images of the current state and check what is actually there when you view the house.
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House hunting
AI photos on Funda: what to check before you bid
Where photos have been edited, ask for images of the current state and check what is actually there when you view the house.
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House hunting
Setting your budget, viewing and bidding, before there is a purchase agreement.
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House hunting
House huntingThe estate agent asks whether you want to bid more. How do you respond?
Ask what is changing in the bidding process before you raise your figure or drop a condition.
House huntingAsking for the bidding log: what you see and what it says about the sale
Compare the bidding log with your own offer and the procedure that was announced, to see how the bids were recorded.
House huntingFewer square metres than on Funda: what to look into first
If you doubt the floor area, ask for the measurement report and first establish where the difference comes from.
House huntingComplaining about an estate agent: where do you report what?
Write down what you think went wrong and what you want put right before you send your complaint.
House huntingBuying a house with solar panels? What changes in 2027
Net metering ends on 1 January 2027. After that, your own electricity use and energy contract determine what the panels save you.
House huntingBuying a house in the Netherlands when you are new here
Get your financing and your research into the house ready before you make an offer.
House huntingTransfer tax when you are new to the Netherlands
Check before you bid which transfer tax you pay and whether you meet the four conditions for the first-time buyer exemption.
House huntingBuying a house without an EU passport: what lenders want to see
Before you bid, have it checked which lenders accept your residence permit and your income.
House huntingBuying a house with a Dutch partner
Agree who owns what and who pays what, and have both incomes and both sets of documents assessed.
House huntingBuying a house in the Netherlands: from first idea to keys
Get your budget and your research ready, and after an accepted offer plan around your contract dates.
House huntingBuying a house in Eindhoven: how to approach it in 2026
Choose your search area on budget and daily life, then research the house you want to bid on.
House huntingViewing a house in the Netherlands: what to actually check
First see whether the house suits you, then note which parts need looking into further.
House huntingChecking the energy label before you buy a Dutch home
Check the label and the report to judge your borrowing room and the improvements worth investigating.
House huntingBuying an apartment with a VvE: what to check
Look at the maintenance, the money and the arrangements for the building before you make an offer.
House huntingWhat is a house worth? How to make your own estimate
Compare recent sales and explain the differences before you attach a value to the house.
House huntingHow much should you bid on a house in the Netherlands?
Settle the value of the house, your financial room and your own maximum before you choose the bid.
House huntingBidding over the asking price in Eindhoven in 2026
Use the regional figures as background and base your bid on the house, your financing and your own maximum.
Phase 1: Offer accepted
Getting the paperwork done, then you can breathe.
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Phase 1Three days to change your mind when buying a house in the Netherlands
The statutory cooling-off period gives a private buyer a short window to withdraw without giving a reason.
Phase 1Buying a new-build Dutch home: contract to handover
Check what is being built, which choices are needed early, and what you pay during construction.
Phase 1Offer accepted, what now? Sort this first
Once you sign, the notaris, the cooling-off period, the survey, the financing and the deposit follow one another, usually in the same order. This is what you do at each point.
Phase 1Cooling-off period in the Netherlands: how the 3 days work
Receiving the signed purchase agreement is what starts your cooling-off period.
Phase 1The notaris when buying a house: choosing one and the cost
Request quotes in good time and compare the work included, the contact and the availability.
Phase 1The Dutch purchase agreement: what to check before you sign
Put the contract next to your offer and check the amounts, the conditions, the fittings and the dates.
Phase 2: Financing & preparation
Adviser, valuer and bank, plus arranging your move.
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Phase 2Improving your home’s energy efficiency in 2027: subsidies and borrowing
Match your energy improvement plans to what you can borrow, and only count on an ISDE subsidy once it has been awarded.
Phase 2Prinsjesdag 2026: what changes in 2027 if you are buying a home
The property value limit for 2027 is confirmed. Tax proposals and borrowing figures still to be published will need another check later.
Phase 2Mortgage with the 30% ruling: what the lender counts
Check which gross income the lender uses, and how your net income changes once the ruling ends.
Phase 2Calculating your maximum Dutch mortgage in 2026
Your maximum mortgage in 2026 depends on your income and the value of the home, and the energy label can add extra room.
Phase 2Starter loan in Eindhoven in 2026: is there still a scheme?
Only count on a starter loan in your offer if it is available at that moment for the municipality the home is in.
Phase 2Which documents do you need for a Dutch mortgage?
Ask before you bid which documents your mortgage application needs, and time the gathering to their validity and their delivery.
Phase 2Conditions for withdrawal: how to invoke them in time
Look up the grounds, the deadlines and the paperwork before you ever need to invoke a condition.
Phase 2Structural survey: when does the outcome still count?
Time the survey so the report reaches you before the date by which you have to make up your mind about the purchase.
Phase 2NHG mortgage guarantee 2026: limit, cost and benefits
Weigh the one-off NHG fee, the mortgage conditions and the safety net if you cannot keep up payments.
Phase 2First-time buyer transfer tax exemption 2026: the conditions
Check all four conditions before you budget without transfer tax.
Phase 2How much does the valuation matter when you buy a house?
The valuation figure counts towards your mortgage and can decide how much you add from your own money.
Phase 3: To the notary
The transfer: deeds, your own funds and the signature.
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Phase 3Fixing your mortgage rate: how do you choose a fixed-rate period?
You choose how long your rate stays the same and when you pick a percentage again at whatever rate applies then.
Phase 3Valuation lower than your bid: what do you pay yourself?
If the valuation comes in under your bid, your mortgage does not cover the whole purchase price and you pay the rest yourself.
Phase 3The first-time buyer exemption in 2027: what your transfer date is worth
Weigh the possible tax saving against all the conditions and the costs of a different transfer date.
Phase 3Buying a house in the Netherlands: what the notaris handles
The notaris checks the transfer, handles the payment and registers the deed at the Land Registry.
Phase 3Deposit or bank guarantee when buying a Dutch home
You either tie up some of your own money with the notaris for a while, or you pay for a guarantee from the bank and keep your savings free.
Phase 3Buildings insurance for your new Dutch home: when does it start?
Match the cover to the transfer, your mortgage conditions and any renovation.
Phase 3Your own money when buying a house: how much, and when?
In 2026, count on €4,200 to €6,900 of basic costs, plus any transfer tax, the part of the price your mortgage does not cover, and a buffer for after the keys.
Phase 3The notaris settlement statement: how to check the figures
Put the statement next to your purchase agreement, your mortgage offer and your notaris quote before you pay.
Phase 3The 5% retention: what to do before the deadline passes
After the handover of a new-build home, 5% of the build price stays with the notaris as leverage to get defects put right.
Phase 4: Moving & keys
Handover, meter readings and the keys are yours.
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Phase 4Moving checklist: from eight weeks out to handover day
Book anything that depends on someone else’s diary eight weeks ahead, register your new address no earlier than four weeks out, and keep handover day as light as you can.
Phase 4The transfer at the notaris: what actually happens
On transfer day you walk through the house, sign at the notaris and usually get the keys straight away.
Phase 4Final inspection before handover: a checklist
Allow an hour for the final inspection, well before your appointment at the notaris, to compare the house with what was agreed.
Phase 5: Living there
Registrations, change of address and the last details.
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Phase 5What to arrange after moving: a checklist for the first weeks
Register your address in time, then check your contracts, your documents and the maintenance.
Phase 5Furnishing checklist: what to do first once you have the keys
Get the house ready for daily use, then choose the furniture and the finishes that suit the rooms.
Renovating
Kitchen, bathroom and flooring: choosing, quotes and planning.
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RenovatingMeasuring your kitchen: the dimensions your supplier needs
Measure the room and connection points in millimetres from the same corner, then have the measurements checked before ordering.
RenovatingFit your kitchen yourself or hire someone: four options
Choose how to fit your kitchen based on the work you want to do yourself, the coordination involved and the arrangements for putting mistakes right.
RenovatingConnecting kitchen appliances: do it yourself or call a professional?
Check each kitchen appliance to see whether the existing connection is suitable or whether the electrics, water or gas supply needs changing.
RenovatingKitchen fitting guarantees: what is covered?
Check which work the fitting guarantee covers and record any defects at handover.
RenovatingPreparing for a kitchen appointment: what to bring
Bring your floor plan, photos and a description of your everyday kitchen habits so the designer can work out a layout that suits you.
RenovatingKitchen delivery: before or after plastering and flooring?
Have the kitchen delivered to a dry, lockable room and allow time to check it between delivery and fitting.
RenovatingMoving kitchen pipework: drainage and extraction
Check drainage, extraction and electrics before finalising a new kitchen layout.
RenovatingBathroom renovation costs: a breakdown by job
Budget for each part of your bathroom and check whether every price includes labour, materials and VAT.
RenovatingMeasuring your bathroom: from an empty room to an installation plan
Measure the whole bathroom for your design and have a professional check the final dimensions before you order.
RenovatingRenovating a bathroom yourself or hiring tradespeople
Divide the bathroom jobs according to your experience, available time and the consequences of a mistake.
RenovatingChecking a bathroom quote: what is not included
Compare the sanitaryware and fitting with all the preparation and repair work the room needs.
RenovatingPreparing your bathroom: what needs to be ready for the fitter?
Check the delivery, work area and connections before bathroom fitting begins.
RenovatingWaterproofing a bathroom: tiling and ventilation
Before tiling, discuss how the waterproofing, surfaces and ventilation will be dealt with in your bathroom.
RenovatingBathroom renovation order: from strip-out to sealant
Check the work behind the floor and walls before the tiles and bathroom fittings go in.
RenovatingWhat to renovate before you move in
Give dust, pipework and hard-to-reach finishing priority over jobs that can wait.
RenovatingRenovation checklist: planning, budget and sequence
Set out the work, the order and the budget before you confirm delivery dates and sign anything.
RenovatingNew kitchen costs: what belongs in the quote
Compare the complete job, including installation, connections and making the room good again.
RenovatingPermit-free renovation in the Netherlands: when does it apply?
Test your plan against your own address, and keep permits, notifications and other permissions apart.
Reading about buying a home
Short articles about what happens between your first viewing and getting the keys: your budget and mortgage, the offer, the survey, the notary and renovating. They follow the order of the buying process. That way you read what you need now, and leave the rest until it comes up.