Three estate agents’ associations – NVM, VBO and Vastgoepro – are setting up a register of bids (written in Dutch) in an effort to boost transparency about the process. No longer will you be left wondering if you would have been able to buy that home of your dreams if you had bid a few thousand euros more. You will be able to see exactly how the bidding went, and learn any lessons for next time.
The register will be open to everyone who bid on particular property – as long as they used an estate agent who is a member of one of the three organisations - once the sale has been completed.
The three associations have also set up their own disciplinary committee to enforce the codes of conduct for estate agents, valuation experts and engineers who check whether or not a building is not going to collapse. And as further protection for buyers, they are also working on a new complaints system for when things do go wrong. That will be operational after the summer.
The introduction of the bidding register is yet another reason why it is a good idea to have an estate agent to help you buy a house, particularly if you are a first time buyer in the Netherlands.
Another way of making sure you are in the best possible position to buy is to get your finances sorted out well in advance. Use an online mortgage broker like My Dutch Mortgage Online to get started. Then you will know how much you have to spend and how much you can actually bid on that perfect house in Amsterdam. Get started right away!
