Compare up to 5 free quotes from vetted Dutch buying agents.
Tell us what you're looking for once. We match you with buyer-only aankoopmakelaars who work in English or Mandarin and know how to guide international buyers. Free, no obligation, no pressure.
One request. Up to five quotes. You decide.
You stay in control the whole way. Nobody visits, nobody calls unannounced, and you are never obliged to hire any of the agents you hear from.
Tell us about your search
Your budget, target area, and timeline, in a two-minute form. No account, no documents, no cost.
We match vetted agents
We select up to five buyer-only agents who are active in your area and experienced with international buyers.
Compare and choose
They send you their fee and approach directly. Compare them side by side, pick one, or walk away entirely.
Not every agent gets on the list.
Anyone can call themselves a makelaar in the Netherlands. The title is not legally protected, which is exactly why we screen before anyone reaches you.
- 01Buyer-only representationThey act for the buyer in your transaction, never for the seller at the same time. No dual agency, no divided loyalty.
- 02Registered with a professional bodyMembership of NVM, VBO, or VastgoedPRO, which means binding conduct rules and access to independent dispute resolution.
- 03Advice in your languageNot just conversational fluency. Our agents can explain a purchase agreement, an inspection report, and a VvE balance sheet clearly in English, Dutch, or Mandarin Chinese.
- 04Proven experience with expatsThey have guided international buyers before and understand 30 percent ruling situations, expiring permits, and relocation timelines.
- 05Transparent, upfront feesA clear fee structure quoted in advance. No surprise percentages appearing at the notary.
Buying here is not like buying at home.
Contracts are in Dutch
The purchase agreement, building inspection, and notary paperwork are rarely translated. Signing without understanding every clause is a real risk.
Bidding has unwritten rules
Asking price is a starting point, not a target. Bidding above asking, waiving conditions, and short deadlines are normal here, not warning signs.
The system assumes you already know it
Bedenktijd, notary choice, NHG, VvE reserves: none of it is explained unless you ask the right questions at the right moment.
Five stops between here and your front door key.
This is the actual order buying a house happens in the Netherlands. Your agent walks every stop with you.
Orientation & budget
Mortgage ceiling, target areas, and what your budget actually buys.
Search & viewings
Shortlisting homes and reading a listing the way a local would.
Bid & negotiate
A fair, competitive bid and someone negotiating for you, not the seller.
Legal & notary
Purchase agreement, bedenktijd, mortgage approval, notary deed.
Keys & settling in
Transfer day, utilities, and the first weeks in your new home.
Built for internationals settling in the Netherlands.
Among the largest international communities buying homes here. Our agents advise in English, Dutch and Mandarin, and are used to expiring permits, international contracts, and relocation timelines.
Sort the mortgage first.
Sellers in a competitive market take financed bids far more seriously, and once a purchase agreement is signed your financing condition usually expires within four to six weeks. That is not the moment to start looking for an advisor.
- 01Lenders judge expats very differentlyPermit duration, contract type, and international income are weighed differently by each lender. Two banks can reach opposite conclusions about the same applicant.
- 02Advice fees are quoted upfront, and varyEvery AFM-licensed advisor must give you a written service document stating their fee before work starts. Almost nobody compares them, and the spread runs into hundreds of euro.
- 03We only make the introductionDutchKey holds no financial licence, gives no advice, and asks for no financial details. You get contact from licensed advisors, and everything of substance happens with them.
Everything an expat needs to know before buying here.
Fifteen guides in plain English, updated as Dutch rules and market conditions change.
How to buy a house in the Netherlands as an expat
The complete step-by-step guide: budgeting, viewings, bidding culture, bedenktijd, mortgages without permanent residency, notary costs, and what to check before you sign.
How DutchKey makes money.
Comparing quotes is free for you and always will be. The buying agents pay DutchKey a fee when they receive a request, which is how we keep the service free for buyers.
That fee is fixed and identical for every agent, so nobody can pay to be ranked higher or recommended more often. We are not owned by an estate agency, and we do not take a share of any purchase.
Compare your free quotes.
Two minutes now saves weeks of searching for the right agent. You choose whether to respond to any of them.
- ✓Up to 5 quotes from vetted, buyer-only agents
- ✓Agents available in English, Dutch and Mandarin
- ✓Completely free, with no obligation to hire
- ✓Most quotes arrive within 2 business days
- ✓Your details are never sold to third parties
What expats ask before buying in the Netherlands.
Nothing. Comparing quotes is free for you and carries no obligation to hire anyone. DutchKey is paid a fixed fee by the buying agents who receive your request, which is how the service stays free for buyers.
Agents are accepted only if they work buyer-only rather than representing sellers in the same transaction, are registered with a recognised Dutch professional body such as NVM, VBO, or VastgoedPRO, advise fluently in English, and have prior experience guiding international buyers.
The process runs through orientation and budgeting, viewings, making a bid, signing a purchase agreement, a mortgage and notary phase, and finally transfer of the keys. Expats can buy property with no residency restrictions, but the paperwork, bidding culture, and timelines differ enough from most home countries that most expats engage a licensed aankoopmakelaar.
An aankoopmakelaar searches and shortlists homes, attends viewings, advises on a fair bid in a competitive market, negotiates on your behalf, and reviews the purchase agreement before anything is signed. Unlike a listing agent, who is paid by and represents the seller, a buying agent works only for you.
Bedenktijd is a mandatory three-day cooling-off period after signing the purchase agreement, during which a private buyer can cancel without giving a reason or paying a penalty. It only applies once, starts the day after signing, and always includes at least two working days.
Yes, most Dutch banks offer mortgages to non-permanent residents who hold a valid residence and work permit and a Dutch employment contract, though terms vary by lender and employment status. A mortgage advisor familiar with expat situations can confirm what you personally qualify for.
English, Dutch, and Mandarin Chinese. You do not need to speak Dutch to buy here, but contracts, inspection reports, and notary deeds are written in Dutch and the Dutch text is what legally governs, so having an agent who can explain every clause in your own language matters more than it might seem.