In the Netherlands the asking price is a starting point, a bid is not binding until it is signed, and the costs on top come out of your own savings. Here is how it works, in plain English.
You book a viewing through the seller's estate agent. That agent works for the seller, not for you. Many buyers hire their own buying agent, but you do not have to.
Dutch: bezichtiging · verkopend makelaar · aankoopmakelaarThe asking price is set by the seller and their agent. It is not a valuation. Compare it with what homes in the region actually sold for per square metre, and look at the state of the home, the energy label and the costs of the building.
Dutch: vraagprijs · energielabelYou bid through the agent, often by phone or on an online bidding platform. You can add conditions, such as getting a mortgage or a satisfactory building inspection.
Dutch: bod · voorbehoud van financiering · bouwkundige keuringFor a private buyer, the sale of a home must be put in writing. Until both sides have signed the purchase agreement, nobody is bound: the seller may still accept a higher bid from someone else, even after saying yes to you.
Dutch: mondeling akkoord · koopovereenkomstAfter you receive the signed purchase agreement you have 3 days to withdraw, without a reason and without paying compensation. At least 2 of those days must be working days, otherwise a day is added.
Dutch: bedenktijdThe bank has the home valued. You can borrow at most 100% of that value. If you bid above the valuation, the difference comes from your own savings, on top of the buying costs below.
Dutch: taxatie · hypotheekOn the transfer date you sign the deed at the notary, the money is paid and you get the keys. The notary also registers the sale with the Land Registry.
Dutch: overdracht · notaris · KadasterIt depends heavily on where you buy. The Dutch estate agents' association NVM publishes, per region and per quarter, the share of homes sold above the asking price:
So "everyone bids over asking" is not true everywhere. And a high share above asking says nothing about whether this particular home is priced fairly.
Prices are usually quoted k.k. (kosten koper, costs for the buyer): you pay the costs on top. New-build homes are often quoted v.o.n. (vrij op naam): the main costs are included.
| Cost | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Transfer tax, home you will live in | 2% of the price |
| Transfer tax, starter exemption | 0% if you are 18 to 34, have never used this exemption, will live in the home and it costs at most €555,000 |
| Transfer tax, home you will not live in (rental, holiday home) | 8% of the price |
| Notary, valuation, mortgage advice | Several thousand euros; our Dutch calculators assume about €6,000. Ask for quotes. |
Your nationality does not change the transfer tax. These costs cannot be borrowed in your mortgage, so you need them in savings.
Sources: Belastingdienst (transfer tax rates and starter exemption), Rijksoverheid (maximum mortgage). See the list at the bottom.
| Dutch | What it means |
|---|---|
| vraagprijs | Asking price |
| bod / bieden | Bid / to bid |
| kosten koper (k.k.) | Buying costs are paid by you, on top of the price |
| vrij op naam (v.o.n.) | Main buying costs included (mostly new builds) |
| voorbehoud van financiering | Condition: the deal falls through if you cannot get a mortgage |
| bouwkundige keuring | Building inspection |
| taxatie | Valuation, usually required by the bank |
| koopovereenkomst | Purchase agreement, binding once both sides have signed |
| bedenktijd | 3-day cooling-off period after signing |
| VvE | Owners' association of an apartment building, with monthly fees and a maintenance fund |
| erfpacht | Ground lease: you own the home but rent the land, often with yearly ground rent |
| WOZ-waarde | The municipality's tax value of the home |
| energielabel | Energy label from A++++ to G |
Our free check compares the asking price per square metre with the NVM median for the region, looks the address up in the Land Registry and shows the extra costs. The screen is in Dutch; this is what to fill in:
| Field (Dutch) | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Postcode / Huisnr. | Postcode and house number of the home |
| Vraagprijs (€) | The asking price, for example 450.000 (Dutch use a dot for thousands) |
| Woonoppervlakte (m²) | Living area in square metres; often filled in automatically |
| Perceel (m²) | Plot size, filled in from the Land Registry; empty for an apartment |
| Bouwjaar / Energielabel | Year built and energy label; often filled in automatically |
| Type koper | Doorstromer: you owned a home before (2% tax). Starter: 18 to 34 and first home (0%). Tweede woning: you will not live in it (8%) |
| Type woning (buttons) | Tussenwoning (terraced), Hoekwoning (end of terrace), 2-onder-1-kap (semi-detached), Vrijstaand (detached), Appartement, Bovenwoning (upstairs flat) |
The asking price per m² next to the NVM figures for the region, plus the costs on top. In Dutch, about 30 seconds, no account.
Check a home for free →We work out what comparable homes around this one actually sold for, and give you an opening bid and your limit. The report is in Dutch; we answer your questions about it in English by email.
See an example report →No. For a private buyer, the sale of a home must be put in writing. Until both you and the seller have signed the purchase agreement, neither side is bound, and the seller may still accept a higher bid from someone else.
Yes. After you receive the signed purchase agreement you have 3 days to withdraw without giving a reason and without paying compensation. At least 2 of those days must be working days, otherwise a day is added.
2% if you will live in the home yourself. 0% if you are 18 to 34, have never used this starter exemption before, will live in the home and it costs at most €555,000. 8% if you will not live in it yourself, for example if you rent it out. Your nationality does not change these rules.
No. You can borrow at most 100% of the value of the home. Transfer tax, the notary, the valuation and advice fees are paid from your own savings. If you bid above the bank's valuation, that difference also comes from your own savings.
Often, but it differs a lot by region. In the NVM figures for the third quarter of 2026, the share of homes sold above the asking price ranged from about a quarter in the calmest region to about eight in ten in the busiest. The asking price is a starting point, not a valuation.
This guide explains general rules; it is not legal, tax or financial advice and not a valuation. Sources, consulted on 27 October 2026: