You have found a home you like. The monthly payments fit your budget and your income is sufficient for the mortgage. But how much money do you need upfront to complete the purchase?
At Homeloan, we discuss this before you start making offers. You also pay for the notary, property valuation and mortgage advice. For a home you will live in yourself, property transfer tax is 2%, unless you qualify for an exemption.
How much of your own money do you need?
You need to cover the part of the purchase price you cannot finance, plus the additional costs. In the example below, a first-time buyer purchasing a €400,000 home pays €7,370 in purchase and financing costs. Without the transfer tax exemption, this example includes another €8,000 in transfer tax.
Updated on 20 October 2026. These calculations concern an existing property that you will use as your main home. Figures for external service providers are budgeting amounts, not quotations.
Why do you need your own money when buying a home?
For a standard purchase, the maximum mortgage is 100% of the market value of the property. The mortgage must also fit your income and financial commitments. Your maximum mortgage is therefore not automatically equal to the purchase price.
If you buy a home for €400,000 and its market value is also €400,000, you can finance €400,000 if your income is sufficient and you meet the lender’s conditions. You then pay the additional costs yourself.
If your income allows you to borrow only €380,000, you also need €20,000 towards the purchase price. This is on top of the additional costs. Exceptions to the 100% limit exist for certain energy-saving improvements. That extra borrowing is intended for those improvements, not furniture or ordinary purchase costs.
Use the maximum mortgage calculator for an initial estimate. During a consultation, I work through the figures using your own circumstances.
What do you pay on top of the purchase price?
The breakdown below helps you budget for the purchase. Not every item applies to every purchase. Ask for a quote for your specific property for the notary, valuation and inspection.
Property transfer tax
2% for a home you will live in
If you qualify for the transfer tax exemption, you do not pay this tax.
Notary: transfer deed and mortgage deed
€2,000 to €2,500 combined
For transferring ownership and registering your mortgage. Check whether the quote includes VAT, Land Registry charges and other additional fees.
Property valuation
€750 to €900
For a standard, validated property valuation report.
Mortgage advice and arrangement at Homeloan
€1,995 for first-time buyers
Personal advice and support with your mortgage application through to completion at the notary.
National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG)
0.4% of your mortgage amount in 2026
This one-off guarantee fee applies when you take out an NHG mortgage.
Bank guarantee
€275, if applicable
For arranging a bank guarantee instead of paying the contractual deposit from your own funds.
Building inspection
€500, if applicable
For an assessment of the condition of the property and expected repair costs.
Buying agent
As agreed in your quote and contract
Agree on the total price, including VAT, before instructing a buying agent.
What does “kosten koper” mean?
Strictly speaking, the Dutch term kosten koper refers to transfer tax and the costs of transferring ownership, such as the transfer deed and its registration. In everyday use, people also include valuation, mortgage advice and other additional costs. For your budget, the important thing is to include every expense.
What does mortgage advice at Homeloan cost?
For your first home, mortgage advice and arrangement at Homeloan costs €1,995. If you are an entrepreneur, a supplement applies: €395 for a sole proprietorship or general partnership (vof), and €695 for a private limited company (bv). If you are buying your next home, the standard fee is €2,995.
Valuers, notaries and external providers of income assessments charge separately. Arranging term life insurance or disability insurance costs €249 per policy, with the insurance premium payable separately. See the full breakdown on the fees page.
How much property transfer tax do you pay?
For an existing property that you will live in as your main home for the longer term, transfer tax is 2%. On a property worth €400,000, that is €8,000. If you meet the conditions for the transfer tax exemption, you pay no transfer tax.
For completion in 2026, the main conditions are:
- You are at least 18 and under 35 on the date you sign the transfer deed at the notary.
- You have not used the exemption before.
- You will live in the property yourself for the longer term and provide the required declaration.
- The value of the entire property is no more than €555,000, including associated structures and land. Additional valuation rules apply to leasehold where relevant.
If you buy together, eligibility is assessed separately for each buyer. However, the value limit applies to the whole property, not each buyer’s share. You do not have to be buying your very first home to qualify.
The completion date at the notary determines which year’s rules apply. If you sign the purchase agreement in 2026 but ownership transfers in 2027, the 2027 rules apply. Read more about the transfer tax exemption in 2027.
Worked example: buying a €400,000 home
Suppose you buy your first existing home in 2026 for €400,000. The valuation is also €400,000, your income supports this mortgage and you qualify for the transfer tax exemption. You choose NHG, a bank guarantee and a building inspection. You do not use a buying agent and no entrepreneur supplement applies.
We use €2,250 for the notary, the midpoint of the range above, and €750 for the valuation.
- Own funds towards the purchase price
- €0
- Transfer tax with the exemption
- €0
- Notary: transfer and mortgage deeds
- €2,250
- Property valuation
- €750
- Mortgage advice and arrangement at Homeloan
- €1,995
- NHG: 0.4% of €400,000
- €1,600
- Bank guarantee
- €275
- Building inspection
- €500
- Total own funds for these purchase costs
- €7,370
Without the transfer tax exemption, this example includes another €8,000. The total is then €15,370. This comparison changes only the transfer tax; all other assumptions stay the same.
Buying an apartment can also involve owners’ association (VvE) charges. The notary may apportion property-related charges between you and the seller, such as municipal taxes. These amounts, renovation work and any additional services are not included in the example.
Do you always have to fund a bid above the asking price yourself?
No. What matters is the purchase price compared with the market value and what your income allows you to borrow. The asking price does not directly determine your maximum mortgage.
Example: the asking price is €375,000, you agree to pay €400,000 and the valuation is €400,000. You have bid €25,000 above asking, but that amount does not automatically have to come from your savings. You can finance €400,000 if your income is sufficient and you meet the lender’s conditions.
If the valuation is €390,000 instead, you need to pay €10,000 of the same purchase price yourself. The purchase costs come on top of that. Consider the effect of a lower valuation before making an offer. Read more about making an offer with a financing condition (in Dutch).
The contractual deposit and a bank guarantee: avoid counting twice
A purchase agreement often requires a deposit of 10% of the purchase price. On a €400,000 home, that is €40,000. You can transfer this to the notary or arrange a bank guarantee if accepted under the agreement.
The deposit is not an additional €40,000 purchase cost. At completion, the notary offsets the deposit against what you still need to pay. If your mortgage and other payments already cover the full completion statement, the notary transfers the unused deposit back to you after completion. If only part of it is needed, you receive the balance back.
If you pay the deposit yourself, the money must be available before the agreed deadline. If you choose a bank guarantee, you pay €275 and do not have to transfer the deposit yourself.
A bank guarantee is not insurance against failing to complete the purchase. If the guarantor pays out because you do not meet your obligations, it can recover that amount from you. The cancellation conditions and deadlines in your purchase agreement therefore remain important.
Which costs are tax-deductible?
Financing costs relating to your qualifying home acquisition debt are deductible once, in the tax year in which you pay them. Qualifying home acquisition debt, called eigenwoningschuld in Dutch, is the part of your loan that meets the tax conditions for your own home.
This includes mortgage advice and arrangement fees, the mortgage deed and associated Land Registry charges, the valuation needed to obtain the loan, and the NHG fee. The transfer deed, property transfer tax, buying agent and bank guarantee fee for the contractual deposit are not deductible.
Tax-deductible does not mean you receive the entire amount back. Your tax benefit depends on your personal circumstances. You also pay the invoices first. Do not subtract an expected tax refund from the money you need available for completion. The Dutch Tax Administration provides a list of deductible costs (in Dutch).
When do your own funds need to be available?
Not everything is paid on the day you receive the keys. An inspection or valuation can be invoiced earlier. The deposit or bank guarantee must be arranged by the deadline in the purchase agreement. The notary tells you which remaining amount must reach their account before completion.
If your savings are in a fixed-term deposit or investments, check when you can access the money. With investments, allow for changes in value. If the money comes from selling your current home, the timing can make a bridging mortgage necessary (explanation in Dutch).
A gift can also help. Document it as a gift and account for any gift tax. Money borrowed from family is a debt: you must disclose it, and it can affect your maximum mortgage. Keep bank statements and agreements that demonstrate where the funds came from.
If you and your partner contribute different amounts, discuss how to record that agreement beforehand. Read more about buying together with unequal contributions.
Frequently asked questions about your own funds
Can you buy a home without savings?
You can also pay the purchase costs using a gift or available equity. The costs must be covered and the financing must fit your circumstances. An income that supports a mortgage for the purchase price does not cover these additional costs.
Can you finance purchase costs if the valuation is higher?
You can if there is room within the market value, your income and the lender’s conditions. A higher valuation does not automatically entitle you to additional borrowing. We also consider the tax treatment of the costs you finance.
Do you need your own money for a new-build home?
You can. New-build homes are generally sold vrij op naam, meaning certain purchase costs are included in the price. You still need to account for mortgage costs, extra building work, furnishing, construction interest and temporary overlapping housing costs. The budget therefore differs from an existing property purchase.
Want to know how much you need?
During an initial consultation, I compare your maximum mortgage, expected costs and available funds. This helps you understand what you can offer and what you will have left after the purchase. Meet me at Homeloan in the Lichttoren in Eindhoven, or arrange an online consultation.