Buying a home in the Netherlands in autumn 2026: 24% more supply, room to negotiate, costs and mortgages

For several years, buying a home in the Netherlands meant viewing a property once, bidding within days, offering well over the asking price and, for many buyers, dropping the financing and survey conditions just to stay in the running. In autumn 2026 that picture is starting to shift. It is a gradual shift, not a reversal, but it changes what a careful buyer can ask for.

On 8 October 2026 the estate agents' association NVM published its figures for July to September. The number of existing homes for sale was 24% higher than a year earlier. The share of homes sold above the asking price fell from 71% to just under two-thirds. NVM's housing chair said more supply gives buyers "a bit more breathing space".

This article starts from DutchNews' report "Buyers get more room to negotiate as housing supply grows" (8 October 2026). It cross-checks the figures against NL Times, IamExpat, DutchReview, Expatica, ACCESS, Xpat.nl and The Hague International Centre. It then goes back to the primary sources: Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the Land Registry (Kadaster), the Tax Administration (Belastingdienst), NHG and the budgeting institute Nibud. It explains the rules and the factors to weigh. It is not personal financial or investment advice.

Main sources for this article

• DutchNews, "Buyers get more room to negotiate as housing supply grows" (8 October 2026, NVM Q3 figures)
• CBS, monthly and quarterly house price statistics based on Kadaster data (22 October 2026)
• Belastingdienst pages on transfer tax, the starter exemption and mortgage interest relief (2026 amounts)
• NHG "Voorwaarden en normen 2026-1" and Nibud "Advies hypotheeknormen 2026"

1. What is happening in the market right now

There are two main sets of Dutch house price figures. NVM publishes the sales recorded by its member agents. CBS and Kadaster publish official statistics based on every registered transfer. They measure slightly different things, so the numbers never match exactly. Reading both together gives the clearest view.

NVM Q3 2026: more homes for sale, prices still rising

The NVM figures were reported by DutchNews, NL Times and the mortgage broker De Hypotheker. The table brings the main indicators together.

Supply is up and homes sell a little more slowly. But prices are still rising, and the tightness indicator (homes for sale divided by homes sold per quarter) is far below the level of 5 that NVM treats as the line for a tight market. The honest reading is that the market has loosened, not turned.

CBS and Kadaster: price growth slowing to about 3%

On 22 October 2026 CBS reported that existing homes sold in September were 2.9% more expensive than a year earlier, down from 3.3% in August. Compared with August, prices fell 0.4%. The average price was €504,658, and Kadaster registered 20,383 sales, over 7% fewer than in September 2025.

Over the first nine months of 2026, 176,411 homes changed hands, nearly 3% more than a year earlier. The price index is 17.3% above its previous peak of July 2022. Prices are not falling. They are rising more slowly.

Regional differences: The Hague leads the big cities

CBS also published quarterly regional figures on the same day. Nationally, prices in Q3 2026 were 3.4% higher than a year earlier. Among the four largest cities, The Hague rose the most and Amsterdam the least.

If you are house-hunting in The Hague, the national "slowdown" headline does not fully apply. At the same time, the number of sales in The Hague was 7.0% lower than a year earlier. Prices are rising there, but fewer homes are changing hands.

Why supply is up: landlords are selling

The main source of extra supply is private landlords selling rental homes. In July 2026 DutchNews reported that 56,700 existing homes were newly listed in Q2, the most in a single quarter since 1995. Tighter rent regulation and higher taxes on investment property are the reasons usually given.

As a result, much of the extra supply consists of apartments. That widens the choice for buyers but shrinks the pool of homes to rent. DutchNews describes it as good news for buyers and bad news for tenants.

New builds are selling less

New-build homes are moving the other way. NL Times reports that NVM counted about 21,500 new homes for sale in Q3, 17% more than a year earlier, while sales fell to about 6,000 from 6,400. That is the fourth year-on-year fall in a row. CBS figures for Q2 showed new-build sales down about 11% to around 5,700.

NVM puts this down to a mismatch between what is being built and what buyers want or can afford, plus long construction times and the cost of bridging finance while you wait to sell your current home.

2. What "more room to negotiate" actually means

NVM's chair said buyers now have more choice, can more often arrange a second viewing, and in some cases have more room to negotiate. It is worth translating that into concrete things a buyer can do.

Time for a second viewing

During the tightest years, a single viewing followed by a bidding deadline a few days later was common. Homes taking 31 days to sell means some time to compare has come back. A second viewing lets you check light at different times of day, noise, and the state of shared areas in an apartment building.

Keeping the financing and survey conditions

The biggest loss in the overheated market was the ability to include a financing condition (financieringsvoorbehoud, a clause that lets you cancel if you cannot get the mortgage) and a survey condition. A mortgage adviser writing for IamExpat in 2024 noted that offers without a financing condition had become a common way to compete.

If you sign without a financing condition and the bank then turns you down, a standard contract still obliges you to pay a penalty of 10% of the purchase price. On a €500,000 home that is €50,000. Being able to keep that condition in your offer is the most valuable form of extra room.

Negotiating on price

According to NL Times, 67% of homes still sold above asking in Q1 2026, by an average of 3.7%. By Q3 the share had dropped to just under two-thirds nationally.

Whether an offer below the asking price will be accepted depends heavily on the area, the type of home and how long it has been on the market. Expat media report that homes that have been listed for a while, apartments in areas with many new listings, and homes with poor energy labels tend to leave more room.

This table summarises media reports and NVM's comments. Local conditions vary a lot, so ask a local buying agent how a specific area is behaving.

3. How buying a home works: the people involved

If you have bought property in another country, the Dutch division of roles may surprise you. Before looking at the steps, it helps to know who does what and whose side they are on.

The key point: the selling agent works for the seller. However helpful they are during a viewing, they are not advising you.

Do you need a buying agent?

A buying agent is not compulsory. But they can judge the price, help you build an offer and its conditions, and negotiate with the seller's agent, often in Dutch. Expatica puts typical fees at a fixed amount or around 1% to 2% of the price, sometimes plus 21% VAT. The Hague International Centre also advises checking the fee in advance, since agents work on commission.

Apartments: the VvE. Land: erfpacht

Buying an apartment makes you a member of the owners' association (VvE, Vereniging van Eigenaars). Check the monthly service charge, the size of the reserve fund and whether there is a long-term maintenance plan (MJOP). In small buildings the VvE sometimes exists on paper only, which can leave repairs unfunded.

If the land is leasehold (erfpacht), you pay an annual ground rent (canon) to the municipality or another owner. Check how much it is and when it will be revised. The Hague and Amsterdam both have leasehold properties, and The Hague International Centre flags the ground rent as an extra annual cost.

4. The process step by step

The figure shows the usual sequence for an existing home. Timings depend on the property, the lender and what you agree in the contract.

Step 1: Mortgage advice before you view

The Hague International Centre and Xpat.nl both recommend seeing a mortgage adviser first and searching within that budget. How much you can borrow depends on your income, your residence status, other debts such as student loans, and the energy performance of the home. Without a budget you cannot judge an offer.

An independent adviser (onafhankelijk adviseur) compares several lenders; a bank adviser offers only that bank's products. Experience with international clients matters as much as price.

Step 2: Viewing and making an offer (bod)

You, or your buying agent, make an offer (bod) to the selling agent. An offer covers more than the price: the conditions, the transfer date, and items you will take over, such as flooring or appliances. The seller is not required to accept the highest bid and weighs the whole package.

A verbal agreement on price is not yet a sale. Under Dutch law, the purchase of a home by a private buyer must be in writing. Until both sides sign, either can walk away, and the seller may still agree a deal with someone else.

Step 3: The purchase agreement and the three-day bedenktijd

Once you agree, the selling agent or a notary draws up the purchase agreement (voorlopig koopcontract). "Voorlopig" means provisional, but once signed the contract is legally binding.

According to the government's Rijksoverheid, the buyer has a three-day cooling-off period (bedenktijd) starting the day after receiving the signed contract. During that time you can withdraw without a reason and without paying a penalty. The notaries' site notaris.nl adds that at least two of the three days must be working days, otherwise the period is extended by a day. It can be longer by agreement, never shorter.

Step 4: Survey, valuation and mortgage approval

Before the condition deadlines in the contract, usually a few weeks, you arrange a structural survey (bouwkundige keuring), a valuation (taxatie) for the lender, and final mortgage approval. A survey is not compulsory, but Xpat.nl advises always having one and making the purchase subject to it.

In the same period you pay a 10% deposit (waarborgsom) into the notary's account or provide a bank guarantee (bankgarantie). ACCESS says this is usually due about six weeks after signing.

Step 5: Transfer at the notary (overdracht)

On transfer day you and the seller sign the deed of transfer (akte van levering) and the mortgage deed (hypotheekakte) at the notary's office. Beforehand, the notary checks the Kadaster registers for mortgages or attachments on the property. The money passes through the notary's account to the seller, the deed is registered, and you receive the keys.

The notary is neutral and acts for both parties. The buyer can often choose the notary, and fees differ between offices, so it is worth comparing.

The timings in this table are typical. The dates in your own contract are what count.

5. What it costs: kosten koper

Listings for existing homes show "k.k." after the price. It stands for kosten koper, meaning the buyer pays the transfer costs. New builds are usually listed "v.o.n." (vrij op naam), which means most of these costs are included in the price.

Transfer tax: 2% if you will live there

Buying an existing home triggers transfer tax (overdrachtsbelasting). The Belastingdienst sets these rates for 2026.

The rate for homes you will not live in fell from 10.4% to 8% in January 2026. A cut to 7% for 2027 is part of the 2027 tax plan, which parliament is still debating. The 2% rate for owner-occupiers is not expected to change.

The starter exemption (startersvrijstelling)

First-time buyers under 35 may pay no transfer tax at all. The Belastingdienst lists four conditions:

1. You acquire a home that you will live in yourself for a longer period
2. You are 18 or older and under 35 at the moment of acquisition, which is when the deed of transfer is signed at the notary
3. You have not used the exemption before
4. The home's value is no more than €555,000 at that moment (2026)

Rijksoverheid explains that when two people buy together, each is assessed separately, but the value limit applies to the whole home. If one buyer is 35 or older, that buyer pays 2% on their share.

The trap is timing. Age and value are tested on the day of transfer, not the day you sign the purchase agreement. If you sign at 34 but the transfer happens after your 35th birthday, you lose the exemption. A rise in the limit to €615,000 for 2027 has been proposed but not yet passed.

The other costs

Besides transfer tax there are notary fees, Kadaster registration, the valuation, mortgage advice, the NHG fee, a buying agent, a survey and possibly a bank guarantee fee. Kadaster's 2026 tariffs charge €103.50 per deed when a notary registers it electronically, and a purchase with a mortgage needs two deeds.

The other items vary by provider and property. ACCESS puts notary fees at €1,000 to €3,000; Expatica says €1,000 to €2,500. The figure below shows rough estimates for a buyer aged 35 or over buying a €450,000 existing home with an NHG mortgage.

That adds up to about €19,700, or roughly 4.4% of the price. DutchReview puts buyer's costs at 4% to 6%; Xpat.nl says about 6%. A buyer who qualifies for the starter exemption saves the transfer tax, the largest single item.

According to IamExpat's cost guide, the costs of obtaining the mortgage can be deducted from income in the year you buy. Transfer tax and agent fees cannot.

Buyer's costs usually come from savings

Dutch mortgages are capped at 100% of the home's market value, or up to 106% when energy-saving measures are financed. As DutchReview explains, that means buyer's costs normally come out of your own pocket. When the valuation comes in above the purchase price, part of the costs may sometimes be financed within the difference.

6. Mortgage basics: NHG, Nibud and interest relief

Dutch mortgage rules are set in detail by law and by public bodies, from how much you can borrow to how the interest is taxed. Here are the three pillars. For actual figures, ask an adviser to run your case.

NHG: the National Mortgage Guarantee

NHG (Nationale Hypotheek Garantie) covers the remaining debt if you have to sell your home at a loss after events such as divorce, job loss or the death of a partner, provided you meet its conditions. Because NHG lowers the lender's risk, NHG mortgages usually come with a lower interest rate.

Under NHG's 2026 rules (Voorwaarden en normen 2026-1), the loan limit is €470,000, or €498,200 when energy-saving measures are included. The fee is a one-off 0.4% of the loan, so €1,600 on a €400,000 mortgage. IamExpat reported the same 2026 limits.

You must live in the home as your main residence. For internationals the important detail is residence status. The NHG rules say that if a borrower holds a time-limited residence permit with a temporary purpose of stay, that borrower's income does not count towards the qualifying income. Expatica also notes that NHG is only available to residents. Ask your adviser exactly how your permit is treated.

Nibud norms and how much you can borrow

The maximum mortgage is based on the share of income that may go on housing costs (financieringslastpercentage). The government sets these each year based on advice from Nibud. For 2026, Nibud expected average wage growth of 4.1%, letting a household on €70,000 gross borrow about €6,000 more and one on €100,000 borrow €15,500 more.

Nibud's 2026 advice report also switched to rounding these percentages to 0.1 point instead of 0.5. That avoids sudden jumps in borrowing capacity from small changes in income or interest rates. The energy label of the home also affects the limit.

The table shows that an old home with a poor label does not raise your purchase limit, but it does allow more borrowing for improvements.

Interest rates

The consumer association Consumentenbond put the average 10-year fixed rate at about 4.3% in July 2026. Dutch buyers usually fix for 10, 20 or 30 years. Higher rates lower the Nibud percentages and therefore your maximum loan, so the same salary can buy less if rates rise between your first advice and your offer.

Mortgage interest relief (hypotheekrenteaftrek)

Interest on the mortgage for your own home is deductible from taxable income. According to the Belastingdienst, for loans taken out since 2013 the condition is that the loan is repaid in full within 30 years on an annuity or linear basis. You can deduct for a maximum of 30 years.

In 2026 the deduction is capped at a rate of 37.56%, even if you pay income tax at a higher rate; 38.16% is proposed for 2027. On the other side, you add a notional income, the eigenwoningforfait, of 0.35% of the home's WOZ value.

You do not have to wait for your annual tax return to benefit. You can ask the Belastingdienst for a provisional assessment (voorlopige aanslag) and receive the relief as a monthly refund, as Xpat.nl also explains.

7. Reading the autumn 2026 market as a buyer

With the figures and rules in place, how should you weigh the extra negotiating room? This section does not forecast prices. It sets out the factors.

Why "wait for prices to fall" is not a safe assumption

Despite more supply, CBS figures show prices still rising year on year. DutchNews reported in January that the housing shortage is estimated at around 400,000 homes. NVM had also expected the wave of landlord sales to continue until around June 2026, when remaining two-year rental contracts ended.

On the other hand, prices fell month on month in both August and September. Growth is clearly slowing. Your expected length of stay and your household budget are more reliable guides than guessing the market.

Different situations, different answers

This table combines the rules and media reports by situation. Check your own case with an adviser.

8. Common pitfalls

These are the points that come up again and again in expat media and official guidance. All of them are avoidable if you know about them.

A verbal agreement is not a contract

Because a home purchase must be in writing, a seller who agrees a price with you verbally can still sign with someone else. Equally, you are not bound before signing. Treat nothing as settled until it is signed.

Missing the condition deadlines

Financing and survey conditions come with deadlines. If the bank is slow and the deadline passes, you can no longer rely on the condition. If approval looks like it will be late, ask the seller for an extension before the deadline. The seller does not have to agree.

The seller must disclose, the buyer must investigate

Dutch law gives the seller a duty to disclose defects they know about (mededelingsplicht) and the buyer a duty to investigate (onderzoeksplicht). Nobody hands you a complete official report on the property. If you skip the survey, defects found later are more likely to be your problem.

Common misconceptions

Most come from assuming the rules work as they do at home.

How this may differ from where you come from

Systems elsewhere often differ in a few key places. In some countries a deposit can be forfeited to walk away; in the Netherlands, outside the cooling-off period and the agreed conditions, the 10% is a penalty, and further damages can be claimed. In some countries one agent can act for both sides; here the selling and buying agents are separate. And a notary, not a lawyer of your choosing, must handle the transfer.

9. What to do next

Here is what you can do before you start viewing. None of it costs money.

1. Check your residence permit: fixed-term or permanent, and the purpose of stay, as shown on your IND documents
2. Gather proof of income: recent payslips, your employment contract, an employer's statement (werkgeversverklaring) and an annual income statement
3. Book an independent mortgage adviser: ask up front about fees and experience with international clients
4. Work out your own funds: budget around 4% to 6% for buyer's costs, separately from moving, furniture and renovation
5. If you are under 35, compare your birthday with likely transfer dates: the exemption is tested on transfer day
6. Watch listings on Funda: note how long homes stay on the market in your target area and how many have cut their price
7. Compare two or three buying agents: fee structure (fixed or percentage) and whether they work in English
8. Read the government checklist: Rijksoverheid's checklist covers what to arrange

10. Three fictional cases

The following people are invented to show how the rules apply. Their names, jobs and amounts are illustrations, not real cases.

Case A: Maya, 33, single, highly skilled migrant

Maya works for a company in The Hague and holds a highly skilled migrant permit. She is looking at a €420,000 apartment. If the transfer happens before her 35th birthday, she pays no transfer tax, and her loan is within the NHG limit. Her first meeting with an adviser should establish how her permit is treated by NHG and by lenders. She should also check the VvE's reserve fund.

Case B: Tom and Lena, 42, posted for three to four years

Tom was posted here by his employer, with no fixed end date. Buying costs about 4% to 6% of the price, and selling adds agent fees. If they sell after a few years without a price rise, they will be out of pocket, so they need to compare renting and buying including the costs of selling.

Case C: Ana and Joris, 38, two incomes, permanent residence

Ana holds permanent residence and buys with her Dutch partner. They have two children and are looking at a €600,000 house. Transfer tax is 2%, or €12,000, and their loan will exceed €470,000, so NHG is not available. With more room to negotiate, an offer that keeps both a financing and a survey condition is a realistic option.

These are fictional examples. Real outcomes depend on your permit, income and the property.

11. What not to do

Finally, the actions most likely to cost you, with the reason. Several are habits left over from the overheated years.

In autumn 2026 these are easier to avoid.

12. Checklist

Before you make an offer, check that you have:

• Confirmed your permit type and how lenders and NHG treat it
• Had mortgage advice on your maximum loan and monthly costs
• Savings for buyer's costs of about 4–6% of the price
• If under 35, confirmed the transfer will take place before your birthday
• Decided whether your offer will include financing and survey conditions
• For an apartment, checked the VvE charges, reserve fund and maintenance plan
• For leasehold, checked the ground rent and revision date
• Checked the energy label and upgrade costs
• Put the bedenktijd and condition deadlines in your calendar
• Arranged how you will pay the 10% deposit or bank guarantee

13. Summary

• In Q3 2026 NVM counted 24% more homes for sale than a year earlier, and the share sold above asking fell from 71% to just under two-thirds
• Prices still rose: €503,000 on average, up 1.8%. CBS put September's annual rise at 2.9%, and The Hague led the big cities at 4.4%
• The real benefit of more room is being able to keep financing and survey conditions, not just a lower price
• You have three days to withdraw after receiving the signed contract; after that, standard contracts impose a 10% penalty
• Budget about 4–6% for buyer's costs from savings. First-time buyers under 35 pay no transfer tax up to €555,000 in 2026
• NHG covers loans up to €470,000 for a 0.4% fee. Interest relief is worth up to 37.56% if the loan is repaid within 30 years
• Your residence permit affects how much you can borrow, so start with mortgage advice, not viewings

Sources

Starting article and expat media

• Buyers get more room to negotiate as housing supply grows — DutchNews.nl: NVM Q3 figures and comments (8 October 2026)
• Record number of Dutch homes go on sale as landlords sell up — DutchNews.nl: 56,700 new listings in Q2 (9 July 2026)
• Wind is changing in pressured Dutch housing market: NVM — DutchNews.nl: 2025 review and the 400,000-home shortage
• Some wiggle room in housing market in Q3 — NL Times: days to sell, Amsterdam, new builds
• Home prices climbed 2.9% in September — NL Times: report of the CBS and Kadaster September figures
• More people managing to buy a home on one income — NL Times: single-income buyers and falling new-build sales
• Home seekers still overbidding on large scale — NL Times: Q1 overbidding of 67%, average 3.7%
• Mortgage changes coming in 2026 — IamExpat: NHG limits and 2026 mortgage changes
• Buying a house in the Netherlands: Taxes, costs & fees — IamExpat: buyer's costs and deductibility
• What you need to know about the latest Dutch housing market developments — IamExpat: offers without a financing condition
• How much deposit do I need for a house in the Netherlands? — DutchReview: 4–6% buyer's costs and financing limits
• House prices in Netherlands — Expatica: agent and notary fee ranges, non-residents and NHG
• Property taxes in the Netherlands — Expatica: VAT on new builds and transfer tax
• What does a notary do in the Netherlands? — ACCESS: the notary's role, fees and the 10% deposit
• Buying a House in the Netherlands — Xpat.nl: process, survey and monthly tax refunds
• Buying a house or apartment — The Hague International Centre: steps in The Hague region and leasehold

Statistics, authorities and public bodies

• Prijsstijging koopwoningen vlakt in september verder af — CBS: September prices and sales (22 October 2026)
• Prijsstijging bestaande koopwoningen in Fryslân het grootst — CBS: Q3 figures by province and city
• Woningkopers krijgen meer keuze en ruimte om te onderhandelen — De Hypotheker: NVM tightness indicator and price change by type
• Prinsjesdag 2026: wat verandert er voor huizenkopers in 2027 — De Hypotheker: proposed 2027 exemption limit and deduction rate
• Startersvrijstelling — Belastingdienst: four conditions and the €555,000 limit
• Het tarief van de overdrachtsbelasting — Belastingdienst: 2%, 8% and 10.4% rates
• Vrijstelling overdrachtsbelasting — Rijksoverheid: buying with two people
• Hypotheekrente aftrekken — Belastingdienst: repayment conditions for interest relief
• Tariefsaanpassing eigen woning — Belastingdienst: 37.56% cap in 2026
• Eigenwoningforfait — Belastingdienst: 0.35% in 2026
• Voorwaarden en normen 2026-1 — NHG: €470,000 limit, 0.4% fee, permit rules
• Hogere hypotheek in 2026 door loonstijging — Nibud: borrowing capacity and energy labels
• Rapport Advies hypotheeknormen 2026 — Nibud: rounding change
• Hoeveel bedenktijd heb ik na het kopen van een woning? — Rijksoverheid: the three-day cooling-off period
• Bedenktijd bij de koop van een woning — notaris.nl: counting working days and exceptions
• Checklist woning kopen — Rijksoverheid: what to arrange before buying
• Onze tarieven in 2026 — Kadaster: registration fees
• Wat gaat de hypotheekrente doen? — Consumentenbond: average 10-year fixed rate

All sources were checked on 23 October 2026. Tax rates, limits and interest rates change every year, and the 2027 proposals are still before parliament. Check the official sites and a mortgage adviser for the latest conditions before you make an offer or sign. This article explains the rules; it is not personal financial or investment advice.

Original article

Buyers get more room to negotiate as housing supply grows — DutchNews.nl