Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Netherlands Property Pack
Yes, the analysis of Amsterdam's property market is included in our pack
In early 2026, Amsterdam remains one of Europe's most competitive property markets, with average home prices around 700,000 euros and rising, fierce bidding wars, and unique local traps that catch foreign buyers off guard.
The good news is that the Netherlands has strong legal institutions and a transparent property registration system, but the bad news is that foreigners still get burned by Amsterdam-specific issues like erfpacht ground leases, VvE apartment obligations, and foundation problems in older neighborhoods.
We constantly update this blog post to reflect the latest rules, market conditions, and real-world experiences from foreign buyers in Amsterdam.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Amsterdam.
How risky is buying property in Amsterdam as a foreigner in 2026?
Can foreigners legally own properties in Amsterdam in 2026?
As of early 2026, foreigners can legally own residential property in Amsterdam without any nationality-based restrictions, making the Netherlands one of Europe's most open markets for international buyers.
The main condition that applies to foreign buyers in Amsterdam is not about citizenship but about property structure, because around 80% of Amsterdam homes are built on municipal leasehold land called erfpacht, meaning you own the building but lease the land and pay an ongoing ground rent to the city.
Since direct freehold ownership is relatively uncommon in Amsterdam, foreigners typically buy property through the standard Dutch system where ownership transfers through a civil-law notary and gets registered with Kadaster, the official Dutch land registry, rather than needing any special legal structures.
What buyer rights do foreigners actually have in Amsterdam in 2026?
As of early 2026, foreign buyers in Amsterdam have the same legal rights as Dutch citizens once they become the registered owner at Kadaster, including full protection under Dutch contract law and the ability to enforce agreements through Dutch courts.
If a seller breaches a contract in Amsterdam, foreign buyers can pursue specific performance or damages through the Dutch legal system, though the civil-law notary's involvement in every transfer provides an additional layer of protection by verifying identities and checking for encumbrances before closing.
The most common right that foreigners mistakenly assume they have in Amsterdam is automatic freehold ownership of the land, when in reality most Amsterdam properties come with erfpacht obligations and VvE apartment association rules that significantly affect what you can do with your property and what you must pay each year.
How strong is contract enforcement in Amsterdam right now?
Contract enforcement in Amsterdam is generally strong by international standards, with the Netherlands ranking 9th globally in the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index, which means you can expect more reliable outcomes than in most countries including some popular investment destinations in Southern or Eastern Europe.
The main weakness foreign buyers should know about in Amsterdam is that "strong" does not mean "fast" or "cheap," because Dutch court proceedings can take many months and legal fees add up quickly, which is why getting the contract right upfront with clear conditions and using the notary's escrow system matters more than relying on your ability to sue later.
By the way, we detail all the documents you need and what they mean in our property pack covering Amsterdam.
Buying real estate in Amsterdam can be risky
An increasing number of foreign investors are showing interest. However, 90% of them will make mistakes. Avoid the pitfalls with our comprehensive guide.
Which scams target foreign buyers in Amsterdam right now?
Are scams against foreigners common in Amsterdam right now?
Real estate scams targeting foreigners in Amsterdam are less frequent than in some other markets, but online fraud is widespread in the Netherlands overall, with CBS reporting millions of Dutch residents affected by online crime annually and Fraudehelpdesk documenting rising scam reports through 2025.
The transaction type most frequently targeted by scammers in Amsterdam is the rental market rather than property purchases, but buyers still face risks around payment fraud, fake intermediaries, and misleading information about erfpacht or property conditions.
The foreign buyer profile most commonly targeted by scammers in Amsterdam is the person searching remotely from abroad, under time pressure to secure housing, and unfamiliar with how the Dutch system works, especially expats relocating for work who need to act quickly.
The single biggest warning sign that a deal may be a scam in Amsterdam is any request to transfer money before you have verified ownership through Kadaster, met with a notary, or seen the property in person, particularly if the seller uses urgency tactics or asks for payment outside the standard notarial process.
What are the top three scams foreigners face in Amsterdam right now?
The top three scams that foreigners face when buying property in Amsterdam in 2026 are payment redirection fraud where fake emails request money transfers to wrong accounts, erfpacht misrepresentation where listings downplay or hide ground lease costs, and undisclosed building problems where sellers fail to mention foundation issues or VvE underfunding.
The most common scam typically unfolds in Amsterdam when a buyer receives a convincing email that appears to come from their notary or real estate agent, containing slightly altered bank details for the deposit transfer, and by the time the fraud is discovered the money has already moved through multiple accounts and cannot be recovered.
The most effective way to protect yourself from payment fraud in Amsterdam is to call the notary using a number you sourced independently to verify any bank details before transferring money, while for erfpacht misrepresentation you should always check the municipality's erfpacht records directly, and for building problems you should order a professional building inspection that specifically addresses foundation risk in older neighborhoods like Jordaan, De Pijp, or Oud-West.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in the Netherlands versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
How do I verify the seller and ownership in Amsterdam without getting fooled?
How do I confirm the seller is the real owner in Amsterdam?
The standard verification process to confirm the seller is the real owner in Amsterdam involves ordering an "Eigendomsinformatie" extract from Kadaster for about 4 euros, which shows the legally registered owner of any property and can be obtained online within minutes.
The official document foreign buyers should check to verify ownership in Amsterdam is the Kadaster ownership extract, which shows not just the current owner but also whether the property is held by an individual, company, or through a power of attorney, and whether there are any registered rights or restrictions.
The most common trick fake sellers use to appear legitimate in Amsterdam is providing screenshots or PDFs of ownership documents rather than directing you to verify through Kadaster yourself, and while outright title fraud is rare because of the notarial system, payment redirection scams using fake identities are more common.
Where do I check liens or mortgages on a property in Amsterdam?
The official registry where you check liens or mortgages on a property in Amsterdam is Kadaster, specifically by ordering the "Hypotheekinformatie" extract which shows all registered mortgages and attachments (seizures) on any property.
When checking for liens in Amsterdam, you should request information about the amount of any registered mortgages, whether there are any beslag (attachments or seizures) from creditors or tax authorities, and the dates these were registered, because liens must be cleared before clean ownership can transfer.
The type of encumbrance most commonly missed by foreign buyers in Amsterdam is not a traditional lien but the erfpacht ground lease obligation, where buyers assume a prepaid period means no future costs when actually the lease may expire soon and trigger a major canon recalculation.
It's one of the aspects we cover in our our pack about the real estate market in Amsterdam.
How do I spot forged documents in Amsterdam right now?
The most common type of forged document used in property scams in Amsterdam is a fake ownership proof or altered bank details in emails, though outright document forgery is rare in purchase transactions because the notarial system catches most irregularities before closing.
The specific red flags that indicate a document may be forged in Amsterdam include inconsistent formatting, recent creation dates on supposedly old documents, email addresses that are slightly misspelled versions of legitimate firms, and any request to bypass the notary's standard procedures or verification steps.
The official verification method you should use to authenticate documents in Amsterdam is to ignore any document handed to you and instead pull the Kadaster extract yourself directly from their website, verify bank details by calling the notary using independently sourced contact information, and let the notary's built-in checks do their job rather than relying on what sellers provide.
Get the full checklist for your due diligence in Amsterdam
Don't repeat the same mistakes others have made before you. Make sure everything is in order before signing your sales contract.
What "grey-area" practices should I watch for in Amsterdam?
What hidden costs surprise foreigners when buying a property in Amsterdam?
The three most common hidden costs that foreigners overlook in Amsterdam are erfpacht ground rent which can range from a few hundred to several thousand euros per year depending on your lease terms, VvE monthly contributions which typically run 100 to 400 euros per month for apartment buildings, and transfer tax which is 2% of the purchase price for owner-occupiers or 8% for investors in 2026.
The hidden cost most often deliberately concealed by sellers or agents in Amsterdam is the true erfpacht situation, where listings sometimes say "erfpacht afgekocht" (leasehold paid off) without specifying until when, and buyers later discover their prepaid period ends soon and a significant canon increase is coming, which sometimes happens because agents focus on making sales rather than explaining long-term costs.
If you want to go into more details, we also have a blog article detailing all the property taxes and fees in Amsterdam.
Are "cash under the table" requests common in Amsterdam right now?
Outright "cash under the table" requests are not common in Amsterdam's mainstream residential market because every property transfer runs through a civil-law notary who handles the payment and registration, making it difficult to hide portions of the transaction from authorities.
When sellers in Amsterdam do try to move value outside the official transaction, the typical reason is tax optimization, such as asking buyers to pay separately for furniture or fixtures at inflated prices, or suggesting informal arrangements around renovation costs.
The legal risks foreigners face if they agree to an undeclared cash payment in Amsterdam include potential prosecution for tax fraud, loss of legal recourse if disputes arise over the informal portion, and complications with mortgage financing since banks only recognize officially recorded transactions.
Are side agreements used to bypass rules in Amsterdam right now?
Side agreements to bypass rules sometimes occur in Amsterdam, particularly around informal promises about short-term rental possibilities, renovation permissions, or VvE exceptions that sellers claim neighbors have agreed to verbally.
The most common type of side agreement used to circumvent regulations in Amsterdam involves furniture packages priced to influence tax calculations, informal assurances about Airbnb rental rights that turn out to be wrong, or handshake deals about building modifications that the VvE never actually approved.
The legal consequences foreigners face if a side agreement is discovered by authorities in Amsterdam can include voiding of the informal arrangement with no compensation, fines for operating illegal short-term rentals, and potential issues with your mortgage lender if the property's declared use differs from reality.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in the Netherlands compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
Can I trust real estate agents in Amsterdam in 2026?
Are real estate agents regulated in Amsterdam in 2026?
As of early 2026, real estate agents in Amsterdam operate under a professional self-regulatory system rather than a single government-issued license, meaning there is no mandatory state license but there are strong industry associations and quality registers that provide meaningful accountability.
The official certification that a legitimate real estate agent should have in Amsterdam is registration with a recognized quality register like VastgoedCert or membership in a major professional association such as NVM, VBO, or Vastgoedpro, which require education, insurance, and adherence to professional standards.
Foreign buyers can verify whether an agent is properly affiliated in Amsterdam by checking the public registers at VastgoedCert.nl or the member directories of NVM.nl, and by asking the agent directly which complaints body handles disputes, because properly affiliated agents will have a clear answer pointing to De Geschillencommissie or similar bodies.
Please note that we have a list of contacts for you in our property pack about Amsterdam.
What agent fee percentage is normal in Amsterdam in 2026?
As of early 2026, the normal agent fee percentage in Amsterdam ranges from about 1% to 2.5% of the purchase or sale price, with most buyer's agents charging around 1% to 1.5% and seller's agents typically at the higher end of that range.
The typical range of agent fees that covers most transactions in Amsterdam is 1% to 2% of the property value, though fixed-fee arrangements are also available and can sometimes be more cost-effective for expensive properties, and all fees are negotiable depending on the services included.
In Amsterdam, the buyer typically pays their own buyer's agent (aankoopmakelaar) if they choose to hire one, while the seller pays their selling agent (verkoopmakelaar), which means as a foreign buyer you are responsible for your agent's fee as an additional closing cost.
Get the full checklist for your due diligence in Amsterdam
Don't repeat the same mistakes others have made before you. Make sure everything is in order before signing your sales contract.
What due diligence actually prevents disasters in Amsterdam?
What structural inspection is standard in Amsterdam right now?
The standard structural inspection for property purchases in Amsterdam is a "bouwtechnische keuring" which is a visual, component-by-component building inspection that examines the roof, walls, windows, installations, and other elements, typically costing 300 to 500 euros for a standard apartment.
A qualified inspector in Amsterdam should check specific structural elements including the roof covering and drainage, exterior and interior walls for cracks or moisture, window and door frames, electrical and plumbing systems, and critically for Amsterdam, any visible signs of foundation settlement or subsidence.
The type of professional qualified to perform structural inspections in Amsterdam is a registered building inspector, often affiliated with organizations like Vereniging Eigen Huis or specialized inspection firms, though for older properties you may also want a separate foundation specialist.
The most common structural issues that inspections reveal in Amsterdam properties are foundation-related problems in pre-1970 buildings built on wooden piles, moisture damage and rising damp in older canal-area homes, and deferred maintenance issues in apartment buildings where the VvE has not kept adequate reserves.
How do I confirm exact boundaries in Amsterdam right now?
The standard process for confirming exact property boundaries in Amsterdam involves obtaining the "kadastrale kaart" (cadastral map) from Kadaster which shows the official parcel boundaries, though for apartments your "boundary" is defined more by the apartment rights deed and VvE split document than by a physical fence line.
The official document that shows the legal boundaries of a property in Amsterdam is the Kadaster cadastral map combined with the deed of transfer, which together define exactly what you are buying in terms of land parcels, building footprints, and any easements or shared areas.
The most common boundary dispute that affects foreign buyers in Amsterdam is not about fence lines but about shared spaces in apartment buildings, where buyers assume they have exclusive use of a garden, storage, or parking space that actually belongs to the VvE or requires neighbor consent to use.
The professional you should hire to physically verify boundaries on the ground in Amsterdam is a Kadaster surveyor for land boundary questions, though for most apartment purchases in the city the more important step is having your notary or legal advisor review the VvE documents and split deed carefully.
What defects are commonly hidden in Amsterdam right now?
The top three defects that sellers commonly conceal from buyers in Amsterdam are foundation problems in older buildings which is common in neighborhoods like Jordaan, De Pijp, and Oud-West, VvE underfunding where the reserves are too small for upcoming major maintenance, and erfpacht cost surprises where the true ground rent situation is more expensive than the listing suggests.
The inspection technique that helps uncover hidden defects in Amsterdam includes requesting a phase-1 foundation investigation for pre-1970 properties, checking KCAF's online foundation risk viewer for your specific address, demanding to see VvE financial statements and meeting minutes for the past three years, and verifying erfpacht terms directly with the municipality rather than trusting listing descriptions.
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in the Netherlands. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
What insider lessons do foreigners share after buying in Amsterdam?
What do foreigners say they did wrong in Amsterdam right now?
The most common mistake foreigners say they made when buying property in Amsterdam is trusting the listing summary or agent's verbal explanations about erfpacht and VvE instead of demanding and reading the actual documents before making an offer.
The top three regrets foreigners most frequently mention after buying in Amsterdam are underestimating how much erfpacht will cost over time especially when prepaid periods end, skipping a proper building inspection to compete faster in bidding wars, and not understanding that foundation risk in older neighborhoods is a real financial issue that can cost 50,000 to 100,000 euros to fix.
The single piece of advice experienced foreign buyers most often give to newcomers in Amsterdam is to slow down enough to do proper due diligence even when the market feels urgent, because the money you might lose by missing one property is nothing compared to the money you will lose buying the wrong one.
The mistake foreigners say cost them the most money or caused the most stress in Amsterdam is discovering foundation problems after purchase, because repair costs can reach six figures, the issue affects resale value, and sellers have limited disclosure obligations if they can claim they did not know about the problem.
What do locals do differently when buying in Amsterdam right now?
The key difference in how locals approach buying property compared to foreigners in Amsterdam is that Dutch buyers automatically check erfpacht status, VvE health, and foundation risk as standard first steps, while foreigners often treat these as optional extras or assume they are covered by the standard process.
The verification step locals routinely take that foreigners often skip in Amsterdam is ordering the VvE documentation package (including the maintenance plan, reserve fund statement, and recent meeting minutes) before making any offer, because locals know that VvE problems can be just as expensive as building defects.
The local knowledge that helps Dutch buyers get better deals in Amsterdam is understanding which neighborhoods have high concentrations of properties approaching erfpacht revision periods or foundation risk, allowing them to negotiate price reductions that foreigners do not know to ask for.
Don't buy the wrong property, in the wrong area of Amsterdam
Buying real estate is a significant investment. Don't rely solely on your intuition. Gather the right information to make the best decision.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Amsterdam, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why It's Authoritative | How We Used It |
|---|---|---|
| Kadaster | Official Dutch land registry for all registered property rights. | We used it to explain how to verify legal ownership and check for encumbrances. We anchored our scam-prevention advice around official registry extracts. |
| Amsterdam Municipality Erfpacht | Official city source on Amsterdam's ground lease system. | We used it to highlight erfpacht as the single biggest foreign-buyer gotcha. We framed what must be checked before believing listing descriptions about ground costs. |
| Belastingdienst | Dutch Tax Administration, the source of truth for tax rates. | We used it to list the 2% vs 8% transfer tax rates for 2026. We included it in hidden costs because tax misunderstandings are a common foreign-buyer mistake. |
| KCAF Foundation Risk Viewer | Dutch knowledge center for foundation-problem prevention. | We used it to explain why some Amsterdam homes have elevated foundation risk. We directed readers to focus inspections on pre-1970 stock in older neighborhoods. |
| Notaris.nl | Mainstream Dutch notary information portal explaining the notarial process. | We used it to explain what the notary checks and what they don't. We set expectations so buyers don't confuse notary involvement with skipping their own diligence. |
| World Justice Project | Respected international benchmark for rule-of-law quality. | We used it to support the claim that contract enforcement is generally strong in the Netherlands. We triangulated it with EU justice benchmarking. |
| NVM | Largest professional association for Dutch real estate agents. | We used it to ground the normal fee ranges and explain agent regulation. We referenced it to show quality signals in a market without mandatory licensing. |
| VastgoedCert | Major Dutch quality register for real estate agents. | We used it as an example of how to vet agents beyond marketing claims. We cross-referenced it with disciplinary mechanisms. |
| Vereniging Eigen Huis | Widely recognized Dutch homeowners' association with standardized inspection services. | We used it to describe what a standard building inspection looks like in the Netherlands. We shaped the due-diligence checklist to match local practice. |
| CBS Online Safety Report | Official survey-based victimization statistics from the Dutch national statistics office. | We used it to quantify how common online fraud is in the Netherlands. We used it to calibrate risk warnings without sensationalism. |
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of the Netherlands. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
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