Overbidding on Dutch homes: how often and how much

How often Dutch buyers pay above asking in 2026, what happens if the valuation is below your offer and how much savings you need. With an example.

Written by: Woningmarkt NL editors. Updated 17 October 2026

How often do buyers overbid?

Paying above asking is less automatic than a year ago, but still common. According to quarterly figures from NVM, the largest Dutch estate agents' association, buyers paid more than the asking price for almost two thirds of existing homes sold in the third quarter of 2026, down from 71% a year earlier. The average time to sell was 31 days, against 29 days a year earlier. These figures cover homes sold through NVM agents, not every sale.

By municipality? There is no free official source of overbidding figures by municipality. CBS (Statistics Netherlands) and the Kadaster (land registry) publish sale prices and a price index, but not the gap between asking and selling price. So our map and city pages show CBS average sale prices, not overbidding rates.

Valuation below your offer

The bank lends against the valued market value, not against what you offer. Your mortgage may not exceed 100% of that value. If you offer more than the valuer thinks the home is worth, you pay the difference yourself, on top of the buying costs, even if your income would allow a bigger loan.

Transfer tax (2% if you will live in the home) is charged on the price, so on the overbid part too. If a high offer takes the price above €555,000, you lose the first-time buyer exemption and pay 2% on the whole amount.

Your own money

Work out in advance how much of your own money you have for:

any gap between offer and valuation;
the buying costs (transfer tax, notary, valuation, advice);
a buffer for surprises.

See how much you can borrow on your income with the mortgage calculator, and add up the costs with the buying costs calculator.

Strategy without guarantees

Nobody can tell you how much to offer to win a house. It does help to:

set a maximum offer from your borrowing room and savings, and stick to it;
look at recent sales of similar homes nearby (your own buying agent can pull these);
think about conditions (voorbehouden), such as a financing condition. Without one you carry more risk if the mortgage falls through;
remember that a national average says little about a single home. NVM itself points to big differences between regions and home types.

Worked example

Asking price €400,000. You offer €420,000 and will live in the home. The valuer says €410,000. You are 40, so the first-time buyer exemption does not apply.

Maximum mortgage on the home's value: 100% of €410,000 = €410,000 (if your income allows it).
Gap between offer and valuation, from savings: €10,000.
Transfer tax at 2% on €420,000: €8,400, also from savings.
Add notary, valuation and advice.

At this offer you need at least €18,400 of your own money plus the other buying costs.

Disclaimer

This guide is indicative and not financial advice. Your own situation may work out differently. Talk to an independent mortgage adviser or buying agent.

This text was written with AI assistance. The editors checked the rules and figures against the sources below (as of 17 October 2026).

Sources

NVM, Q3 2026 housing market figures (Dutch): https://www.nvm.nl/nieuws/2026/nvm-meer-keuze-voor-kopers-woningverkopen-blijven-op-peil/
Temporary Mortgage Credit Regulation 2026 (maximum loan-to-value; Dutch): https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0032503/2026-01-01/0
Belastingdienst, Transfer tax rate (Dutch): https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/bldcontentnl/belastingdienst/prive/woning/overdrachtsbelasting/tarieven_overdrachtsbelasting/het_tarief_van_de_overdrachtbelasting
Rijksoverheid, Transfer tax exemption (Dutch): https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/vraag-en-antwoord/huis-kopen/vrijstelling-overdrachtsbelasting
CBS, table 83625NED, existing owner-occupied homes; average sale prices, region: https://opendata.cbs.nl/statline/#/CBS/nl/dataset/83625NED

Not financial advice. This guide explains rules; your own situation may work out differently.

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