Guides to buying, bidding and your home

Buying a home starts with your budget and ends at the notary. This overview covers existing homes: from searching and investigating to making an offer, arranging finance and completing the transfer. It shows which decisions you need to make before you submit an offer.

A buying agent assesses the home with you, helps identify risks, advises you on your offer and monitors the agreements after the purchase. You agree in advance exactly which tasks you want to outsource.

Selling first gives you more certainty about your budget. Buying first gives you more certainty about your next home. The safest order mainly depends on your buffer, the costs of two homes, saleability and the pressure of your search.

The sales documents help you check exactly what you are buying, which costs and agreements come with it, and where structural or legal risks may exist. Use the documents as the starting point for your investigation, not as a guarantee that the home is completely in order.

An offer is not just about the price. Clear conditions concerning financing, an inspection, completion and other agreements protect you without making your offer unnecessarily weak.

A home that has been for sale for a long time may offer room for negotiation, but it can also point to an excessive asking price, a limited target group or risks. Here is how to investigate what is really going on before you make an offer.

An offer depends on more than the asking price. Consider the home, the market, and your budget.

A financing condition allows you to cancel the purchase if you cannot get the mortgage you need. This protection only applies if the amount, deadline and supporting documents are recorded correctly and you meet the agreed requirements on time.

A structural survey shows which visible defects and maintenance costs you can expect when buying an existing home. Ideally, have the survey carried out before signing. If you sign earlier, a structural survey condition is usually the safer option; during the statutory cooling-off period, you can also withdraw from the purchase as a private buyer without such a condition.

During a viewing, assess not only the atmosphere but also the space, light, noise, damp, maintenance and systems. This practical checklist shows you what to research beforehand, inspect during the viewing and verify afterwards.

An active VvE is not automatically a financially healthy VvE. Review the rules, finances, maintenance plans and decisions together to understand the costs and restrictions you may face after buying.

With leasehold, you buy a home with the right to use land that remains someone else’s property. Before making a final offer, check not only the current ground rent but also the buyout, indexation, review, conditions and whether the home can be financed.

A risk map, year of construction or crack does not tell you how good the foundation is. This step-by-step plan helps you gather the right information, decide whether a specialist survey is needed and factor the risk into your offer and financing.

An energy label helps you compare homes, but it does not predict your energy bill. Learn how to check the label and investigate sustainability costs, technical options and VvE plans.

If you buy a home to live in yourself, you will usually pay 2% transfer tax in 2026. Subject to certain conditions, buyers aged 18 to 34 can use the one-time first-time buyer exemption.

The equity on paper is not automatically the amount you can use for your next home. First calculate the net sale proceeds, then check what the equity means for your mortgage, a bridging loan and mortgage interest deduction.

When buying a home, you pay more than just the purchase price. Use this overview to calculate which costs you must pay with your own money and how much of a financial buffer you want to keep.

After your offer has been accepted, you will usually need to have the home valued for your mortgage. Read what the valuer assesses and what a lower valuation means for your financing.

The seller must disclose relevant information they know, but as the buyer you must also carry out your own investigations. Learn how to verify statements, when to ask further questions and when a specialist investigation is advisable.

After signing, the statutory cooling-off period and a series of contractual deadlines begin. Among other things, you arrange the mortgage, valuation, deposit or bank guarantee, and prepare for the transfer.

Shortly before you receive the keys, you check during the final inspection whether the home is being handed over as agreed. You then sign the deed of transfer and usually the mortgage deed at the notary.