Bargaining for a house or apartment in Amsterdam - Buying A Home in Amsterdam
You’re going to need your real estate broker to do most the bargaining on your behalf, as they know the exact workings of the process. On top of that, they are the experts of the housing market, and they know how to get you the best price. There are shady real estate brokers in Amsterdam, so be aware, as an expat you're an easy victim for them.
Buy Apartment in Amsterdam
An expat’s biggest fear is not getting the house or apartment they wanted, and the best way of avoiding this is to let your broker take care of things. The process of bargaining through to the actual purchase is complex, as there are many stages that you need to go through and there are several parties involved and some important issues to deal with. There’s of course the process of bargaining between seller and buyer, but the house or apartment also needs official independent valuation. Also there is the process of arranging the licences and acquiring the financial warranty, and there are different phases in coming to an agreement about the purchase, depending on the advancement of arranging the mortgage. The bargaining is the last important phase before the actual purchase. The process may take some time, but ultimately your broker will make sure you get your house or apartment in Amsterdam.
Shortlist of buying a home in Amsterdam:
-
Behind the price of a house you will find mostly 'K.K.', which stands for Kosten Koper (Costs for Buyer), so when you buy the house an additional fee will be calculated of taxes and notary costs among others. You should add about 10% above the mentioned price.
You can also find 'V.O.N.' behind the price of a house, this means Vrij Op Naam (Free to Register), in this situation there are not much hidden costs and taxes. V.O.N. applies mostly on newly built houses with no history.
-
There are shady real estate brokers in Amsterdam, expats are an easy victim for them. Make sure you trust your real estate broker.
-
Let the real estate broker handle the bidding, don't get nervous or know best. Trust your real estate broker. Stay polite, cool and clearly show that you are fully interested.
- The bidding and buying process can take up weeks, so be prepared.
The next step: Legal Transfer
