A Dutch mortgage is constrained by both your finances and the home. Start before bidding: understand borrowing capacity, valuation, cash costs, NHG and how your employment/residency situation is treated.

Two ceilings: income and property value

Your maximum mortgage depends on statutory affordability rules based on income, interest and financial commitments, and on the value of the home. Rijksoverheid states that a mortgage can normally be up to 100% of the property’s value. A higher bid does not force the lender to finance the difference.

NHG in 2026

The 2026 NHG limit is €470,000. With qualifying energy-saving measures, the limit can reach €498,200, with the extra amount subject to the energy rules. The one-off NHG guarantee fee is 0.4% in 2026. NHG can provide a safety net in qualifying hardship situations and lenders often price NHG loans differently.

Mortgage types and interest

Compare annuity and linear repayment, the fixed-interest period, effective monthly cost, flexibility for extra repayments, portability/moving conditions and what happens when the fixed period ends. Interest-only elements still exist in the market but tax and lending rules make historical and new mortgages different; do not copy an older homeowner’s structure without advice.

Direct lender or independent adviser?

A bank adviser generally advises on that bank’s own offering. An independent mortgage adviser can compare a wider lender panel, but “independent” does not automatically mean every lender in the market. Ask which lenders are compared, what advice/intermediation costs, and whether your case involves specialist lenders.

Where to start comparing

Newcomer and international cases

  • Ask how residence status and remaining permit duration are treated.
  • Foreign salary, employer or currency can change lender acceptance.
  • Temporary contracts, probation and recent job changes need individual assessment.
  • Self-employed applicants usually need business/income evidence; the required history and accepted calculation can vary.
  • Declare foreign loans, student debt, lease commitments and other financial obligations.
  • Do not assume a high foreign salary automatically produces the same borrowing result as a straightforward Dutch payroll case.

Before making an unconditional bid

A calculator is an indication, not a mortgage offer. Get a realistic financing assessment and understand the consequences before waiving a financing condition. Your maximum income-based borrowing amount and the home’s eventual appraised value are separate risks.