Questions, answered

Four main services. Selling, where we handle the valuation, presentation, viewings and negotiation. Buying, where we search, value, check the leasehold and the survey, and advise on what to bid. Letting, where we screen tenants and draw up contracts that hold up under Dutch rental law. And renting, where we represent you as a tenant. Alongside those we provide free valuations, NWWI-validated appraisals for mortgage applications, NEN2580 measurement reports, energy labels, expat relocation support, property management and utility set-up, across Amsterdam and the surrounding municipalities.

We are rated 5.0 out of 277 reviews, which is the highest score among Amsterdam agencies we compare ourselves with. We work in Dutch, English and Arabic, seven days a week, including evenings and weekends when that suits you better. You deal with the same person from the first conversation to the signing at the notary, not with a different colleague every time. And when you ask us what your home is worth, you get an answer within 48 hours.

We work across all seven Amsterdam districts: Centrum, Noord, Oost, West, Nieuw-West, Zuid and Zuidoost. Each has its own market, its own price per square metre and its own type of buyer, and we have dedicated pages for each one. Outside the city we also operate in Amstelveen, Diemen, Zaandam, Haarlem, Weesp and Hoofddorp. If you are not sure whether your address falls within our area, call us and we will tell you straight away.

Yes, and it is a large part of what we do. We work in Dutch, English and Arabic, and we are used to guiding people who are new to the Dutch system. That means explaining leasehold, the bidding process and the notary’s role in plain language, and being reachable outside Dutch office hours when you are still abroad. We assist expats, international professionals, investors and companies relocating staff to Amsterdam. If you are moving here and want to understand the market before you commit, start with a conversation. It costs nothing.

Start by arranging your financing, so you know what you can borrow before you view anything. Then choose the districts that suit you, because Amsterdam varies enormously from one to the next. When you find something, you make an offer through your agent, usually with conditions for financing and a structural survey. If the seller accepts, you sign the purchase agreement and the three-day cooling-off period starts. The notary handles the transfer and you receive the keys on completion. From first viewing to keys is typically two to three months.

It is not mandatory, and plenty of people buy without one. Whether it makes sense depends on how well you know the Amsterdam market. A buying agent values the property, checks the leasehold and the owners association, arranges a structural survey, and advises on what to bid and under which conditions. In a market where roughly a quarter more homes came up for sale this year, that advice is worth more than it was in 2024, because there is now room to negotiate. If you are buying from abroad or in a language that is not your own, the case is stronger still.

Budget roughly 4 to 6% on top of the purchase price. That covers transfer tax (2% for a main residence, 8% if the property is not your main home), notary fees of around 1,500 to 2,500 euro, a buying agent, an NWWI-validated valuation report of roughly 500 to 800 euro, mortgage advice, and a structural survey. First-time buyers aged 18 to 35 pay no transfer tax at all on properties up to 555,000 euro in 2026. Since the median Amsterdam price is just above that threshold, the exemption is realistic in Noord, Nieuw-West and Zuidoost, and rarely applies in Centrum or Zuid.

Yes. There are no restrictions on foreigners buying property in the Netherlands. You have the same rights as a Dutch buyer, whether you hold an EU passport or not, and you do not need residency to purchase. What you do need is a BSN number, a Dutch bank account for the transfer, and a notary to handle the deed. Getting a mortgage is a separate question and depends mainly on your employment contract and income rather than your nationality. Non-EU buyers with a valid residence permit get Dutch mortgages regularly.

Once you have signed the purchase agreement, you have a statutory cooling-off period of three days in which you can withdraw without giving a reason and without penalty. The three days run from the day after you receive the signed contract, and the period always includes at least two working days. You do not have to explain yourself. This right applies to private buyers of a home, not to business purchases. After those three days the agreement is binding, so any structural survey or financing condition needs to be written into the contract itself.

A bouwkundige keuring is an independent survey of the building’s condition, carried out before you commit. The surveyor checks the foundation, roof, woodwork, damp, wiring and plumbing, and puts an estimated cost against any repairs needed. In Amsterdam this matters more than in most cities, because a large share of the housing stock is a century old or older and subsidence and wood rot are common. It costs roughly 400 to 800 euro. We usually advise building it into your offer as a condition, so you can withdraw if the report turns up something serious.

In Amsterdam you usually buy the building but lease the land underneath it from the municipality. This is called erfpacht, or ground lease. You pay an annual fee (the canon) unless a previous owner bought the lease off permanently, which is known as afgekocht. Whether the lease has been bought off, and until which date the current terms run, can change a property’s value by tens of thousands of euros. Ground lease is the norm rather than the exception in Amsterdam, so always check the erfpacht status in the deed before you make an offer. We check this for every property we advise on.

Value depends on location, floor area, condition, energy label, whether the ground lease has been bought off, and what comparable homes in your street actually sold for. As a reference point, the median transaction price in Amsterdam in Q2 2026 was 588,000 euro, at a median of 8,607 euro per square metre, with homes selling in an average of 32 days. Online tools work from averages and cannot see your specific situation, which in Amsterdam easily accounts for tens of thousands of euros. We provide a free valuation within 48 hours, with no obligation, even if you are not planning to sell for years.

In the second quarter of 2026 a sold home in Amsterdam had been on the market for an average of 32 days. That is the average, not a promise. Well-priced and well-presented homes often go faster, and homes that start too high can sit for months. Before the listing goes live, allow around two weeks for photography, floor plans, the energy label and the sales text. So from first conversation to signing at the notary, three to four months is realistic for most sales in Amsterdam.

Premium photography, floor plans, NEN2580 measurement reports, video and virtual tours, placed on Funda and on our own site, supported by social media promotion and targeted online advertising. In a market with a quarter more homes for sale than last year, presentation is doing more work than it used to. Buyers scroll past listings with dark photos in seconds. We also handle the viewings ourselves rather than handing over a key, because the questions people ask during a viewing tell us how to steer the negotiation afterwards.

Usually not a full renovation. Buyers rarely pay back the cost of a new kitchen or bathroom, and they often want to make their own choices anyway. What does pay off is smaller and cheaper: fresh paint in neutral colours, decluttering, fixing anything visibly broken, and a thorough clean. An energy label upgrade can be worth it, because energy performance increasingly affects both value and mortgage capacity. Before you spend anything, ask us. We will tell you honestly which improvements return more than they cost in your street, and which ones do not.

Once we start the sales process, we will guide you through all required documentation. We work with a secure digital sales file through Move.nl, allowing all documents to be uploaded, reviewed, and shared digitally in one central environment.

Typically, we will request documents such as your identification, title deed, energy label, information regarding the Homeowners’ Association (VvE) if applicable, leasehold information, and several standard property questionnaires. Through Move.nl, you can easily provide these documents, monitor the progress of your sale, and securely communicate with all parties involved.

Our team will assist you throughout the process and ensure that all required information is collected correctly and efficiently before the property is brought to market.

Transparency and communication are key throughout the sales process. We work with a digital sales logbook through Move.nl, where all important information regarding your property is stored and updated in real time.

Through this secure online environment, you can follow the progress of your sale, review documents, monitor viewings, receive feedback from potential buyers, and stay informed about negotiations and important milestones. This ensures that you always have a clear overview of the sales process and access to the latest information, wherever you are. Read more.

Most Amsterdam agents work with a commission, called courtage, of roughly 1% to 2% of the sale or purchase price, and rental assignments are often charged as one month of rent. More important than the percentage is what is included: valuation, photography, floor plans, the NEN2580 measurement report, the Funda listing, viewings and negotiation. Cheap can become expensive if the marketing or the negotiation is weak. We are transparent about our fees before you commit to anything. Ask us for a free quote and you will know exactly what you pay and what you get in return.

A valuation, in Dutch waardebepaling, is an estimate by an estate agent of what your home would realistically sell for. It is free, quick and ideal when you are deciding whether to sell, but it has no formal status. An appraisal, in Dutch taxatie, is a formal report by an independent certified appraiser, usually NWWI validated, which banks require for a mortgage. It costs several hundred euros and does carry formal status. Exploring a sale? Start with our free valuation and you will have an answer within 48 hours. Does your bank need a taxatie? We can arrange one for you.

That depends on three things. Your mortgage: most lenders require consent before you may let your home. Tax: a rented-out property falls into box 3, and since the adjusted leegwaarderatio it is taxed more heavily than before. And regulation: Amsterdam rents are increasingly capped by the points system, which can limit the rent you may legally charge. Selling gives you certainty and releases your equity. Letting gives you income and keeps the asset, with regulatory risk in return. We can calculate both scenarios for your specific property, with real figures, so you decide on numbers rather than gut feeling.

Many Amsterdam homes are listed below their expected selling price and sold through a bidding procedure. You submit one written bid, usually with conditions such as a financing reservation or a technical inspection, and the seller chooses. In the second quarter of 2026 the supply of homes for sale was about 27% higher than a year earlier, so extreme overbidding has eased, but well-priced homes still attract multiple bids. A buying agent checks what comparable homes actually sold for, so your bid is based on data instead of emotion, and advises which conditions you can safely keep.

Usually within one to two weeks after you give us the go-ahead. That time goes into photography, floor plans, the NEN2580 measurement report, the energy label and a listing text that actually sells. If your documents are already in order, such as the ownership deed, VvE papers and energy label, it can be faster. Everything runs through our secure digital sales file on Move.nl, so you can follow the progress from day one. Being one week faster is worth less than launching with a strong presentation, because the first days online determine the attention your home gets.

Use the contact or appointment button on the listing page, call us, or send a WhatsApp message. We are available seven days a week, including evenings and weekends, and we conduct our viewings ourselves rather than handing over a key. Would you like to view a home that is listed with another agency? As your buying agent we arrange the appointment, join you at the viewing and tell you honestly what we see, including the things the sales brochure does not mention.

The 30% ruling is a Dutch tax advantage for qualifying expats: in 2026 up to 30% of your gross salary can be paid tax free. For new applications from 1 January 2027 the percentage drops to 27%; existing arrangements keep their conditions. For 2026 the salary threshold is €48,013, or €36,497 if you are under 30 with a qualifying master degree. Most Dutch lenders include the benefit when calculating your mortgage, which increases your borrowing capacity while the ruling runs. If you are planning a move to Amsterdam, starting in 2026 rather than 2027 can therefore make a real difference.

Yes, and in Amsterdam most buyers do. The national mortgage guarantee NHG applies in 2026 up to a purchase price of €470,000, or about €498,200 when energy-saving measures are financed. The Amsterdam median transaction price was €588,000 in the second quarter of 2026, so a large share of the market simply falls outside NHG. Without NHG your interest rate is usually slightly higher and you miss the guarantee safety net for forced sales, but the income rules for what you can borrow stay the same. We can tell you per neighbourhood what is realistic within your budget.