- Blog
The housing market in the Netherlands, after years of sharp increases, finally seems to be leveling off a bit, giving buyers a better chance of finally getting their dream home too.
For starters, there is finally hope again to be able to buy and participate in the exciting but oh so fun bidding process.
But how does such a process actually work? And what is useful or best not to do?
We explain it to you step by step below.
What bid forms are there?
When you’ve found your dream home and you’re sure it’s the one you want to live in a neighborhood that makes you absolutely happy, you’re going to make an offer. That’s a very exciting moment.
There are actually three types of bids that are commonly used when buying a home.
You will make an offer to the selling broker (verbally, in writing, or online), listing a price and any conditions (such as financing or building inspection).
- The most common form here is negotiation, where you start with an opening bid and bids are made over and over again until agreement is reached. There may also be multiple bids during the process, and the broker asks for a final and highest bid. Hereon, the seller always has the last word.
- In “bid by tender,” you make one one-time bid in a sealed envelope, without knowing what others are bidding, and then the seller chooses the “winner. It is very important to confirm all communications in writing.
- A variation of these two bid types is an online bidding tool: where the broker uses an online platform where you see the bids in real time.
Ultimately, as described earlier, the seller determines the winner. This can be based on the highest bid but also because of favorable conditions. An example of such a condition is a Mortgage2Go mortgage certificate, where it is already 100% certain for the seller that the bidder can buy the property.
In addition, a seller can simply award it. In fact, many buyers include a personal bill when bidding on tender.
Thus, despite a perhaps lower bid, they hope to be chosen by the seller.
Tips for a good offer
- Don’t bid too high, especially not too much above market value because your bank will often only finance 100% of the appraised value. This can be difficult because houses are often outbid. Therefore, make sure you know exactly what you can offer (at most) via a pre-checked mortgage and discuss with your real estate agent what is a sensible amount but with a high chance of success.
- Minimize conditions: An offer with no (or few) resolutive conditions is more attractive to the seller, but carries more risk.
- Provide substantiation: A good explanation makes you a serious candidate.
How does it work for the housing market in Amsterdam?
By 2025, there has been slight cooling and stabilization, with slightly longer lead times averaging 35-54 days.
There is less overbidding than before, but demand remains high and the temporarily higher supply of for-sale rental properties will again decline.
Therefore, the increase in supply is expected to slow down again during 2026, causing price pressure to increase again. Thus, there are other mortgage trends for 2026.
Therefore, always expect to have to overbid. In Amsterdam, this is the norm about 7-9% above the asking price.
Therefore, also make sure you have a good (local) broker who has a large network of fellow brokers and solid sources to compare the latest transactions. That way you can bid competitively and appropriately!
Finally, the buying process in a nutshell
- View the property and gather information.
- Determine your maximum budget (possibly through a pre-checked mortgage so you know exactly what you can borrow) , including buyer’s fees, and consider what resolving conditions such as financing and inspection you want to include.
- Make an offer: Contact the broker and make an offer. This can be verbal or written, but make sure you always confirm an offer by e-mail. So clearly state the amount and conditions in your bid.
- Negotiation: The seller may counterbid; negotiate until a price and terms are agreed upon that you are satisfied with and which fits within your budget.
- Signing: Once agreement is reached, this is recorded in a preliminary sales agreement that must be signed by both parties. This can easily be done online these days, so there is no need to travel to a notary yet.
Mortgage2Go
Have you found your dream home and are ready to buy your first home in 2026? And if so, do you want certainty about what your maximum mortgage loan will be and have the financing pretty much in place before you start house hunting?
Then Mortgage2Go offers the solution. With a pre-checked mortgage, your financing is almost fully secured, and you can be confident that you’ll be able to afford your dream home.
Within two business days of your accepted offer, your financing is then complete and finally approved!
Quickly start an application for a mortgage and see if you qualify.
