Buying the home

Aankoopmakelaar: Buyer's agent: an estate agent who searches, views and negotiates for you.
Bankgarantie: Bank guarantee for the deposit, instead of paying 10% in cash.
Bedenktijd: Three-day cooling-off period after signing the purchase contract for a home.
Bouwkundige keuring: Building inspection of the home's condition.
Kadaster: The land registry where ownership and mortgages are recorded.
Koopovereenkomst: The written purchase contract.
Kosten koper (k.k.): Buyer's costs on top of the price: transfer tax, notary, valuation, advice. See buying costs.
Leveringsakte: Deed of transfer signed at the notary; you become the owner.
Ontbindende voorwaarden: Conditions that let you cancel the purchase, for example if you cannot get financing.
Overdrachtsbelasting: Transfer tax: 2% on your own home, 0% for starters, 8% on other homes in 2026. See transfer tax.
Startersvrijstelling: Transfer-tax exemption for buyers aged 18 to 34, once, for homes up to €555,000.
Taxatie: Valuation by a certified valuer; the lender uses the market value from it.
Transport: Informal word for the transfer at the notary.
VvE (Vereniging van Eigenaars): Owners' association of an apartment building; you pay a monthly service charge.
Waarborgsom: Deposit, usually 10% of the price, forfeited if you back out without a valid reason.
WOZ-waarde: The municipality's yearly value of your home, used for the forfait and local taxes.

The mortgage

Aflossingsvrij: Interest-only: no repayment during the term. See mortgage types.
Annuïteitenhypotheek: Same gross payment every month; the repayment part grows.
Bindend aanbod / hypotheekofferte: The lender's binding mortgage offer, which you sign.
Boeterente: Early repayment fee when you repay more than the free part during a fixed period.
Financieringslastpercentage: The share of your gross income that may go to mortgage costs, from the official table. See how much can I borrow?.
Hoofdelijke aansprakelijkheid: Joint and several liability: each borrower owes the whole loan.
Hypotheekakte: Mortgage deed signed at the notary, giving the lender a right over the home.
Intentieverklaring: Employer's statement that a temporary contract will become permanent.
Leningdeel: A part of the mortgage with its own type and fixed period.
Lineaire hypotheek: Same repayment every month plus interest; payments fall over time.
Meeneemregeling: Taking your current rate and terms to a new home.
NHG: Nationale Hypotheek Garantie, the mortgage guarantee. See NHG.
Overbruggingskrediet: Bridging loan on the equity of the old home until it sells.
Oversluiten: Moving your mortgage to another lender or a new contract.
Perspectiefverklaring: Statement from a recognised body about a flexible worker's income prospects.
Rentemiddeling: Blending the early repayment fee into a new rate before the fixed period ends.
Rentevaste periode: The period the rate is fixed. See interest rates.
Restschuld: The debt left after selling for less than the mortgage.
Risicoklasse / LTV: Your loan as a share of the home's value; lower means a lower rate.
Toetsinkomen: The income the lender tests against the norms.
Toetsrente: Rate used for the affordability test; at least 5% when fixed under 10 years.
Werkgeversverklaring: Employer's statement of your salary and contract.
Woonquote: Informal word for the financing cost percentage.

Tax

Bijleenregeling: Rule that equity from a sold home must go into the next one, or the extra borrowing loses its deduction.
Eigenwoningforfait: Notional income for owning your home: 0.35% of the WOZ value in most cases. See eigenwoningforfait.
Eigenwoningreserve: The equity from a sale that counts under the bijleenregeling, for three years.
Eigenwoningschuld: The part of your loans whose interest is deductible.
Hypotheekrenteaftrek: Mortgage interest deduction. See the deduction.
Tariefsaanpassing: Rule that limits the deduction to 37.56% for top-bracket earners.
Voorlopige aanslag: Provisional assessment: get the deduction monthly. See provisional assessment.
Wet Hillen: Relief when the forfait exceeds your interest: 71.867% of the gap in 2026, ending in 2041.