Making an offer on a house: how it works

Under offer, open bidding and offer accepted: what do they mean?

Onder bod (under offer) means the seller is negotiating with an interested buyer. The house is not sold yet, but there is an offer on the table that the seller is seriously considering. At that point you can often still request a viewing and sometimes still bid, but there is a real chance you are too late.

An open bod (open offer) is the opposite. There is no offer yet and the agent indicates that anyone may make a non-binding offer, without a negotiation already running with someone.

Bod geaccepteerd (offer accepted) means seller and buyer agree on the price and the conditions. That feels like the finish line, but it is not quite yet.

• Onder bod: a negotiation is running with a prospective buyer; the home is not sold yet.
• Open bod: anyone may bid without obligation; no negotiation is under way.
• Bod geaccepteerd: the parties agree on price and conditions, but nothing has been signed.

Why it is only certain once it is signed

Until the purchase agreement is signed, a seller can in theory go back on a verbal commitment. If a seller withdraws after accepting the offer, that is painful, but as long as nothing is on paper you have little legal ground as a buyer.

This is exactly where a buying agent makes the difference. Your dedicated agent makes sure verbal agreements are put in writing quickly, so you are not left empty-handed.

Having second thoughts about your offer afterwards? That happens more often than you think, certainly if you bid under time pressure. As long as the purchase agreement has not been signed, you are not committed to anything. Once it has been signed, you as a private buyer have three days of statutory cooling-off time. After that the conditions precedent apply: the terms under which you can withdraw at no cost, for example if the financing falls through.

What an offer consists of, and how to decide the amount

Making an offer on a house is more than naming an amount. Your offer consists of several elements that together determine how attractive it is to the seller.

To decide the amount we look at comparable sales nearby, the condition of the property and how much interest there is likely to be. Bid too low and you lose your chance. Bid too high and you are still paying, years later, for a home that may not have been worth it.

• The price you offer.
• The preferred transfer date, in other words when you get the keys.
• The conditions precedent, such as a financing clause or a building survey.
• Any agreements about movable items, such as kitchen appliances or floor coverings.

We make the offer and conduct the negotiation

We make the offer on your behalf, directly to the selling agent. We substantiate the offer, choose the moment and conduct the conversation right through the negotiation. If a home is already under offer when you become interested, we look together at whether it is still worth competing or whether you are better off waiting for the next opportunity.

With us you pay one fixed fee of €2,499 for the entire purchase, whatever the final price. A buying agent working on commission, a percentage of the purchase price, earns more as you pay more. With a fixed amount that interest does not exist. Our interest is in a home that suits you, at a realistic price.

You only settle once the purchase is completed at the notary: no purchase, no costs. Note that all-in refers to the agent's fee. Transfer tax, notary fees, a valuation report, a building survey and mortgage advice are paid separately to the party concerned.

From the first call to the handover of the keys you work with one dedicated NVM agent. The same person who comes with you to the viewing also conducts the negotiation and checks the purchase agreement.