Congratulations, you have decided to buy a house! An exciting step in your life that involves a lot, both emotionally and financially. In addition to the price of the house itself, there are other costs you need to consider. One of the most important costs is the so-called "kosten koper" (buyer's costs). But what exactly do these costs entail, and what amounts should you take into account? We'll explain it to you.
Go directly to:
You've probably noticed when you look at a property on Funda or another real estate website: after the asking price, 'k.k.' or 'v.o.n.' is mentioned. These two abbreviations tell you, as the buyer, something about which costs are and aren't included in the asking price. This way, you immediately know which costs you should consider when purchasing your home.
When 'kosten koper' (k.k.) is listed after the asking price, it means you as the buyer are responsible for the following extra costs:
If you purchase a house with buyer's costs, it means you will spend more than just the purchase price. Naturally, you want to know what these extra costs are and how much money is involved. Below is an overview of the additional costs you incur, in addition to paying the purchase price.
Purchase price k.k.
+ transfer tax
+ notary costs
+ mortgage costs
+ real estate agent
_______________________________________
= what you actually have to pay
Do you see 'v.o.n.' after the asking price? This means you buy the property free on name. All legal costs for the purchase of the house are already included in the price. Read more below about buying a property free on name.
When looking at properties, it helps to quickly estimate what the percentage of buyer's costs is. The percentage of k.k. generally lies between 4.5% and 6.5% of the purchase price. You can assume a percentage of 5.5%. In our calculation example, we arrive at a percentage of 4.5% of the purchase price (see above).
If you buy a house with buyer's costs, then consider the following additional costs (besides the purchase price):
The transfer tax for properties in the Netherlands in 2023 depends on the group to which you belong:
Example: you are 38 years old and buy a property with buyer's costs. The purchase price is € 350,000. You then pay € 350,000 x * 0.02 = € 7,000 transfer tax.
For more information on the transfer tax, we refer you to Rijksoverheid.nl.
* Are you younger than 35 years and buying a property? Then you can make use of a one-time exemption from transfer tax. You do not have to pay transfer tax when purchasing your home. This saves you thousands of euros and is certainly worth it. The exemption applies in 2023 up to a valuation of € 440,000 and only for properties you will personally use as your main residence. For a higher valuation, you pay 2% transfer tax.
When purchasing a house, it is required that you, as the buyer, engage a notary. The notary will draft official documents, such as the transfer deed and mortgage deed, which are legally binding. Each notary applies their own rates for these services. Additionally, costs are charged for registering the deeds with the Land Registry.
Notary costs usually range between € 1,000 and € 3,000. This depends on the complexity of the documents to be prepared. On average, the notary costs are € 2,000 for the purchase of a house and the mortgage.
If you need a mortgage for the purchase of your house, you will incur additional costs associated with the mortgage. Consider:
Hiring a real estate agent is not mandatory, but many people like to use one (it is certainly not a luxury in a heated real estate market). If you are assisted by a real estate agent, consider a 'mediation fee' of about 1% of the purchase price (k.k.).
For a property of € 350,000, you will pay an 'acquisition fee' of € 3,500 to the real estate agent. This is a considerable amount, but be aware that a real estate agent assists and advises you in the bidding and negotiation process. This allows you to purchase your property at a sharper amount.
Want to know what other costs you will incur when buying a property, besides the purchase price and buyer's costs? You can read it in our article about all costs when buying a house.
Through Mijn Verkoopmakelaar, you can quickly and easily find the best real estate agent in your area. Sign up and find the agent that suits you.
Find a purchasing agentIn addition to the transfer tax, notary costs, mortgage costs, and real estate agent fees, you may also incur:
Transfer tax
Notary costs
Costs for the mortgage (if applicable)
Costs of the real estate agent (if applicable)
Other costs (if applicable)
Below is an example calculation of buyer's costs at a purchase price of € 350,000 for a person aged 38 who will live in the property themselves (as their main residence). They need a mortgage for the full purchase price and use a real estate agent. They have a structural survey performed, do not need a bank guarantee, and do not use the NHG.
Transfer tax | € 7,000 (2% x € 350,000) |
Notary costs | € 2,000 |
Mortgage advisor | € 2,250 |
Appraisal report | € 750 |
Real estate agent fees | € 3,500 (1% x € 350,000) |
Structural survey | € 350 |
Total buyer's costs: | € 15,850 (4.5% of the purchase price) |
By 'financing' the buyer's costs, we mean the question of whether you can include the extra costs (which you incur for buyer's costs) in your mortgage. Previously this was possible, but since 2018 the rules for the maximum mortgage have been tightened. This means (among other things) that in 2023 you can borrow a maximum of 100% of the property value.
Additional costs, such as the buyer's costs, cannot be included in the mortgage unless the property value is higher than the purchase price (higher valuation). So, in most cases, you must have enough savings to pay for these costs. Think of an amount of about 4-6% of the total cost of the house for the buyer's costs (k.k.).
Deductions are costs you can fully subtract from your income tax. Some of the buyer's costs (k.k.) can be deducted from your taxes.
The following costs are one-time deductible:
The following costs are not deductible:
As a basic rule, all costs related to obtaining a mortgage are deductible. All other costs are not deductible. For more information about deductions, we refer you to the Tax Office.
Through Mijn Verkoopmakelaar, you can quickly and easily find the best real estate agent in your area. Sign up and find the agent that suits you.
Find a purchasing agent
'k.k.' means that the property is offered with Kosten Koper. This means that in addition to the purchase amount, you also have to pay the costs for the notary and the transfer tax. Additionally, there may be other costs, such as mortgage costs and real estate agent fees. The opposite of k.k. is v.o.n. (Vrij op naam). An asking price v.o.n. means that all costs for the purchase of the house are already included in the asking price.
If there is a 'k.k.' after an asking price, it means you as the buyer must pay the following additional costs:
If you are searching for a property, it is useful to quickly estimate the percentage of Kosten Koper. Generally, this percentage is between 4.5% and 6.5%. An average of 5.5% can serve as a reference. In our calculation example, you can see which costs have what share in the calculation.
In most cases, you cannot. Since 2018, you are not allowed to finance more than 100% of the appraised value. If the purchase price of your property is as high as the appraised value, you have to pay the additional Kosten Koper costs out of your own pocket. You cannot pay this amount from your mortgage. If the appraised value of your property is higher than the purchase price, you can finance the Kosten Koper.