Buying a house in the Netherlands: How to avoid costly expat mistakes
Getting expert financial advice is crucial when buying a house in the Netherlands as an expat. Without local guidance, international buyers can easily get caught out by unfamiliar rules and regulations.
Mortgage advisory firm Wouters & Van der Velde has been helping internationals navigate the Dutch property market for decades. Here, they explain how Dutch expat mortgages work, what to watch out for and when to seek professional financial advice.
Why Dutch property valuation matters for mortgages
An official property valuation report (taxatierapport) plays an important role in securing an expat mortgage in the Netherlands. How much you can borrow is largely based on a combination of income, existing loans and your type of Dutch residence permit.
The market value of the property is also taken into consideration, as Dutch banks cap mortgages at 100 percent of the official property value. Getting it right is vital.
"If you bid higher than the official property valuation, you can use your savings to top up the loan to the amount you have agreed to pay, or you can get a loan from a family member," explains Rob Wouters from Wouters & Van der Velde. "But this potential problem highlights how important it is to get proper advice before you start the house-buying process and avoid unnecessary stress in the first place."
Beyond the purchase-price gap, buyers must consider long-term monthly affordability. Rob suggests "looking at your monthly costs and seeing what you have left to spend. The size of your mortgage is not about how much you can borrow. It is about what you can afford. Our goal is to make sure you still have enough money for holidays, to go out for dinner and to have a nice life – after you've paid your mortgage every month."
Checking house foundations before making an offer in the Netherlands
Another issue that can cause unexpected problems for a potential buyer is the state of the property's foundations. A house foundation check (funderingsonderzoek) can prevent unexpected financial liabilities.
Since April 2026, foundation risks have played a greater role in mortgage applications. Properties with a higher risk rating may require further investigation before a lender approves the mortgage. Wouters & Van der Velde also encourages clients to have this checked.
Investigating the foundations is a new part of the preparation you need to do before you put in an offer, and your buying agent (aankoopmakelaar) should handle it.
Proper expert guidance helps buyers avoid problems that could arise from a poor foundations report, either by factoring it into the offer or deciding not to bid at all.
Discuss your home-buying plans with Wouters & Van der Velde
Ultimately, buying a house comes down to trust. To successfully buy a home in the Netherlands, you need confidence in your Dutch real estate agent and your expat mortgage advisor. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you need it, ask the important questions and perhaps even adopt a bit of that famous Dutch directness!
Wouters & Van der Velde is dedicated to making your home-buying journey as smooth as possible.
They can advise you on how much you can realistically pay for a property, offering a far more precise calculation of your actual Dutch mortgage capacity than a basic online maximum mortgage calculator in the Netherlands. It's all part of the company's service, which starts with an in-depth consultation about your finances, plans and dreams.