Purchase Costs of a Home

In short

When you buy a home, there are purchase costs on top of the price. They consist of transfer costs (transfer tax and the deed of transfer) and financing costs (such as valuation, advice and notary fees for the mortgage). Whether you pay transfer costs depends on what you buy: with an existing home you pay buyer's costs (kosten koper), while a new-build home is usually sold "free on name". Budget for roughly 4% to 6% of the purchase price in additional costs.

1. Transfer costs and transfer tax

For an existing home you pay buyer's costs: the cost of the deed of transfer and the transfer tax. The transfer tax for a home you will live in yourself is 2% of the purchase price.

Are you between 18 and 35 and buying your first home as your main residence? Then you can use the starters' exemption: you pay 0% transfer tax. In 2026 this exemption applies to homes up to € 555,000. If you buy a home you will not live in yourself, such as a buy-to-let property, an 8% rate applies from 2026 (reduced from 10.4%).

New-build homes are usually sold free on name (VON). You then pay no transfer tax; VAT is due on new-build instead of transfer tax, and it is already included in the price.

2. Financing costs

If you take out a mortgage, you incur financing costs. Some are unavoidable (such as notary fees for the mortgage deed), others depend on your choices. The most common items are below:

Cost item	When do you pay it?
Notary fees	Always, mandatory.
Valuation / structural survey	Not always needed.
Mortgage advice and brokerage fees	Only if you take out a mortgage.
Guarantee premium (NHG)	Only if you take out NHG.
Standby commission	Only if you extend your offer.
Estate agent fees	Only if you use a buying agent.

3. Notary fees

The notary draws up the mortgage deed and the deed of transfer. Notaries set their own rates, so it pays to compare a few quotes beforehand. Sometimes there is even room to negotiate.

4. Valuation and structural survey

For your mortgage the provider often requires a valuation report to establish the home's value. More and more valuers charge a fixed fee, so you know in advance where you stand. A structural survey is not mandatory, but is wise for an older home.

5. Advice and brokerage fees

These are your mortgage adviser's fees. The adviser helps you choose the most favourable mortgage type and provider for your situation. You can request a free session with an independent adviser.

6. Guarantee premium (NHG)

If you take out your mortgage with the National Mortgage Guarantee, you pay a one-off guarantee premium. In 2026 that is 0.4% of your mortgage amount. On a € 350,000 mortgage that comes to € 1,400. The amount is tax-deductible.

7. Standby commission

A mortgage offer is only valid for a limited time. If that period expires before the home is transferred to you, for example with new-build, you can extend the offer for a standby commission. This is usually around 0.25% per month of the mortgage amount; the exact cost differs per provider.

8. Estate agent fees

If you use a buying agent, you pay a commission: usually a percentage of the purchase price or a fixed amount. Rates differ and are often negotiable. A good agent can pay for themselves by negotiating a sharper purchase price.

9. Which costs are deductible?

The rule of thumb: costs you incur for arranging the mortgage are tax-deductible, costs for buying the house itself are not.

Cost item	Deductible?
Notary fees	Only the part for the mortgage deed, not for the deed of transfer.
Valuation	Deductible if it is for the mortgage application.
Advice and brokerage fees	Deductible (for the mortgage).
Guarantee premium	Deductible.
Standby commission	Deductible.
Transfer tax and estate agent fees	Not deductible.

Frequently asked questions

Roughly how much are the purchase costs?

Budget for around 4% to 6% of the purchase price, depending on whether you pay transfer tax and which services you use.

Can I add the purchase costs to my mortgage?

No, you can borrow at most 100% of the home value. You pay the additional costs from your own money.

Which purchase costs are deductible?

Mainly the costs of arranging the mortgage: advice and brokerage fees, valuation for the mortgage, the guarantee premium and the mortgage part of the notary fees.