Buyer's costs: where does your own money go?
You can finance the property, but not the additional costs, those you pay from your own funds. Knowing how large that item is determines the price up to which you can bid.
In short
- Additional costs can generally not be financed and come out of your own funds.
- First-time buyers up to and including age 34 qualify, subject to conditions, for a one-off transfer tax exemption, in 2026 up to a property value of €555.000.
- Without the exemption, the low rate of 2% applies to a home you will live in yourself.
- Besides the buyer's costs, also budget a maintenance buffer for the first few years.
The items at a glance
- Transfer tax. For a home you are going to live in yourself, the low rate of 2% applies. First-time buyers up to and including the age of 34 can, subject to conditions, make one-off use of an exemption; in 2026 that applies up to a property value of €555.000. If you are not buying to live in it yourself, a considerably higher rate applies.
- Notary fees. For the transfer deed and the mortgage deed together, usually around €1.500 to €2.500. Rates differ per firm, comparing quotes genuinely pays off.
- Land registry entry. Usually included in the notary's invoice.
- Valuation. Often compulsory for the mortgage; count on a few hundred euros.
- Mortgage advice and brokerage. Usually €2.000 to €3.500, depending on the adviser and the complexity.
- NHG. If you buy with National Mortgage Guarantee, you pay a one-off premium on the mortgage amount.
- Structural survey. €300 to €800, optional but recommended.
- Buying agent. If you engage one: roughly €2.000 to €4.000.
The item everyone forgets
Besides the buyer's costs there is the maintenance buffer. Virtually every home asks for money in the first two years: decorating, a boiler that is just about done, a kitchen that turns out not to work after all, or with an apartment a one-off levy that had already been decided. If you know from the documents which items are coming, a roof replacement in three years, an MJOP item that is not covered, simply count those in what the property really costs you. That is exactly why those documents need to be on the table before the offer.
What does this mean for your maximum bid?
Your maximum bid is not your maximum mortgage. It is your maximum mortgage plus your own money, minus the buyer's costs, minus your maintenance buffer. Anyone who only does that sum after an offer has been accepted ends up in trouble, and that is precisely the situation in which a financing condition set too low becomes painful.
Rates, exemptions and standards change every year. The amounts mentioned are indications; check the current figures with the tax authorities and your mortgage adviser.
Frequently asked questions
Can I finance the buyer's costs?
As a rule, no. You may generally borrow at most the market value of the property, so the additional costs are paid from your own funds.
Roughly how much of my own money do I need?
Count on roughly four to six per cent of the purchase price in additional costs, plus a buffer for maintenance and furnishing. Using the first-time buyer exemption brings that down.
Does the first-time buyer exemption apply to an apartment too?
Yes, it concerns the home you are going to live in yourself, regardless of the type. The conditions relate to your age, one-off use and the property value limit.
Are notary fees negotiable?
They are not set by law, so they differ per firm. Requesting three quotes often saves a few hundred euros in practice.
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