Costs
Kosten koper: what buying a home really costs
The purchase price is not the whole price. A clear breakdown of Dutch buyer’s costs — transfer tax, notary, valuation, survey — and which of them are tax-deductible.
Dutch listings quote a price followed by two small letters: k.k. — kosten koper, “buyer’s costs”. They mean exactly what they say: on top of the purchase price, the buyer pays the costs of the transaction. For an existing home, plan for roughly 4–6% on top of the purchase price. Here is where that money goes.
The main items
| Cost | Typical size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer tax (overdrachtsbelasting) | 2% of the price | For a home you will live in yourself. Buyers under 35 may qualify for a one-time exemption below a government-set price cap. |
| Notary | ≈ €1,000–2,000 | Drafts and registers the deed of transfer and the mortgage deed. Prices vary — quotes are free. |
| Valuation (taxatie) | ≈ €500–800 | An independent, certified valuation the bank requires before granting a mortgage. |
| Structural survey (bouwkundige keuring) | ≈ €300–600 | Optional but wise for older homes; can be a condition in your offer. |
| Mortgage advice & arrangement | ≈ €2,000–3,500 | Advisers’ fee models differ — fixed fees are the norm. |
| NHG (mortgage guarantee), if applicable | small one-off % of the loan | Available below a yearly price cap; usually earns itself back through a lower interest rate. |
| Sworn interpreter at the notary | ≈ €300–500 | Legally required if you don’t speak Dutch fluently — the notary must be certain you understand the deeds. |
| Buying agent (aankoopmakelaar) | varies | We quote a clear fee up front, before you commit to anything. |
A few figures in this table — tax caps and exemption limits especially — are reset by the government every January. We’ll confirm the numbers that apply to your purchase before you rely on them.
New-builds are different
New construction is sold v.o.n. (vrij op naam): there is no transfer tax and the notary costs for the transfer are included. You’ll meet other costs instead — construction interest, finishing, sometimes a mandatory buyer’s package — but the headline logic flips: the sticker price includes the transaction.
The deposit is not a cost — but it needs arranging
After signing, the seller will expect security of 10% of the purchase price, held by the notary. You either transfer it or, more commonly, buy a bank guarantee for a fee of around 1% of that deposit. It’s not money lost — it’s money promised, and it’s what you forfeit if you walk away outside your conditions. Guard your conditions accordingly.
The good news: part of it comes back
Costs that relate to financing the home are generally tax-deductible in the year of purchase: mortgage advice, the valuation, the NHG fee, the notary’s mortgage deed (not the transfer deed), and comparable financing costs. For many buyers this softens the bill noticeably. A tax adviser — or a well-prepared aangifte — makes the difference here.
The pattern to remember: the purchase price buys the house; the kosten koper buy certainty — that the title is clean, the value is real, the structure is sound and the contract protects you. It’s the best-spent 5% of the whole project.