Knowledge base
Commission: what a regular agent charges (and what we do differently)
Many buying agents charge commission: a percentage of the purchase price. We work with one fixed amount of €2,499, and on this page we explain why that difference matters.
In short
- Commission is usually a percentage of the purchase price: you only know afterwards what you pay.
- With a percentage the agent earns more when you pay more; with our fixed fee of €2,499 that interest does not exist.
- The fee is all-in for the agent's work and no cure no pay; tax, notary, valuation, survey and mortgage advice are paid separately.
What is commission?
Commission (courtage) is the fee you pay an agent for supporting you in buying a home. With most buying agents that is not a fixed amount but a percentage of the purchase price. So you only know what you will pay once the purchase is done.
On top of that, separate items are sometimes added in that model: charges for viewings, a start-up fee or a payment if no home is bought. Anyone who wants to know where they stand in advance has to ask a lot of questions.
With us it works differently. You pay one fixed amount of €2,499 for the entire purchase, and that amount is fixed before you start viewing.
Why a percentage can work against you
A percentage sounds harmless, but it has a side effect: the higher the purchase price, the more the buying agent earns. That does not make such an agent dishonest, but it sits awkwardly with what you want from a negotiator. You are looking for someone who keeps pressing on the price, not someone who benefits when you bid more.
Because our fee is fixed, nothing changes for us when the purchase price rises or falls. That means we can negotiate hard without anyone having to wonder whose interest is being served.
What you get with us:
- One fixed amount of €2,499 for the complete purchase, whatever the price of the home.
- No cure no pay: if you do not buy a home, you pay nothing.
- Settlement at the notary, through the deed, at the moment you actually buy the home.
- One dedicated NVM agent who handles the whole process personally, from the first call to the handover of the keys.
What the service covers
The fixed fee covers the full support during the purchase. Your dedicated agent is an NVM agent and therefore has access to the exchange system of the NVM, the largest association of estate agents in the Netherlands.
- Drawing up your search brief and watching the market for suitable homes.
- Coming to viewings and giving a level-headed assessment of the property.
- A valuation: what this home is realistically worth in this market.
- The offer and the negotiation with the selling agent.
- Recording the conditions precedent: clauses that let you cancel the purchase free of charge within an agreed period, for example if your mortgage falls through.
- Support around the building survey and the purchase agreement, right through to the transfer at the notary.
Commission in Amsterdam, Haarlem, Alkmaar and the rest of the country
Online you still come across old figures about the average commission charged by agents in Amsterdam. Those say little about what you pay today. Margins differ per office and per year, and a percentage of the purchase price simply runs higher in a city with high property prices than in a smaller town. If you are looking for a buying agent in Amsterdam, Haarlem, Alkmaar, Purmerend or Amstelveen, you run into the same question everywhere: how much does that percentage come to in euros once the purchase is done?
We work throughout the Netherlands, from Amsterdam and Haarlem to Zwolle, Groningen and Leeuwarden. The same price applies everywhere: €2,499 all-in. No sliding scale, no regional surcharge, no difference between an apartment in the centre of Amsterdam and a terraced house in Purmerend.
What is not included
All-in refers to the agent's fee, not to the total buyer's costs. Kosten koper is the part of the purchase costs that you as a buyer pay on top of the price. A number of items are paid separately, directly to independent parties:
- Transfer tax, if it applies in your situation.
- Notary fees for the transfer deed and the mortgage deed.
- A valuation report, if your lender asks for one.
- A building survey.
- Mortgage advice.
Request your proposal without obligation
Would you like to know what we can do in your situation? Request a proposal without obligation. You answer a few short questions about your plans, the type of home, your price range and your budget.
We only use your details to contact you. The call and the proposal are free of obligation; you are not committed to anything.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about commission
What is commission exactly?
Commission is the fee you pay an agent for supporting you in buying a home. With many buying agents that is a percentage of the purchase price. With us it is a fixed amount of €2,499, whatever the price of the home.
Do you also charge a percentage of the purchase price?
No. You always pay €2,499. That amount is fixed in advance and does not move with the final purchase price.
Is the €2,499 really everything you pay the agent?
Yes, it is all-in for the agent's work: searching, viewings, the valuation, bidding, negotiating and support right through to the handover of the keys. No separate items are added by us.
Which costs do you pay separately then?
Transfer tax, notary fees, any valuation report, a building survey and mortgage advice are paid separately to the parties doing that work. All-in refers to our agent's fee, not to the total buyer's costs.
What happens if you do not buy a home?
Then you pay nothing. That is the principle of no cure no pay: you only pay if you actually buy a home with our support. You settle at the notary, through the deed.
Do you also work in Amsterdam, Haarlem and Alkmaar?
Yes, we are active throughout the Netherlands, including Amsterdam, Haarlem, Alkmaar, Purmerend and Amstelveen. The same fixed fee of €2,499 applies everywhere.
Klaar om te kijken wat wij voor je kunnen doen?
Vraag vrijblijvend je voorstel aan. Daarna nemen we telefonisch contact met je op.