Costs of Buying a House in the Netherlands for Expats

What Costs Apply When Buying a House in the Netherlands?

In most cases, buying costs cannot be financed with your mortgage and must be paid from your own funds. Below is an overview of the most common costs for expats buying a Dutch home.

Transfer Tax (Overdrachtsbelasting)

When buying an existing home, you normally pay 2% transfer tax over the property value.

Transfer tax exemptions:

• Newly built homes
• Properties resold within 6 months
• Buyers aged 18-35, purchasing a home up to €555.000 (from January 1st 2026)

This exemption can save first-time buyers thousands of euros.

Civil-Law Notary Fees

A civil-law notary is required to:

• Transfer ownership
• Register the property at the land registry
• Finalise the mortgage deed

Typical costs:

€900 – €2.000, depending on the notary and the complexity.

Property Valuation (Appraisal)

All Dutch lenders require an official valuation report when granting a mortgage.

Typical costs:

Up to €1.500, depending on:

• Property size
• Type of home
• Valuator used

This report determines the maximum mortgage amount.

Real Estate Agent Fees (Optional)

If you work with a purchasing agent, fees can be structured as:

• Fixed fee: typically €5.000 – €10.000
• Percentage-based: 1% – 3% of the purchase price
• Or a combination of both

In competitive markets, a good agent can often save more than their fee through negotiation.

National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG) (If Applicable)

The National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG) protects you against debt if you can no longer pay your mortgage due to circumstances such as:

• Involuntary unemployment
• Divorce
• Inability to work

Key points:

• Costs 0.4% of the mortgage amount
• Only available for mortgages up to €470.000
• Usually results in lower interest rates

For many expats, NHG pays for itself quickly.

Bank Guarantee (If Applicable)

After signing the purchase agreement, sellers require a 10% deposit.

If you don’t want to deposit cash:

• You can arrange a bank guarantee
• Typical cost: ~ 1% of the guaranteed amount

This preserves liquidity while still meeting contractual requirements.

Structural Survey (Optional but Recommended)

A structural survey (building inspection) checks for:

• Hidden defects
• Structural issues
• Maintenance risks

Typical costs:

€250 – €900, depending on the property size and age.

A negative report can be used to renegotiate the price or cancel the contract.

Which Costs Are Tax-Deductible?

The following costs are tax-deductible:

• Mortgage advice & arrangement costs
• Notary costs related to the mortgage
• Valuation costs
• NHG fee

These deductions can reduce costs by approximately 38% or 49%, depending on your income tax bracket.