Mortgage changes coming in 2026

Every year, the Dutch household spending institute Nibud draws up its recommendations about what, if any, changes should be made to the amount people can borrow for a new mortgage. It’s been an end-of-year tradition for the past 25 years, and this year is no exception.

On average, Nibud expects people to be able to borrow more in 2026, with wages set to rise by around 4%. This, the agency says, means a household earning €70.000 will be able to borrow an extra €6.000 or so in 2026, which could make all the difference to a bid on that dream home being accepted or not. 

Less benefit from solar panels

At the same time, however, Nibud has decided that the extra amount people could borrow if they are buying a highly energy-efficient property will decrease due to changes in government policy towards solar panels.

In 2027, homeowners with solar panels will no longer be able to deduct the energy they feed back into the grid from their energy bills. They will also have to pay a fee to do so. And this, says Nibud, means households will benefit less from their solar panels and have less disposable income.

The change means the extra borrowing for an A+++ rating will go down by €5.000 to €25.000, and for A++++ homes by €10.000 to €30.000, largely offsetting the increase in potential borrowing coming from higher wages!

No change, however, is being made to the extra money people with lower energy label homes can borrow to pay for improvements. So, if you are buying a home with an E, F or G label, you will still be able to take out an extra €20.000 loan to improve the insulation and double-glaze the windows. 

Make an appointment with an FVB de Boer mortgage advisor

Tax breaks in 2026

A few other changes are set to come into effect next year as well. The outgoing government has agreed that the limit for the property transfer tax exemption for under-35s will increase to €550.000 in 2026. That means if you are a first-time buyer aged up to 34, you won’t have to pay the 2% property transfer tax if your home costs less than €550.000.

If you are buying a second home, for instance as an investment or a holiday home, then the property transfer tax is going down from 10,4% to 8% next year.

The national mortgage guarantee scheme, which provides cover in case you become unable to meet your payments, will also cover a home costing up to €470.000 from next year, or €498.200 if you plan to make energy-saving measures as well.

If you are finding all the little changes too complicated to make sense of, a financial advisor can help you straighten out what the impact of the changes will be on your own particular situation. 

Mortgage tax relief in 2026

Of course, one of the significant issues in last month’s general election was mortgage tax relief, the tax break that homeowners in the Netherlands can claim on their mortgage interest payments.

Several of the big political parties, including two likely to be in the next cabinet, want to phase it out. They argue that it is an unfair subsidy for homeowners, and allows people to borrow more than they should, thereby inflating house prices. 

We don’t yet know what will happen, and any changes, if they are to be made, won’t be introduced immediately either. More than that, many economists argue that phasing the tax break out over at least 10 years means homeowners will not notice a big increase in payments because their income will rise at the same time.

We’ll have to wait and see what the new government has in mind. The good thing is that everyone recognises the need to address problems in the housing market and get things moving again. So, hopefully, if you are determined to buy a home in the New Year, that is one resolution you won’t have to break.