If you have a desire to buy real estate in the Netherlands, you should understand that it is quite difficult to do this and you need to stock up on a set of knowledge that will help you go through a multi-stage procedure, even if you plan to cooperate with professional local realtors.

More recently, even among the indigenous people of the country, owning their own real estate was the exception rather than the rule. The government's development strategy included a program to build mass-scale housing of identical design, and renting was more common than buying. Today the situation has changed dramatically and more and more people are buying apartments, houses and even commercial real estate seeking to acquire ownership, rather than lease.

The small but densely populated country has already established its own real estate price framework, and prices here are growing in a systematic and predictable manner. The level of the cost of housing depends on the region. for example, Amsterdam has a much higher demand for real estate than in the north, and housing prices are much higher here.

In truth, it is worth buying real estate if you plan to stay in the country for more than 3 years. Otherwise, the expenses that you incur when buying this or that property will not be commensurate with the expenses for renting real estate.

If you understand that the purchase option is reliable and profitable for you, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the basic buying processes. Immediately, we note that we cannot cover all the nuances, since the topic of buying a home or industrial premises is individual and many subtleties vary from case to case, so you should base your actions only on the results of a qualified individual consultation.

Home purchase costs

We have already mentioned above that it is worth buying a house only if you want to live in Holland for more than 3 years, otherwise the costs will not pay off. So what kind of costs are we talking about?

1. Estimated 0.2% of the cost of housing. This average and rate may vary based on specialist rates. It is often necessary to add to this amount the need to pay value added tax.
2. Preliminary agreement. This amount is paid at the rate of 0.3% of the total weight of the contract.
3. It is also necessary to pay the transfer contract for the same 0.3%.
4. Property transfer tax in the amount of 2-6% of the contract weight.
5. Payment for the services of real estate agents in the amount of 1-3% of the contract amount. this amount may vary depending on the wishes of the agent. You also need to know that you pay this amount only if you yourself turned to the agent, if the seller did it, then the payment of expenses is imposed on him.
6. Payment for the services of a local Dutch notary, as a rule foreigners choose ArkelStad Notarissen

If the procedure for buying real estate in Holland is mortgage in nature, you need to take on board 2 more types of costs:

1. The cost of obtaining a mortgage is 1% of the amount of housing, plus tax on the amount in some circumstances.
2. Mortgage contract at 0.15% of the purchase. May also be taxed.

In addition, the tax legislation of the Netherlands has an article for paying taxes on property based on its market value. This tax is paid by the owners and tenants of the house in parts, the tenant owner pays both parts.

We would like to point out separately that part of the purchase costs are negotiable. In certain cases, the seller pays part or all of the costs.

Financial preparation before buying real estate

Buying real estate for personal use or investing in real estate in Holland is a costly undertaking and requires preparation. From the above costs, you could calculate that you will have to spend additionally about 8% of the cost of the acquired area.

In this regard, the issue of lending from the bank with "real" money often becomes. Despite the caution of financial structures towards foreign residents in terms of lending, it is still possible to get a loan. In practice, it will be about 4 salaries. However, in theory you can get 7 gross wages on credit.

As for the mortgage, a citizen of any country in the world can get it for a period of up to 30 years. When lending, the bank pays attention to your credit history, level of earnings, as well as additional income of all family members.

To successfully pass an interview and get a mortgage, you will need:

• To live for five or more years in the Netherlands officially. To do this, you do not need to have citizenship, you can get an education, be an employee or apply for a residence permit.
• Have a permanent, stable source of income. Your job should be official, there should be no problems with paying taxes and frequent changes of activity.
• Have a valid residence permit.

If you do business in the Netherlands, you will need to provide a financial report for the last three years that shows an increase in profits, as well as have approved forecasts for the future, an audit problem and a settled relationship with the tax office in order to buy a house.

Of course, you shouldn't take these rules as unbreakable truth. Many banks decide to violate these principles and reduce the period of necessary residence in the country with high incomes, etc.

Each issue must be considered individually, and if you feel the strength to pay off the mortgage without losing a decent standard of living, you just need to prove it to the bank.

Mortgage conditions

Banks offer a wide variety of mortgage products to meet your needs as a lender. Each of them must be carefully studied and the tax aspect of the loan must be calculated.

For example, the state provides the ability to calculate interest on income tax for a period of up to 30 years. In most cases, this applies to citizens of the country, but it can also be an advantage for officially staying foreigners.

An urgent question for everyone is the mortgage interest rate, no matter what has become your adoration, a country cottage or an elite apartment in the city center. So, in Holland it is much lower than in Russia and many European countries. The sale of real estate in the Netherlands on a mortgage can be based not only on interest, but also issued against deposits.

Before buying to the bank, you will need to provide an official property appraisal, which is carried out by local companies eligible for appraisal.

How to find a property in the Netherlands

Buying a property in Holland starts with finding it. You can find a suitable option with the help of advertising of real estate agents, by contacting the agency in person, or just chat with the local population, study the message boards on the facades of houses and shops.

In Holland, you can start looking for housing on your own, or contact a specialist. Having chosen the first option, it is necessary to carefully study all the advertisements of the agents (remember that sellers do not give advertisements on their own, so you will still have to cooperate with specialists). After you select the option that suits the first signs, contact the broker and tell us about your intention to see the object. at the same time, we would advise you to dot all the "I's" at once and explain to the agent that you do not plan to use his services to find a house, otherwise you will be charged for them upon completion of the transaction.

You can also use the services of a specialist. If you decide to do this, enter into an agreement with the agency's obligations and the amount of remuneration. Also write down in what cases payment for services is made, and when the work is considered uncompleted. Searching for an area with an agency eliminates the need to resolve difficult issues. You get a whole range of benefits:

• Saving time. You don't have to run around every apartment and house. The realtor will select suitable options, conduct an online tour and show the best options at a convenient time for you.
• No need to understand a system unfamiliar to you. The legislation of each country has its own characteristics and Holland is no exception. It is very difficult to study all the nuances. In addition, when choosing housing in an unfamiliar city, it is difficult to guess with the area, and the specialist knows what to offer.

Elimination of the risk of fraud

Getting advice on all the nuances of renting and buying. At each stage, they will explain to you what's what and help you avoid awkward and illegal situations.
Information support and the provision of a large number of options. A large number of sellers turn to specialists, so you will not find an advertisement on the fence, moreover, the specialist will open new streets for you, picturesque views of the city, etc.

Tips from our team!

If you see the postscript "kosten koper", be aware that all costs will have to be paid to you as a buyer. The "vrij op naam", on the contrary, means that all costs are included in the price. As a rule, this postscript goes to new buildings.

Offer for the purchase of real estate in the Netherlands

Once you have selected the ideal home, you need to make a formal written offer to the seller. This offer must include a small but significant detail “in case of obtaining financing.” According to Dutch law, if you, as a buyer, withdraw your offer to purchase, you are obliged to pay 10% of the contract amount as a forfeit. such a commitment.

The proposal is made in one of two forms:

1. As a preliminary agreement.
2. Like a sales contract.

Both of these types of agreement involve formalization with a notarial and the presence of signatures of both parties to the agreement (seller and buyer). If within three days after drawing up the contract you decide to withdraw your offer, you will not be subject to any fines or penalties. this period is called “time to think over the offer.” This contract also sets the period in which the contract must be completed. If this period is more than 2 months, the buyer usually pays 10% of the value as a deposit.

The process of buying real estate in the Netherlands

Objects of both commercial and residential real estate can be purchased not only by citizens, but also by non-residents of the country. Buyers can be individuals and legal entities.

The process of acquiring real estate in Holland consists of the following stages:

• Object selection.
• Drafting and conclusion of a preliminary contract (Koopovereenkomst). The contract is signed in the presence of a notary, seller, buyer.
• Legal verification by an independent lawyer of the real estate object, the purchase and sale agreement, the purity of the transaction.
• Assessment of the purchased house or apartment (recommended when buying, when obtaining a mortgage loan - the procedure is required).
• Payment of the deposit for the property. The deposit is made by prior agreement. The exact date of the transaction is assigned.
• Signing of the main contract of sale, transfer of the remaining amount of the transaction.
• Payment of real estate purchase tax and notary fees.
• Signing of the deed of transfer of the object (Akte van Levering).
• Submission by a notary of documents for registration of property rights of the new owner to the Land Register.

Important

Before buying real estate in Holland, you must:

1. take into account the costs of registration of the transaction, here they are quite high - about 10-12% of the value of real estate;
2. to conduct an assessment and technical check of the object, the cost will be approximately 0.2% of the value of the property;
3. hire an experienced lawyer who is familiar with all the nuances of Dutch legislation. A lawyer will help you avoid possible problems, check all accompanying documents, the property and the legal purity of the transaction.

The moment of truth! Completion of the transaction

Finally, the specified period has come to an end and you can draw up a contract for the transfer of property rights. This contract is formed by a lawyer and signed by both parties after review. On this day, if necessary, a repeated inspection of the property is carried out, the footage and the condition of the living space are checked.

If there are any changes, you can discuss a reduction in cost justifying this by the deterioration of conditions and the inconsistency of the living space with the subject of the primary contract.

Upon completion of all procedures, the contract is signed, the notary makes changes to the Land Register and the property rightfully belongs to you from that time on.

Specialist services

The issue of purchasing real estate is sensitive, and in it everyone is trying to get the maximum benefit for themselves. If you don't want to be scammed or overpay for your new property, seek specialized help.