Buying your first home

Although many banks traditionally ask for three years of annual accounts, there are many more opportunities for entrepreneurs today. Depending on your industry and a realistic forecast for the future, we can often apply for a mortgage even if you have only been in business for one year. In that case, we use the gross profit from that first year as a starting point.
Keep in mind that banks often calculate cautiously in this situation; usually, a deduction is applied to your gross profit to cover potential entrepreneurial risks.

How we help you: Thanks to our experience, we understand how to best present your figures and future plans to the lender. We know exactly which banks are entrepreneur-friendly and how we can achieve a maximum loan amount for you, even with a shorter financial history..

In 2026, three different rates for transfer tax apply to the purchase of residential property. The amount depends on your age and how you intend to use the home.

These are the rates:
1. First-Time Buyer’s Exemption: 0% Are you between 18 and 35 years old? Then you pay no transfer tax as a one-time exemption when buying a home.
Property value limit: In 2026, the property may not cost more than €555,000. Above this limit, you pay 2% tax on the full amount.
Primary residence: You must live in the house yourself for a longer period.
One-time use: You must not have used this exemption before.

2. Standard Rate: 2% This rate applies to everyone who buys a home to live in themselves (primary residence) but does not qualify for the first-time buyer’s exemption. This applies, for example, if you are 35 or older, or if the property value exceeds €555,000.

3. Second home or investment: 8% Starting January 1, 2026, the rate for properties that you will not use as your primary residence will be reduced to 8% (this was previously 10.4%). This rate applies to holiday homes, second homes, or properties purchased for rental purposes.
Please note: For commercial properties, offices, and shops, the higher rate of 10.4% remains in effect.

LTI stands for Loan-to-Income. This is an important term in the world of mortgages that indicates how much you are borrowing in relation to your income.. 

LTV stands for Loan-to-Value. Where the LTI (Loan-to-Income) looks at your salary, the LTV looks at the ratio between the amount of your loan and the market value of the property. Simply put: it determines what percentage of the house’s value you are allowed to borrow.
The most important rules regarding LTV: The 100% limit: In the Netherlands, you can currently borrow a maximum of 100% of the market value of the home. If a house is worth €400,000, your mortgage may therefore not be higher than €400,000.

When calculating your maximum mortgage, the bank looks at more than just your basic salary. The following items are generally included:
Gross salary: Your fixed monthly income.
Holiday allowance: The annual payment of (usually) 8% of your salary.
13th month: If this is a fixed part of your employment conditions.
Commission : Provided these are structural
Irregular hours allowance: For example, for work in healthcare or the police, provided this is a fixed part of the income.

A bridging mortgage is a temporary loan you can take out when you buy a new home, but your current house has not yet been sold or the equity has not yet been released.
Here are the most important features and benefits:
Use of equity: It gives you the opportunity to directly use the expected profit (equity) on your current home for the purchase of your next house, without having to wait for the actual sale.
No personal funds needed: This means you need to contribute less or no personal savings to bridge the purchase costs or the price difference.
Calculation of the loan: Most banks apply a safety margin. They often lend you the market value of your current home minus the outstanding mortgage and a discount of approximately 10% (this margin is intended to cover risks during sale).
Calculation example: Suppose your house is worth €500,000 and your current mortgage is €350,000. The bank calculates with 90% of the value (€450,000). In this case, you can get a bridging credit of €100,000 (€450,000 – €350,000) to put into your new home.
Term: As soon as your old home is sold at the notary and the equity is released, the bridging mortgage is fully repaid in one go.

In the Netherlands, the notary plays a crucial role in the purchase and sale of a property. The notary is an independent party who ensures that the transfer of ownership is legally correct and that all financial matters are handled securely.
These are the main tasks of the notary:

1. Legal transfer and verification
Transfer of ownership: The notary draws up the deed of transfer (leveringsakte), which officially transfers the property from the seller to the buyer.
Mortgage registration: The notary draws up the mortgage deed (hypotheekakte) and, on behalf of the bank, establishes a right of mortgage on the property.
Identity check: The notary checks the identity of both the buyer and the seller and verifies whether the seller actually has the legal right to sell the property.

2. Management of cash flows
Escrow account (Derdenrekening): All money (the mortgage sum from the bank and your own contribution) is deposited into a secured escrow account held by the notary.
Making payments: Only after the deeds have been registered with the Land Registry (Kadaster) and everything has been verified does the notary pay the purchase price to the seller. Other costs (such as transfer tax and advisory fees) are then transferred to the appropriate authorities.

3. Registration in public records
Land Registry (Kadaster): After the deeds are signed, the notary ensures they are registered in the public records of the Land Registry. You are only officially the new owner after this registration.

4. Duty to inform
Explanation: During the appointment, the notary reads the deeds (often summarized) and provides an explanation of the legal consequences of what you are signing.
Please note: If you do not have a sufficient command of the Dutch language, it is a legal requirement for a sworn interpreter to be present at the notary’s office.

For a mortgage application, a complete set of documents is essential to ensure the process runs smoothly. Thanks to our experience at banks such as ING, we know exactly what lenders look for.
Here are the most important documents you need to prepare:

Personal documents
Proof of identity: A valid passport or identity card (a driver’s license is not sufficient).
Residency status: If applicable, a copy of your residence permit.
BKR overview: A recent extract of your registrations at the Credit Registration Office (BKR).
Income and assets
Employer’s statement (Werkgeversverklaring): A recent and fully completed document from your employer.
Payslip: Your most recent payslip that corresponds with the employer’s statement.
Pension data: An overview of your accrued pension and any insurance policies via www.mijnpensioenoverzicht.nl.
Bank statement: A recent overview of your current and savings accounts to demonstrate your own financial contribution.
Information about the property
Purchase agreement (Koopovereenkomst): A copy of the purchase contract signed by both parties.
Valuation report (Taxatierapport): An official report from a recognized appraiser (Ekspertiz) that confirms the market value of the property.
Insurance: Information about your current insurance policies and any term life insurance.

For entrepreneurs (if applicable)
Annual figures: The final financial statements of the past few years or, in the case of a shorter history, the figures from the first year combined with a forecast.

NHG stands for Nationale Hypotheek Garantie (National Mortgage Guarantee). It is a safety net that offers you protection if you can no longer pay your mortgage due to unforeseen circumstances.
Here are the most important details about the NHG in 2026:

What does the guarantee entail?
Safety net for residual debt: If you have to sell your home at a loss due to, for example, divorce, disability, or unemployment, the NHG can, under certain conditions, repay the remaining debt to the bank.
Interest discount: Because the bank runs less risk due to this guarantee, you often receive a significant discount on your mortgage interest rate.

The conditions in 2026
Cost limit: In 2026, you can take out a mortgage with NHG for homes with a value up to € 470,000.
Sustainability: If you invest in energy-saving measures, this limit increases to € 498,200.
One-time costs: To take out an NHG mortgage, you pay a one-time premium (surety commission) of 0.4% of the total mortgage amount.
Tax benefit: These one-time costs of 0.4% are tax-deductible, allowing you to get a portion back through taxes.

When is NHG wise? Although NHG is not mandatory, it is a smart choice if you take out a mortgage for 100% of the property value (LTV). It offers extra security and lower monthly costs. However, if you pay for a large part of the house with your own money, it is wise to look with us at whether the costs of the guarantee outweigh the interest benefit.
More information can be found at www.nhg.nl.

Most banks no longer make life insurance mandatory. However, depending on your personal situation, it is a matter that needs very serious evaluation. At the same time, you should also consider disability and unemployment insurance.

Building insurance (opstalverzekering) is mandatory for everyone with an owner-occupied home and a mortgage. This insurance covers damage to the house itself, or rather, everything that is permanently attached to the house.

Obligation
The bank requires this insurance because the house is their collateral; they want the certainty that the value will be restored in the event of major damage.

What is covered?
Damage caused by fire, storm, lightning strike, or explosion to the walls, the roof, and the foundation.

Reconstruction value
The insurance pays out the amount needed to completely rebuild the house in the same condition.
In the case of an apartment, this is often arranged through the VvE (Owners’ Association).