Costs of buying a house: what comes on top of the price

Which costs come with buying a house

When you are looking for a home, attention usually goes to the purchase price. But a number of additional costs come on top of it. It is wise to know those in advance, so you know how much you really need.

The largest additional cost is transfer tax (overdrachtsbelasting). Buyers who will live in the home themselves and are under 35 can use an exemption, subject to conditions. Other buyers pay a percentage of the purchase price. You also pay notary fees for the transfer deed and, if you take out a mortgage, for the mortgage deed as well.

Then there are the costs of a valuation report. The bank asks for one to establish the value of the property. If you use a mortgage adviser, you pay advice fees too. A building survey is not compulsory, but it is advisable, certainly with an older home. What it costs depends on the size of the property and the surveyor you engage.

• Transfer tax, unless you qualify for the exemption
• Notary fees for the transfer deed and, if applicable, the mortgage deed
• Valuation costs for the report the bank asks for
• Mortgage advice fees, if you use an adviser
• A building survey, not compulsory but sensible
• The costs of a buying agent

What kosten koper means

Kosten koper (k.k.) is the collective term for the costs you pay as a buyer on top of the purchase price. Think of transfer tax and the notary fees for the transfer deed. If a home is offered kosten koper, those amounts come on top of the price you agree.

The costs of a buying agent sit outside that. Many buying agents work on commission: a fee that moves with the purchase price. The more you pay for the home, the higher the fee. That is an interest that works against you at the very moment it matters.

At All In Makelaardij you pay a fixed amount of €2,499 for the complete process. That amount does not change, however high the purchase price turns out to be. So your dedicated agent has no interest at all in an offer higher than it needs to be.

What all-in does and does not mean

All-in refers to our agent's fee, not to every cost of buying a home. Transfer tax, notary fees, a valuation report, a building survey and mortgage advice are paid separately to the parties doing that work. The notary, the valuer, the surveyor and the mortgage adviser are independent third parties; we add nothing to their invoices. We would rather make that clear in advance than have it surprise you later.

• Included: searching and shortlisting homes that match your wishes and budget
• Included: coming to viewings
• Included: a valuation, so you know what a home is realistically worth
• Included: setting the bidding strategy and negotiating with the selling agent
• Included: support with the conditions precedent in the purchase agreement, the terms under which you can still cancel free of charge, for example if you cannot arrange the financing
• Included: support with the building survey, the final inspection and the handover of the keys at the notary
• Not included: transfer tax, notary fees, the valuation, the survey itself and mortgage advice

When and how you pay

If you end up not buying a home, you pay nothing. That is no cure no pay. And you pay nothing up front: settlement runs through the notarial deed at the moment the purchase is completed.

Your whole purchase is handled by one dedicated NVM agent, from the first call to the handover of the keys. Want to know what that means in your situation? Request a proposal without obligation. We will then call you.