More room for your family. Ideally in your own neighbourhood.
A bedroom for each child, a garden to play in, and still close to school and childcare. We search with you for the home where your family can grow.
Looking for a family home in Amsterdam.
Moving up in Amsterdam means fitting together space, budget and location. These are the things we hear most.
"A room of their own for each child."
They still share a room now, but not for much longer. How many bedrooms do you really need, also a few years from now?
"Preferably with a garden."
Most families hope for a garden. You are more likely to find one on the edges of the city, or in Amstelveen and Diemen.
"But the same school, please."
Once the children are older than about four, you usually want to stay nearby. That makes the search area smaller.
"What can we actually afford?"
That depends on what your current home sells for. With children, you want to know that precisely beforehand.
Careful sums, a focused search.
Micha, Erik or Lisa is your dedicated buying agent, from the first search brief to the keys. This is how we go about it.
- Running the numbers firstRoughly what will your current home sell for, and what can you buy with that? We set it all out together with a mortgage adviser from our network. You cannot just move a family again, so we would rather be too cautious than cut it too fine.
- Choosing the search areaStay close for school and childcare, or head for the edge of the city, Amstelveen or Diemen for more space and a garden? We put the options side by side, honestly.
- A focused searchWe keep an eye on the market in your search area, so you do not miss a good home.
- A critical eyeWith a family house there is more to check than with an apartment: the roof, the installations, and in older neighbourhoods the foundations. We look critically at every viewing with you.
- Sharp offers and good planningBased on recent sales in the area, we decide how far it is sensible to bid. And we match the completion date to the sale of your current home, so you only move once.
What to look out for when you buy bigger.
Going from an apartment to a family home is a big step, financially too.
Your budget
Your budget is the equity of your current home plus what you can borrow. If you borrow more than the purchase price minus that surplus, the interest on the extra part is not tax-deductible.
Moving just once
If you want to move in one go, you usually buy first. With a bridging loan (overbruggingskrediet) you can already use the equity in your current home for your new one. Expect a term of no more than two years, and interest on the loan.
The edge of the city
In Amstelveen, Diemen and on the edges of Amsterdam, you are more likely to find a family house with a garden. Also consider the travel time to work, school and family.
The maintenance is now yours
With a family house without an owners' association (VvE), you are responsible for the roof, the facade and the foundations yourself. Set aside a pot of money for that from the start.
Foundations in Amsterdam
In older Amsterdam neighbourhoods, many houses stand on wooden piles. Ask about a foundation survey, and if in doubt, have a structural surveyor take a look.
Costs on top of the purchase price
You pay 2% transfer tax if you will live there yourself, plus the civil-law notary, a valuation and your mortgage advice. Set it all out in advance.
This is general information. Always have your own situation calculated by a mortgage adviser. We are happy to put you in touch with a good one.
A family house in the same little neighbourhood in Noord.
We have helped several couples who lived in an apartment in Amsterdam-Noord. A little one, and sometimes a second on the way: it simply became too small.
They bought a family house in Noord, in the same little neighbourhood. The same shops, the same childcare, and for the children not much changed.
So more space does not have to mean leaving everything behind. Sometimes the bigger home is just around the corner.
A steady team, and you decide.
Alongside your own buying agent, we work with people we know and trust.
- MortgageWe work with several mortgage advisers we know and trust. They work out what you can afford to buy.
- Structural surveyWe know the best structural surveyors in the city, who are glad to help you with a structural survey.
- NotaryNo fixed notary: you choose, and we help you with that choice.
- Moving with childrenWe know several removal companies that are used to families, and we are happy to help you pick one.
We can help with anything. But the decision is always yours.
A fixed fee, no surprises.
€3,500 including VAT for full buying support, for homes worth up to €1,000,000. Above that, we agree a tailored fee in advance. The first conversation is free and without obligation.
Are we also selling your current home? Then you pay a 1% fee including VAT for that, only once your home is sold.
Frequently asked questions about buying a bigger home
How much can we buy if we sell our current home?
That depends on what your current home sells for and on how much you can borrow. A mortgage adviser from our network is glad to work it out for you, so you know what you are looking for.
Can you search in our own neighbourhood?
Yes. Especially if the children are already at school, we search specifically in your area. If little is for sale there, we look together at whether a neighbourhood a bit further along could work too.
Where do we find a family house with a garden?
You are more likely to find one on the edges of the city, and in Amstelveen and Diemen. We are active there too. We put the options side by side honestly, including the travel time.
Should we buy first or sell first?
Most families buy first, so they can go straight from the old home to the new one. Until your current home is sold, you bridge the gap with a bridging loan. Your mortgage adviser shows you in advance what that costs per month.
What should we look out for with a family house?
The roof, the installations and, in older neighbourhoods, the foundations. Without an owners' association, the maintenance is your own responsibility. We look critically at every viewing with you.
Can you also sell our current home?
Yes. Then we line up the purchase and the sale carefully, so you only have to move once. For the sale you pay a 1% fee including VAT, only once your home is sold.
What does a buying agent cost with you?
€3,500 including VAT for full buying support, for homes worth up to €1,000,000. Above that, we agree a tailored fee in advance. The first conversation is free.
Selling your current home?
When you move up, buying and selling almost always go together.
Tell us what you are looking for.
The first conversation is free and without obligation. Drop by on the Singel, or book a video call if arranging a babysitter is tricky. Afterwards you will know what you can afford, where to search and what the next step is.
Or call +31 20 845 5878 · WhatsApp us
Singel 374, 1016 AH Amsterdam
