A
Aanbod (listings)
Available homes that are for sale or for rent.
Aanhuurbemiddeling (rental search service)
Helping to find a suitable home that you want to rent.
Aanhuurmakelaar (rental search agent)
An estate agent who works for you to find a suitable rental home.
Aankoop-, verkoop- en financieringskosten (purchase, sale and financing costs)
Costs you have to pay when you buy a home. Think of transfer tax, notary costs, the estate agent’s fee and, for example, the arrangement fee for the mortgage. Some of these costs are tax deductible.
Aankoopbemiddeling (purchase guidance)
Helping to buy a suitable home.
Aankoopmakelaar (buying agent)
An estate agent who helps you buy a suitable home.
Aankoopopdracht (purchase assignment)
An assignment you give to an estate agent, who will then help you search for and buy a home.
Afkoopwaarde (surrender value)
The capital you have built up in the investment part of your mortgage, which is paid out to you when your mortgage ends.
It is also the payment you receive when a mixed life insurance policy is terminated early. You can use this amount to pay off your mortgage, or part of it.
Aflossingsvrije hypotheek (interest-only mortgage)
A type of mortgage in which you only pay interest and make no repayments. For an interest-only mortgage taken out since 1 January 2013, the interest is not tax deductible.
Afsluitprovisie (arrangement fee)
The amount the bank charges for taking out a mortgage.
Akte (deed)
A deed is a notarial document in which many matters are recorded. When you buy a home, you deal with the deed of transfer and the mortgage deed.
Annuïteiten hypotheek (annuity mortgage)
With this type of mortgage, the gross monthly payment stays the same during the term of the loan as long as the interest rate does not change. Over time, the make-up of the net monthly payment does change: at first you pay a lot of interest and little repayment, and as the term progresses you repay more and more and therefore pay less interest.
Appartement (apartment)
An apartment is a home in a larger building. Apartment is the name for a home on a single floor.
Appartementsrecht (apartment right)
Whoever holds an apartment right owns a share in a building. That share also gives the right to exclusive use of a particular part of the building. In addition, the apartment right gives the right to use shared areas, such as the stairwell. The share and the accompanying right of use together form the apartment right. This apartment right is entered in the registers of the Land Registry (Kadaster). This also makes it possible to take out your own mortgage on it. All apartment owners together own the entire block of flats or complex. Apartment rights can be for homes, but also for business or office space.
B
Bankgarantie (bank guarantee)
A guarantee from a bank that you usually agree with the seller when you buy a home. It is usually provided shortly after the conditions precedent have expired.
Bedenktijd (cooling-off period)
After signing the purchase agreement, you as the buyer have a statutory cooling-off period of three days. It starts on the day after you have received the purchase agreement signed by both parties (or a copy of it). At least two of those three days must be working days, and if the period ends on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, it runs on until the next working day. This protects you as a buyer against a rushed decision.
Bedrijfsgebouw (commercial building)
A building intended for running a business.
Bedrijfsruimte (commercial space)
Office building, shop premises, business premises.
Belastingaftrek (tax deduction)
Mortgage interest that you may deduct for income tax. The costs of the mortgage deed, the appraisal and the National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG) are also deductible.
Beleggingen (investments)
Investing in real estate with a view to profit.
Beleggingspand (investment property)
A building that you buy as an investment.
Bemiddelingsovereenkomst (agency agreement)
An agreement for mediation in the sale, purchase or letting of your home.
Bemiddelingsvoorwaarden (agency terms and conditions)
Terms and conditions that apply to the agency agreement.
Beroepsaansprakelijkheidsverzekering (professional liability insurance)
Insurance taken out by estate agents and mortgage and insurance advisers to cover liability arising from errors or omissions made while practising their profession.
Bestek (specifications)
An accurate description of a building project, together with the materials to be used, the conditions, the quality requirements and the construction drawings. It is also needed to check the quality of the construction.
Bestemmingsplan (zoning plan)
A binding plan drawn up by the municipality that sets out what the land or buildings may be used for. It consists of a plan map, building regulations, an explanation and an operating plan. On the plan map, a buyer can see what zoning applies to the plot they are going to buy. The building regulations set out and describe the building options and uses in that area, for example gutter heights, the volume of buildings, building lines, building density, etc.
Blokverwarming (block heating)
Heating by boilers that heat an entire block or complex.
Bod (offer)
An amount offered by a serious prospective buyer, together with any conditions precedent, the transfer date and a list of the movable and immovable items that are part of this offer.
Boeterente (penalty interest)
An amount you have to pay when the mortgage payments are not made on time. You also often pay penalty interest when you repay more in the interim than the permitted percentage of the mortgage.
BOG (bedrijfsonroerendgoed) (commercial real estate)
Real estate intended for business activities.
Borgsom (huur) (rental deposit)
The deposit you pay when you rent a home. Usually 1 or 2 months’ rent.
Bouwdepot (construction deposit)
New-build homes are paid for in instalments; in general you first pay for the land at the civil-law notary, and the remaining construction instalments as building progresses. The mortgage is taken out for the full amount at the moment the land is bought and placed in a construction deposit. The instalments are paid from this deposit. You receive interest on this amount, but it is often lower than the mortgage interest you have to pay.
Bouwfinanciering (construction financing)
The way a newly built home is paid for. This is done in instalments: first the land and then, as building progresses, the remaining instalments. The mortgage is taken out for the full amount at the moment of purchase and placed in a deposit. The instalments are paid from the deposit. Interest is received on the amount in the deposit. This is sometimes lower than the mortgage interest that has to be paid on the amounts drawn.
Bouwtermijnen (construction instalments)
A new-build home is often paid for in instalments. The parts of the purchase and construction price that have to be paid under the contract for a new-build home are the construction instalments.
Bruto huur (gross rent)
The gross rent is the rent that is paid every month. Besides the net rent, it also includes the service charges and heating costs.
Bungalow (bungalow)
A bungalow is a home, sometimes a holiday home, consisting of a single living and sleeping area on the ground floor. If one room is on a second level, this type of building still falls under the term bungalow, often called a semi-bungalow. In recent years many bungalow parks have been built, where the bungalows serve as holiday homes. Most bungalow parks have shared paths and parking spaces. Sometimes there are more facilities in joint ownership. Maintenance is then organised through an owners’ association (VvE). The boards of these associations can perform legal acts and enter into contracts by which the individual members are legally bound. When buying a bungalow in a bungalow park, such a VvE sometimes turns out to be an unexpectedly high extra fixed expense.
C
Canon (ground rent)
The annual charge for land that is issued on ground lease (erfpacht).
Casco Woning (shell home)
This refers to the load-bearing structure of a house plus the exterior finish. The house is wind and watertight, but the interior finish still has to be done.
Convectorput (trench convector)
A heating element installed in a narrow space below the floor surface, so there is no radiator in sight.
Courtage (estate agent’s fee)
The fee or commission you pay the estate agent after a successful service.
D
Dagrente (current rate)
The interest rate that applies to new mortgages at that moment.
Dalrente (lowest-rate clause)
The lowest interest rate during the period in which the mortgage offer is valid.
Doorzonwoning (through-lounge house)
A doorzonwoning is a type of home that was built a lot in the Netherlands in the second half of the twentieth century. The name comes from the fact that the living room runs through the entire depth of the house. The living room therefore has windows on both sides, so the sun can shine through the whole room. Next to the living room there is usually a small hall behind the front door with stairs to the upper floor, a corridor with access to the toilet, and a closed kitchen. On the first floor there are several bedrooms.
E
Economische waarde (economic value)
The amount a home would fetch if it were sold under optimal circumstances (also called the private or open-market sale value).
Eengezinswoning (single-family home)
A single-family home is a type of home intended to be lived in by one person and their family, if any.
Effectieve rente (effective interest rate)
The effective interest rate shows the actual annual cost of the mortgage: the interest you really pay. Besides the nominal interest, the calculation also takes into account any arrangement costs, the moment of payment (at the beginning or end of the month) and the number of payments per year (every month, every quarter, etc.). Also called the gross actual interest rate.
Eigendomsakte (leveringsakte) (title deed)
A copy of the deed of transfer certified by the Land Registry (Kadaster). You receive the title deed from the civil-law notary; it is also the proof of ownership of your house.
Eigenwoningreserve (own-home reserve)
The own-home reserve is the amount for which you cannot take on own-home debt when you buy another home of your own. It is therefore the amount that ‘must’ be used for the purchase of the own home. If the own-home reserve is positive, you cannot take on own-home debt for this amount when you buy another home. If it is zero or negative, the own-home reserve has no effect on the own-home debt. The own-home reserve increases with the surplus value of a sold own home.
Eigenwoningschuld (own-home debt)
Own-home debt is the amount of the loan(s) for your own home. You may deduct the interest you pay on this loan (or these loans) in box 1. It concerns the (mortgage) debt you have taken out for the purchase (costs), for renovation and maintenance of your own home and/or for buying off rights of ground lease, building rights or beklemming. In principle, you can deduct the interest on that debt as a cost of your own home in box 1.
Erfpacht (ground lease)
If the land your house stands on is not yours, you pay rent for it. This rent is called ground rent (erfpachtcanon) and is tax deductible.
Etage (floor)
A floor or storey is a level of a building.
Executiewaarde (forced-sale value)
The forced-sale value is the appraised proceeds of a house in a forced sale. This amount is usually 75% to 90% of the value in an open-market sale.
Expat
Someone who works abroad for a long time.
Expiratiedatum (expiry date)
The end date of a contract, for example the end of a mortgage contract or of a fixed-rate period.
F
Financieringskosten (financing costs)
Costs incurred to obtain a mortgage, such as appraisal costs, mortgage deed costs and the costs of the National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG).
Flat (block of flats)
A flat is a building with several residential floors.
funda
The website (www.funda.nl) on which the homes offered by estate agents are listed.
G
Garantie Instituut Woningbouw (GIW) (Housing Guarantee Institute)
The Garantie Instituut Woningbouw (GIW) was founded in 1975 to promote the quality of new-build owner-occupied homes and to protect buyers. The GIW was dissolved on 1 January 2010. Its guarantee schemes have been continued by Woningborg and the Stichting Waarborgfonds Koopwoningen (SWK). If you buy a new-build home with such a guarantee, you are protected, among other things, if the builder goes bankrupt and against serious defects, and you can turn to a dispute settlement scheme if there is a disagreement.
Gebruiksoppervlakte (usable floor area)
The usable floor area of a space or group of spaces is the area, measured at floor level, between the enclosing walls (load-bearing walls that enclose the space or group of spaces in question). Only heated areas count in the calculation.
Geliberaliseerde huurprijzen (liberalised rents)
A rent is liberalised when the home falls in the free sector. Since 1 July 2024 (the Affordable Rent Act, Wet betaalbare huur), this depends on the number of points in the housing valuation system: in 2026 a self-contained home with 187 points or more falls in the free sector. Homes up to and including 186 points fall under social or mid-market rent, with a maximum rent. Transitional rules apply to rental agreements from before 1 July 2024.
Geliberaliseerde huurwoning (liberalised rental home)
A rental home in the free sector: in 2026 a self-contained home with 187 points or more in the housing valuation system. There is no maximum rent for such a home, but there is a maximum annual rent increase.
Geregistreerd partnerschap (registered partnership)
Partners can have their relationship officially recognised through a registered partnership, by registering the partnership with the civil registry. For tax purposes, people in a registered partnership are treated the same as married couples.
Groene stroom (green electricity)
Green electricity is electricity generated from sustainable energy sources.
Grondwarmte (geothermal heat)
Geothermal heat or geothermal energy is energy obtained by using the temperature difference between the earth’s surface and heat reservoirs deep in the earth. Especially in volcanic regions (Iceland) these are so close to the surface that extraction can be economically viable.
Heat pumps are also used for this.
H
Herbouwwaarde (rebuilding value)
The amount needed to rebuild the home, for example after a fire. The rebuilding value, which is usually stated in the appraisal report, is the basis for the buildings insurance of your house.
Hoofdelijke aansprakelijkheid (joint and several liability)
When a mortgage debt is taken on jointly, each person can be held liable separately for the total debt.
Huis (house)
There are three types of houses by the way they are built: (1) detached houses, (2) houses attached to one other house, called ‘twee onder één kap’ (semi-detached), and (3) houses attached to another house on two sides, usually called a rijtjeshuis (terraced house).
Huisvestingsvergunning (housing permit)
A permit a tenant sometimes needs to be allowed to live in an affordable home. This is how the municipality controls the allocation of affordable homes. The housing permit can be applied for at the municipality in question. Income is taken into account in deciding whether the permit is granted.
Huurbeding (letting clause)
Almost all mortgage deeds contain a standard clause that prohibits letting or leasing the house without the written consent of the bank. This is called a letting clause. After all, a let home is worth less on the open market.
Huurbescherming (tenant protection)
Tenant protection means that if the landlord terminates the lease and the tenant does not agree, the landlord always has to go to court to get the tenant out. As long as the court has not decided that the tenant must leave, the rental agreement simply continues. Tenant protection applies to residential space and to retail business space.
Huurovereenkomst (rental agreement)
The deed in which the tenancy is recorded.
Huurpand (rental property)
A home or commercial space owned by a landlord (a private individual, investor or housing association), who has concluded a letting agreement (usually recorded in a rental contract) with the user of the property, who pays rent for it every month.
Huurrecht (tenancy law)
Tenancy law is set out in title 4 of Book 7 of the Dutch Civil Code. Book 7 deals with specific agreements. The general rules for agreements in Book 6 also apply to the rental agreement.
Huurtoeslag (rent benefit)
A benefit the tenant can apply for if the rent is too high in relation to the tenant’s income. It is a financial contribution from the government towards the costs of a rental home. Until 1 January 2006, rent benefit was called rent subsidy.
Huurverhoging (rent increase)
How much the rent may rise each year is capped by law. In 2026 the maximum is 4.1% for social rent (from 1 July 2026), 6.1% for mid-market rent and 4.4% for the free sector. Within those limits, the rent increase is set out in the rental agreement or agreed between landlord and tenant.
Huurwoning (rental home)
A home intended to be let.
Hypotheek (mortgage)
A long-term loan with real estate (in other words, your home) as security.
Hypotheekakte (mortgage deed)
A notarial deed in which the mortgage right is granted. All rights and obligations of the mortgagor and the mortgagee are stated in it. This deed is entered in the public registers kept by the Land Registry (Kadaster).
Hypotheekgever (mortgagor)
The homeowner. The house is given as security to the mortgagee, the party that accepts the house as security (the mortgage lender).
Hypotheeknemer (mortgagee)
The party that lends money in return for mortgage security, in other words with real estate as security. The mortgagee is therefore the lender.
Hypotheekregister (mortgage register)
A public register, accessible to everyone, in which the mortgage is entered through the civil-law notary. The mortgage register is kept by the Land Registry (Kadaster).
I
Inboedelverzekering (home contents insurance)
Home contents insurance is insurance against damage that can happen to the contents of a home (or household effects). It is an indemnity insurance and is classed as fire insurance. There are differences in content between the contents insurance policies of the various insurers. These differences are often small, so a general description of contents insurance is quite possible. The contents are all movable property belonging to the private household of the insured.
Inboedelwaardemeter (contents value meter)
A guarantee against underinsurance. This means that in the event of damage the insurer will not invoke any underinsurance.
Inhoud woning (volume of the home)
Gross volume (length x width x height) using external dimensions.
Instaprente (introductory rate)
A starting rate or introductory rate is a temporary, usually low mortgage interest rate (1 or 2 years). During this interest period you may convert or fix the rate for a certain period and rate at no cost. This type of rate can usually only be chosen for a new mortgage. An introductory rate can be interesting if you expect mortgage rates to fall further and want to wait a while before fixing the mortgage for a longer period. If, for example, you expect rates to fall sharply within a year, an introductory rate is a good idea, because you can then fix the mortgage a year later at a much more favourable rate.
K
Kachel (stove)
The difference between a fireplace and a stove is that the stove stands in front of the chimney opening, not in it like a fireplace.
Kadaster (Land Registry)
The government agency where all real estate is registered, stating the owner and any easements and ground lease. The Kadaster also keeps the mortgage register. The Kadaster is a public register.
Kadastraal uittreksel (Land Registry extract)
The Land Registry extract is an overview of the basic details of a property, ship or aircraft from the Land Registry records on a certain date. Among other things, the overview states: • name, address, gender and date of birth of the registered owner • the cadastral designation • area • rights in rem (with the exception of easements) • restrictions, such as designations under the Monuments Act, the Private Law Restrictions Act (pipes and cables) and decisions under the Soil Protection Act (contamination) • additional registrations such as certificates of inheritance, changes in mortgages and the buying off of ground rent. The extract is intended to show who is registered with the Land Registry as the owner of a particular plot on a particular date.
Kale huurprijs (basic rent)
The rent per month without service charges and any heating costs.
Kantoorpand (office building)
Commercial space suitable mainly for administrative work.
Koopakte (purchase deed)
The document in which a purchase agreement for real estate is recorded in writing.
Koopovereenkomst (purchase agreement)
A purchase agreement, in an old-fashioned term also called an agreement of sale and purchase, is an agreement in which the buyer pays a purchase price to the seller, who in turn transfers ownership of an item to the buyer.
Koopwoning (owner-occupied home)
A home intended for sale.
Kosten Koper (k.k.) (costs for the buyer’s account)
If a home is for sale at a price kosten koper, you as the buyer pay the costs of the transfer on top of the purchase price. These include (1) transfer tax: in 2026 2% if you are going to live in the home yourself, 0% if you qualify for the first-time buyer exemption and 8% for other homes, such as a second home or a home to let; (2) the notary costs for the deed of transfer; (3) the costs of registering the deed with the Land Registry (Kadaster).
L
Leegstandswet (Vacant Property Act)
Under the Vacant Property Act, a home can be let temporarily.
Levering (transfer)
Transfer is split into two parts. In the legal transfer, the property is put in the buyer’s name. This is done by signing the deed of transfer at the civil-law notary, also called the transportakte. The actual transfer takes place when the keys are handed over.
Leveringsakte (eigendomsbewijs) (deed of transfer)
A notarial deed by which the real estate, in this case the house, is transferred.
Lichtstraat (roof light strip)
A system of panes in a framework that lets enough daylight in through the roof.
Looptijd (term)
The years between taking out and repaying the mortgage.
M
Maandlast (monthly payment)
The amount your mortgage costs you every month in interest and repayment. The gross monthly payment is the amount you pay every month; the net monthly payment is the amount left after your tax deduction has been offset.
Maisonnette (maisonette)
A maisonette is a home in a larger building, such as a block of flats, with several floors per home.
Makelaardij (estate agency)
A company that mediates in real estate.
Meeneemregeling (portability scheme)
A scheme that allows you to take your mortgage with you when you move, within the period in which your term has not yet ended.
N
Nationale Hypotheek Garantie (National Mortgage Guarantee)
A guarantee fund that stands surety if you can no longer pay the interest and repayments on your mortgage because of circumstances such as unemployment, incapacity for work, divorce or death. With the National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG) you often get a lower interest rate. NHG is only available up to a certain limit: in 2026 the cost limit is €470,000, or €498,200 if you also finance energy-saving measures.
Nen-2580 (NEN 2580 measuring standard)
The measuring instruction that almost all estate agents use when determining the floor area of a home.
Nominale rente (nominal interest rate)
The annual interest rate used by the lenders, without taking into account the additional costs and the moments of payment.
O
Onder bod zijn (under offer)
A commitment by the seller’s estate agent to a prospective buyer not to pursue a transaction with other prospective buyers. Viewings by other interested parties are still possible.
Onderhandse verkoopwaarde (private sale value)
Free of tenancy and use. Also called the open-market sale value. The value of the home when you sell it under normal circumstances. The home is free of tenancy and use, so it is not let to or lived in by someone else.
Onderhuur (subletting)
A sublease is a rental agreement in which the tenant lets part of the rented property to another tenant.
Onroerend goed (real estate)
Property.
Onroerende-zaakbelasting (municipal property tax)
Onroerendezaakbelasting (OZB) is a tax levied by municipalities on owners and users of real estate.
Ontbindende voorwaarden (conditions precedent)
Valid reasons to cancel the purchase (or sale) of the house. Conditions precedent are set out in the purchase agreement. Examples of conditions precedent: • obtaining a mortgage • obtaining the National Mortgage Guarantee • obtaining a housing permit • the outcome of a structural survey. Conditions precedent only apply if they are in the law or in the purchase agreement.
Opstalverzekering (buildings insurance)
This insures your house (not the contents) against fire, storm, lightning and other disasters. Mandatory when taking out a mortgage.
Optie (option)
The right to bring about a purchase agreement through a unilateral declaration of intent. The person who holds the right is not obliged to use it.
Opzegtermijn (notice period)
At the end of each fixed-rate period and when you sell your house, a mortgage can be terminated. Sometimes this happens immediately, sometimes only after a certain period.
Overbruggingskrediet (bridging loan)
A loan to bridge the time between buying a new house and selling your old one, using the surplus value of your old house. A bridging loan usually has a term of up to 24 months, and during that period you only pay interest.
Overdrachtsbelasting (transfer tax)
A tax you pay when you buy a home or other real estate, on the purchase price excluding the amount for movable property (the purchase agreement shows how this is split). In 2026 the rate is 2% if you are going to live in the home yourself, 8% for other homes (such as a second home or an investment property) and 10.4% for other real estate, such as commercial property. If you are between 18 and 35, buy a home to live in yourself and it is worth no more than €555,000, the first-time buyer exemption (startersvrijstelling) means you pay no transfer tax. You can only use that exemption once.
Overige bedrijfsruimte (other commercial space)
Commercial space that is not used as retail or small-business premises.
Overlijdensdekking (life cover)
Most mortgage providers require the risk of the death of the main breadwinner to be covered. If the main breadwinner dies, this can cause financial problems for the surviving partner. With term life insurance, an amount is paid out on death. This amount is then used to repay (part of) the mortgage.
Overnamekosten (takeover costs)
The landlord may charge takeover costs for movable items such as floor coverings and curtains. The tenant is not obliged to take over these items and pay for them.
Oversluiten (remortgaging)
Taking out your current mortgage again (with another or the same lender) on better terms or at a lower interest rate. If you stay with the same lender, you do not have to go to the civil-law notary again.
Overwaarde (surplus value)
The positive difference between the outstanding debt on your current mortgage and the open-market value of your house. Based on surplus value, you can increase your mortgage, for example to pay for a renovation.
P
Pacht (agricultural lease)
The name for a rent-like agreement in which agricultural land is made available by the owner (the lessor) to the tenant farmer.
Passeren (execution of the deed)
The formal act in which a deed (sale of a house, mortgage) is signed by both parties and the civil-law notary.
Perceeloppervlakte (plot area)
The plot is the area of the land that belongs to the home.
Portiekwoning (porch-access flat)
A portiek is an often recessed space, completely open on the street side, containing the entrance to a building. Several homes share a portiek. Portiekwoningen are homes built around a shared stairwell. In general, they are built as mirror images, meaning that the homes on the left of the portiek are the mirror image inside of those on the right.
Puntenstelsel (points system)
The housing valuation system (the points system, woningwaarderingsstelsel) expresses the quality of a rental home in points. Based on those points, the maximum rent is determined. Since 1 July 2024 the system applies not only to social rent but also to mid-market rent: in 2026 to self-contained homes up to and including 186 points. From 187 points a home falls in the free sector and there is no maximum rent.
R
Recht van hypotheek (mortgage right)
You grant the mortgage right to the lender when you take out a mortgage. If you default on repayments and your house is sold at public auction, the lender has priority in claiming the proceeds.
Recht van overpad (right of way)
The right (easement) that the owner of a piece of land has to cross someone else’s land. The other party is obliged to allow this and to maintain the path. This right is attached to the real estate and remains in place when it is sold.
Rendement (return)
For your investments you receive capital gains and dividends; together these make up the return on your investment. Measured over longer periods, the return on investments is usually higher than the interest on a savings account, but you run the risk that prices fall or companies do not pay dividends. An investment can therefore also have a negative return.
Rentevaste periode (fixed-rate period)
The period agreed with the lender during which your mortgage interest rate stays the same. Normally, the longer the fixed-rate period you choose, the higher the interest rate.
Roerende goederen (movable property)
Items the buyer can take over from the seller that are not already attached to the real estate.
S
Servicekosten (service charges)
The costs paid to the owners’ association (VvE). The VvE takes care of the maintenance of the building.
Sleutelverklaring (key agreement)
This is drawn up when the actual transfer (handing over the keys) takes place earlier than the legal transfer of ownership at the civil-law notary. Among other things, the buyer will have to make sure the property is insured by them at the moment of actual transfer.
Stadsverwarming (district heating)
A heating system in which heat, and sometimes hot water, is delivered through a network of pipes from a central point to the homes in a neighbourhood. The homes then have no boiler of their own.
Stichting KFD (Financial Services Quality Mark)
The Keurmerk Financiële Dienstverlening is a quality mark for financial advisers, such as mortgage advisers. It shows that a firm meets higher requirements than the law demands, particularly in terms of expertise and customer satisfaction. The original foundation (SKFD) went bankrupt at the end of 2013; the quality mark still exists and is now run by SVC Compliance.
Stookkosten (heating costs)
Heating costs are the costs of heating and, where applicable, hot water.
T
Taxatie (appraisal)
The giving of a value judgement by an authorised person for a specific purpose (examples of purposes: appraisal for financing, appraisal for inheritance on the death of a natural person, appraisal to determine the fair value before making an offer on a property for sale).
Tophypotheek (top-up mortgage)
A mortgage with which you borrow more than the home is worth. That is no longer possible: you can borrow at most 100% of the market value. Only for energy-saving measures may you go above that, up to 106% of the market value. So you pay the buyer’s costs from your own money.
Transport (conveyance)
The legal transfer of ownership at the civil-law notary.
Transportakte (deed of conveyance)
An official document drawn up by the civil-law notary by which ownership of a house is officially transferred to a new owner. The transportakte is also called the overdrachtsakte.
V
Variabele rente (variable interest rate)
If you do not choose a fixed-rate period, you deal with variable interest rates. You pay a monthly amount depending on the interest rate.
Vereniging van Eigenaren (VvE) (owners’ association)
If you own an apartment right, you are by law a member of the owners’ association (VvE). Together with the other owners, the VvE looks after the shared interests in and around the apartment complex. The deed of division states the share you as owner have in the whole building.
Verhuurder (landlord)
The landlord must make the property available to the tenant and leave it for their use.
Verhuurmakelaar (rental agent)
An estate agent who works on behalf of the landlord.
Verkoopmakelaar (selling agent)
An estate agent who works on behalf of the seller.
Voorlopige teruggaaf (provisional tax refund)
The deductible mortgage interest can be settled monthly through a provisional refund. You then receive more net money every month.
Vraagprijs (asking price)
An invitation to make an offer.
Vrij op naam – V.O.N. (transfer costs included)
If you buy a house ‘vrij op naam’, the estate agent’s costs, the notary costs and VAT or transfer tax are included in the purchase price. You do have to pay the mortgage deed costs and the costs of registration with the Land Registry yourself.
W
Waarborgsom (security deposit)
An amount paid by the buyer (usually to the civil-law notary) as security that they will meet their payment obligations.
Woningwet (Housing Act)
The Housing Act deals with the quality of the housing stock and with building, using and demolishing homes.
Woonoppervlakte (living area)
The floor area of the home. Nowadays all homes are measured using the NEN 2580 standard.
Woonvergunning (residence permit for housing)
In a number of municipalities, a housing permit is needed below a certain purchase price. It gives you the right to live in the house you have bought in a particular municipality.
WOZ-waarde (WOZ value)
The municipality determines the value of your home for tax purposes. This value is set under the Real Estate Valuation Act (Wet Waardering Onroerende Zaken, WOZ).
Z
Zelfstandige woning (self-contained home)
A home with its own entrance and its own facilities (such as a kitchen, toilet, etc.).
Zoekopdracht (search assignment)
An assignment for guidance in searching for and buying a house, for which the estate agent may charge a fee. The content of the assignment (which services are included) depends on what the estate agent and the client agree with each other.