Buying Guide
How to Make an Offer on a House in the Netherlands
By Daria | S-Guru Property
Updated October 2026
Making an offer on a house in the Netherlands can feel surprisingly stressful, especially if the buying process works differently in your home country.
One of the most common questions international buyers ask is:
How much should I offer?
Unfortunately, there is no percentage that works for every property.
A good bidding strategy starts with understanding the specific home.
Start with market value, not the asking price
The asking price is chosen by the seller and selling agent as part of the marketing strategy.
It may be close to expected market value, deliberately attractive to generate competition, or influenced by the seller’s strategy.
Before deciding what to bid, consider:
recent comparable sales;
price per square metre;
condition;
expected renovation costs;
energy label;
location;
outdoor space;
VvE position for an apartment;
and how much demand the property is attracting.
The fact that another house sold 10% above asking does not mean this one will — or should.
Decide your maximum before submitting the offer
Bidding can become emotional.
It is therefore useful to decide your personal maximum before submitting the offer rather than during the final minutes of a bidding process.
Ask yourself:
If another buyer pays €5,000 more than my maximum, will I regret losing the house — or will I feel relieved that I did not overpay?
Your answer can be surprisingly useful.
An offer contains more than the purchase price
The seller may consider other elements of your offer as well.
These can include:
financing reservation;
building inspection reservation;
preferred transfer date;
flexibility;
and other agreements.
Removing conditions can sometimes make an offer more attractive, but it also transfers more financial risk to the buyer.
It should therefore never be done simply because “everyone else is doing it”.
Financing reservation
A financing clause can allow you to cancel the purchase if you cannot obtain the agreed mortgage under the conditions stated in the purchase agreement.
Buyers who waive financing protection should understand the potential consequences before doing so.
The fact that a mortgage adviser expects financing to be possible is not exactly the same as having final mortgage approval.
Building inspection condition
A building inspection can identify defects and potential maintenance costs.
Depending on how the condition is written, it may provide a way to reconsider or renegotiate if the inspection identifies costs above a specified amount.
This can be particularly relevant for older homes.
What happens when your offer is accepted?
Once an offer is accepted, the next stage is usually preparation and signing of the purchase agreement.
In Dutch property transactions, the term “provisional purchase agreement” can be misleading: once signed, it is a serious legal agreement.
Private residential buyers have a statutory cooling-off period after receiving the signed contract.
After that period, agreed cancellation clauses become particularly important.
Should you always overbid?
No.
Some properties sell above asking price, others close to asking, and some below.
What matters is whether the amount makes sense for that specific property.
Consider:
What would a comparable buyer probably pay for this home today?
and separately:
What is this particular home worth to me?
Those two figures may not be identical.
Your final offer should take both into account.
Avoid bidding based purely on fear
Competitive housing markets create a strong fear of missing out.
It is easy to start thinking:
“If I don't offer more now, I will never find another house.”
That is rarely a good reason to increase your bid.
A better approach is to understand the property, determine your range and decide in advance where you are willing to stop.
Losing one bidding process can be disappointing. Overpaying significantly for the wrong home can be much more expensive.
Already found a property?
With a Property & Bid Analysis, I can help you review the listing, asking price, comparable properties and bidding considerations before you submit your offer.
Found a property you’re considering?
Book a Property Review & Viewing for €199 incl. VAT. I’ll review the listing and local market context, attend one viewing in Hilversum with you or on your behalf, ask the key questions in Dutch and help you understand the main considerations before you decide how to proceed.
S-Guru Property
S-Guru Property is the property brand of S-Guru Dutch Consulting, an established Dutch consultancy operating in the Netherlands for over five years.
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