The Ultimate Checklist for Netherlands First-time Buyers 2021

Whether you’re moving out of your family home or you’ve finally decided it’s time to purchase your first home instead of renting, this can be a very daunting process.

We all love the idea of having our own space, but there are a lot of things we tend to forget about when purchasing our first homes. This is why it is very important that we consider the different obstacles we might run into and how we can combat them.

Lucky for you, we have researched for you and compiled plenty of factors into the ultimate checklist for first-time buyers! Keep reading to find out more.

Are you ready?

The first thing to consider when moving out is if you are actually ready. Many individuals across the globe jump at the opportunity to experience all the freedom that comes with leaving their family home. However, you may be surprised to find out that many people regret moving out of their family home so soon.

This is why we recommend that you take a look at your current financial state to make the ultimate decision as to whether it’s time to fly the nest. Researchers believe that 2021 might be the perfect year to purchase a home in the Netherlands rather than rent.

Contact a mortgage advisor

How good is your credit score? Whatever mortgage deal you get will wholly depend on your ability to repay your fees each month. Your credit score acts as a financial CV that can help determine your ability to keep up with monthly repayments.

We recommend that you visit a mortgage advisor who’ll provide you with financial and mortgage advice. They will let you know if you truly are ready to purchase your first home and give you tips if not.

Invest in insurance

One of the many things people tend to forget when purchasing their first home is insurance. You may already know a lot about insurance, but people tend to ignore this element of moving until they really have to consider it.

With regards to contents insurance Netherlands, France, Belgium and most other countries in Europe do not require or compel homeowners to have contents insurance, but it is something every homeowner should have, if only for peace of mind.

When you build up your belongings after moving out, you must insure them to ensure the items are protected against any damage. Contents insurance covers absolutely everything in your home, so it’s definitely worth considering.

Ditch the clutter

If you have ever moved to a new house before, I’m sure we can all agree that we have picked up and taken all of our clutter from our previous home. Since this will be your first home, you should consider ditching all of the clutter you’ve carried with you since you were young.

This is especially the case if you’re moving somewhere that isn’t as big as your previous place. Moving to a new home is a fresh start, so there’s no need to carry all that weight with you as you move on. You want to fly the next, not drag yourself away from it. This should be a light experience, and it’ll be made even easier without clutter.

Decide on your interior

Contemporary interior design is one of the most exciting parts of purchasing your first home. This is because you can choose what you buy for it – no one else. As much as you’d like to take that wonderful trip to IKEA and purchase all the amazing flat-pack furniture, we recommend holding off on this until you know exactly what you want.

In the past, many of us have made the same mistake that we swear not to do again. Purchasing loads of furniture at once usually means you stuck with it for a long time before you can buy again.

It’s useful to keep in mind that when we are moving, our budgets will be very tight. We don’t want to blow all of our funds on the wrong interior products. This is why we recommend choosing what you want in advance and working out a payment plan to stay on top of your finances. Remember to clean your new home before you settle!

Change your postal address

Forgetting to change our postal address is something many of us have fallen victim to. Changing postal addresses in the Netherlands is easy, but you must ensure that you register your new address within five days of moving. If you forget to do this, you risk being fined. Therefore, you must remember to do this sooner rather than later.

What have you ticked off on your checklist?