Getting a mortgage as an expat in the Netherlands

If you’ve decided to stay long-term as an expat professional in the Netherlands, buying your home could be a sensible investment.

As in the vast majority of worldwide expat destinations, it’s possible to buy a Dutch home using a deposit and a mortgage if you’re resident in the country. However, Dutch banks’ and loan company requirements differ dependent on your country of origin, your reasons for purchase, your income and various other relevant details. If you’re an EU citizen and have an EU passport, the majority of lenders will treat you as if you’re Dutch, with only a few stricter banks having extra requirements. It’s not clear at the present time how much or how little the process will change for UK expats once Brexit is finalised.

If you’re not from an EU member state, the first criterion for getting a mortgage is proof of residence and employment in the Netherlands for at least several years. All applicants, no matter what their origins, will need to have registered with the Dutch authorities and have a BSN number, with some banks only offering expats 85 or 90 per cent loan to value mortgages. The longer you’ve lived and worked in the country, the less complicated the mortgage procedure becomes, with those looking to buy as a family home often getting a higher mortgage than those looking to invest in a buy to let property.

The ease of the mortgage process can also depend on your employment sector and work contract, with those on temporary contracts needing a letter of intent from their employer. If you’re working via an employment agency, have variable working hours, a zero-hour contract or other less than usual arrangements, your income will be determined in a different way, counting your average take-home pay over a period of three years. In addition, if you’re self-employed, your company must be located and registered in the Netherlands and be at least one year old.