Pay close attention when, as a real estate agent, you are dealing with a property where the designated use has been changed to residential, or where the property has a mixed-use designation. On paper, it may appear that an apartment can simply be used and sold as a home. However, there is an important issue…
You are selling an apartment with a beautiful extension, balcony or perhaps even an additional rooftop floor. While checking the documents, you find minutes confirming that the Owners’ Association (VvE) approved the alteration years ago. Everything properly arranged, you might think. But is that approval legally sufficient? Not necessarily. And this is exactly where a…
A good buying agent does much more than arrange viewings, develop a bidding strategy and negotiate a good deal. Just as important is your ability to recognise when something doesn’t quite add up. And that is exactly what we teach you at Dutch Realtor Training. As a buying agent, you don’t need to be a…
The purchase agreement has been signed, the champagne is on ice and everyone is looking forward to completion at the notary’s office. Then, out of nowhere, everything falls apart. The buyer refuses to complete the purchase, the seller terminates the agreement and the property goes back on the market. Almost immediately, the same question comes…
Fortunately, it doesn’t happen very often, but every now and then a property transaction in The Netherlands comes to a complete standstill. The purchase agreement has been signed, the notary is ready for completion, and the moving boxes may already be packed. Then, at the very last moment, one of the parties fails to show…
Are you buying or selling a home in The Netherlands and want to know what the rules are regarding smoke detectors and CO₂ detectors? In this super short, no-nonsense video, Registered Real Estate Agent and Valuer Floris explains the legal requirements. As a seller, make sure that smoke detectors are present in the home at…
Many real estate students and new agents regularly get a reprimand from real estate agent Floris. They get that for saying they bought a ‘house’, when they didn’t buy a house, but an APARTMENT. There’s a world of difference between a house and an apartment. With an apartment, you don’t buy your own bricks and…
1. The written form requirement If a private person buys a house, Dutch law says the agreement must be in writing. And that doesn’t mean WhatsApp or email. It must be a signed purchase contract. A spoken or emailed “deal” doesn’t count. This rule is called the written form requirement (“schriftelijkheidsvereiste”). 2. The buyer is…
As an apartment owner, you automatically become a member of the Homeowners’ Association (HOA). But what does that mean, and how are important decisions about the building made? Understanding the HOA’s decision-making process is key to protecting your investment. How are decisions made? Decisions are made during HOA meetings, where owners vote on matters such…
When buying or selling an apartment, understanding the hierarchy of rules in apartment law is crucial. What happens if the deed of division conflicts with the house rules? A clear hierarchy determines which regulations prevail. What is the order of precedence? The hierarchy outlines which rules take priority in case of conflicts: Why does it…
