What is an NVM real estate agent?

An NVM real estate agent is an agent affiliated with the Dutch Association of Real Estate Agents and Appraisers in real estate. This association, with over 4,400 affiliated property specialists, is the largest trade organization for real estate agents and property specialists in the Netherlands. With more than 120 years of experience, the NVM is considered a quality mark. 

To become a member of the NVM, real estate agents must meet strict requirements in the field of education and quality. They are subjected to inspections, checks, and educational requirements. You can therefore expect that an NVM real estate agent is a well-trained specialist with extensive knowledge of both the market and the field. 

What does an NVM real estate agent do?

An NVM real estate agent is a professional who specializes in assisting both the sale and purchase of real estate. They are affiliated with the Dutch Association of Real Estate Agents and Appraisers in real estate (NVM) and meet high quality and educational standards. Below we outline the tasks of an NVM real estate agent for both sales and purchases. 

Note: this overview shows which services you can generally obtain from an NVM real estate agent. It varies per real estate office which services they offer exactly. Some offices work with a full-service package in which you are completely relieved during the sale or purchase of your home. Other offices offer (in addition) partial services, where you (at a reduced rate) take on certain tasks yourself. 

What does an NVM sales real estate agent do?

You hire an NVM sales real estate agent if you want to sell your house. They take on various tasks to ensure that the sales process goes smoothly.

They often start by determining a realistic sales price based on market analysis and experience. Next: 

• they measure your property;
• they help you with a professional presentation of your property;
• they write a compelling sales text;
• they ensure professional photos (and sometimes also video);
• they list your property on Funda;
• they take charge of the viewings;
• they negotiate on your behalf with interested parties to achieve the best price and conditions (of course in close consultation with you as the seller).

Finally, they guide the process up to the notarial transfer, including checking the purchase agreement and handling any legal and financial matters. 

Want to know more? Then read on our page about what a real estate agent can do for you. 

Need a sales real estate agent? Compare the best agents right away

Are you looking for an NVM real estate agent who can assist you in selling your home? Indicate whether you need a buying or selling agent and register your property for free and without obligation. Receive proposals from agents in your mailbox in no time. You decide if and with whom you want to get in touch! Want to know more first? Discover everything about how Mijn Verkoopmakelaar works.

How Mijn Verkoopmakelaar works

What does an NVM buying real estate agent do?

When buying a property, an NVM real estate agent acts as your representative as a buyer. The buying agent often starts by inventorying your housing wishes and selecting suitable properties within your available budget. 

If you hire an NVM buying real estate agent for the purchase of a property, you have access to an extensive property database of the NVM. This database not only contains properties that have not yet been placed on Funda but also properties that are in a silent sale. 

But an NVM buying real estate agent also helps you with:

• conducting viewings. The agent pays attention to important aspects that you might have less eye for, such as structural condition and environmental factors;
• advice on the realistic value of the property;
• conducting negotiations;
• having structural inspections carried out;
• arranging the legal hassle. From structural inspection to checking the purchase contract and requesting documents for leasehold and the VvE.

Finally, an NVM real estate agent assists you during the handling of administrative and legal matters up to the transfer at the notary.

The collaboration between NVM real estate agents and Funda

It cannot have escaped your notice that Funda is the place to be if you want to buy or sell a house. It is like a showcase where real estate agents display their properties for sale. For sellers, it is very important to have their property on Funda, as this platform attracts many potential buyers.

Funda and the NVM have a close collaboration, as Funda was founded by NVM real estate agents. On Funda, the offers of all real estate agents are displayed, but the properties of NVM agents are shown higher in the search results than properties of agents who are not affiliated with the NVM. Want to sell your property without a real estate agent? Then you cannot place it on Funda.

Want to sell your house and reach a large audience of potential buyers? An NVM real estate agent ensures that your property stands out with attractive texts and professional photos. He or she can also arrange for your property to be prominently displayed among all other houses on Funda. This increases visibility and the chance of a successful sale. 

What are the advantages of an NVM real estate agent?

Working with an NVM real estate agent brings many advantages when you want to buy or sell a house. Here are some key benefits of working with an NVM real estate agent:

1. Expertise and experience: NVM real estate agents are well-trained and have extensive knowledge of the real estate market. They understand the complexities of the buying and selling process and generally provide you with valuable and up-to-date advice.
2. Professional guidance: an NVM real estate agent usually guides you throughout the entire process. Whether you want to buy or sell a property, they ensure a smooth and structured handling. They take the administrative hassle out of your hands and ensure that everything proceeds according to the rules. This allows you to focus as much as possible on your own to-do’s during this hectic period. 
3. Access to a broad network: as a member of the NVM, real estate agents have access to an extensive network of other (NVM) professionals in the real estate sector. This can be invaluable in finding potential buyers or discovering interesting properties that are not yet on the market. This quickly gives you an edge over your competition.
4. Reliability and quality guarantee: the NVM is a renowned trade organization and the largest in the Netherlands. Real estate agents affiliated with the NVM meet strict quality requirements and educational standards. This allows you to rely on the professionalism and integrity of an NVM real estate agent.
5. Access to Funda: with an NVM real estate agent you benefit from various advantages on Funda, the most used real estate website in the Netherlands. For example, houses of NVM real estate agents are displayed higher in the search results, increasing your visibility and sales opportunities.

What does an NVM real estate agent cost?

The rates of NVM real estate agents can vary because they depend on the specific agent and the circumstances. In general, NVM real estate agents work with a real estate agent commission, which means that they receive a percentage of the (sale) price of the property as compensation.

The exact percentage of the real estate agent commission can differ between agents and can also depend on other factors, such as the value of the property and the complexity of the transaction.

It is therefore advisable to contact different NVM real estate agents and compare their rates before deciding which agent you want to work with. This way, you gain better insight into the specific costs and conditions applicable to your situation. 

Guideline for real estate agent costs NVM real estate agents

Are you still looking for a guideline regarding real estate agent costs? Below you can read what you typically pay for the services of a sales or buying real estate agent. The costs for an NVM real estate agent are sometimes slightly higher than average. But remember: you get various advantages in return.

The average costs of a sales real estate agent

For the services of a sales real estate agent, you pay on average in 2023 a real estate agent commission of 1.1% of the sales proceeds. Some real estate agencies do not work with a percentage but with a fixed amount. The fixed rate in 2023 is around €5,100 for the sale of your house.

Note: the fixed rates often depend on the price range of your property. The higher the price range, the higher the amount. Read more about the costs of a sales real estate agent. 

The average costs of a buying real estate agent

The costs of a buying real estate agent vary not only between different offices but also often per region. In the higher segment of the real estate market, commissions based on a percentage of the asking price are often used. In the middle and lower segment, a fixed rate is usually applied.

Most buying real estate agents charge a rate that varies between €3,000 and €5,000. As you have read above, some agents use a percentage of the asking price (called real estate agent commission). On average, this amounts to a percentage of about 1% of the asking price. 

Also read about the rest of the costs when buying a house. 

All costs when buying a house

All about Buyer costs (k.k.)

The cost of a real estate agent (2025)

Want to compare real estate agents? Here's how to do it smartly!

Did you know that through Mijn Verkoopmakelaar you can quickly and easily get in touch with the best real estate agents in your area? Register your property for free and without obligation with us and receive responses from agents in your online environment. They will make you a proposal, in which they tell you about their working method, the estimated sales opportunities, and the real estate agent costs they charge. Comparing real estate agents has never been so simple. 

Read more about how Mijn Verkoopmakelaar works. No time to lose? Enter your postcode and house number and register immediately!

Discover more about buying or selling a property

Buying a house: how do you do that?

Bidding on a house: how does it work?

Everything you need to know about a purchase real estate agent

Buying a house without a mortgage: the pros and cons listed

Frequently asked questions about NVM

• What does NVM mean?

  The Nederlandse Vereniging van Makelaars en taxateurs in onroerende goederen (NVM) is an association for real estate agents. Real estate agents who are NVM members undergo inspections, checks, and training requirements. Therefore, you often pay slightly more for an NVM real estate agent, but you can expect them to deliver good work.

• What other real estate agent associations exist in the Netherlands?

  With over 4,400 affiliated real estate specialists, the NVM is the largest association for real estate agents and real estate experts in the Netherlands. The two other large real estate agent associations are VBO Makelaar and VastgoedPRO. They have 1,100 and 700 affiliated real estate specialists, respectively.

• What does business membership with the NVM entail?

  The NVM offers business membership. This means that it is not the individual real estate agent, but the real estate agency (the enterprise) that is a member of the association. NVM members are required to exchange properties among themselves. In this way, NVM real estate agents first share the new housing supply with fellow NVM real estate agents.

• What is the history of the NVM?

  Real estate agents formed a guild on November 8, 1578. During the French occupation, the guilds disappeared. In 1877, the real estate agents established a new association. This association later became known as the Makelaarsvereniging Amsterdam (MVA). In addition to the MVA, there were two other associations: Nederlandse Bond van Makelaars (NBM) and Nederlandse Broederschap van Gediplomeerde Makelaars (NBGM). The NBM dates back to the late 19th century. The NBGM was founded in the 1930s.

  In 1984, the NBM and the MVA merged to form the NVM: the Nederlandse Vereniging van Makelaars in onroerende goederen.

• What does the management of the NVM look like?

  The NVM is led by the General Board. This body consists of 5 members and is currently chaired by former mayor Onno Hoes. In addition to the General Board, there are specialized sectors: Residential, Business, and Agricultural & Rural Real Estate.

• What are the subsidiaries of the NVM?

  NVM, through their NVM Holding BV (100%-subsidiary), is a shareholder in several subsidiaries that focus on the real estate market: Funda, Realworks, Academie voor Vastgoed, FluX, and Brainbay BV.

  Funda Funda is the largest housing website in the Netherlands. Annually, more than 100,000 houses are posted on the website for sale. NVM holds 90% of the voting rights and 70% of all profit rights in Funda. The rest of the profit and voting rights are held by Stichting Administratiekantoor Funda. This foundation holds the shares and issues certificates to real estate agents and former real estate agents.

  Realworks Realworks provides software to real estate agents for daily office work. About 70% of NVM real estate agents are clients of Realworks. NVM is 100% owner of Realworks BV. In 2015, Realworks achieved a turnover of 6 million euros and a profit of 2 million euros.

  Realworks was set up by the NVM and Basegroup. In 2012, a conflict arose when Realworks wanted to start providing software for non-real estate agents. NVM disagreed because they wanted to protect their members. In 2015, the conflict ended when NVM acquired the remaining 44% of the shares from Basegroup for 8.6 million.

  Academie voor Vastgoed The Academie voor Vastgoed provides professional education to NVM real estate agents and appraisers and employees of NVM offices. NVM real estate agents may also choose another training provider as long as it meets the NVM's quality requirements. The Academie voor Vastgoed is located in Nieuwegein. NVM is 100% shareholder in the Academie voor Vastgoed.

  FluX FluX provides appraisal software to appraisers, housing corporations, investors, consultants, financial institutions, and accountants. 500 appraisers use the software for their work. FluX is a 100% subsidiary of the NVM.

  Brainbay BV Brainbay manages the databases that underlie Funda and real estate agent websites. Brainbay was established by the NVM to deliver big data applications based on all the data they manage. NVM is 100% shareholder in Brainbay.