Download your free Dutch mortgage guide: how your mortgage is calculated

It's not just your salary. Income, interest rates, debt, energy labels and employment type all play a role. This free guide explains every factor — in plain English.

All the factors that determine your Dutch mortgage

All covered in the free guide — in plain English, with no jargon

A 6-page guide to how your Dutch mortgage is calculated

Clear, practical guidance on how your maximum mortgage is calculated — explained in a very simple way.

  • Understand how lenders use your gross annual income as the starting point — and what other income types (bonuses, holiday pay) can be included.

  • Why the rate you choose and how long you fix it directly changes your maximum mortgage — with a real example showing the impact of a 1.5% rate difference.

  • How a home's energy efficiency can increase your borrowing capacity — and how to borrow extra specifically for sustainability improvements.

  • The specific rules for ZZP freelancers and BV company owners — what documents are needed and how banks assess irregular income.

  • 100% independent mortgage advisors
  • Access to 40+ lenders
  • Clear, fast, and personal guidance

Every factor that determines your Dutch mortgage

  • Gross annual income: the starting point. Lenders typically allow around 4.25× your gross income — but bonuses, holiday pay and other allowances can also be included.

  • Interest rate & fixed period: a lower rate means lower monthly costs, allowing you to borrow more. Locking in for 20–30 years can also increase your maximum mortgage.

  • Loan-to-value (LTV): in the Netherlands you can borrow up to 100% of the property value. Additional buying costs (4–6%) must come from your own savings.

  • Personal debt & BKR: all existing obligations — student loans, credit cards, car leases, alimony — reduce your available mortgage. BKR registrations are checked by every lender.

  • Energy label of the home: homes with a better energy label (A, B, A++) allow higher borrowing. You can also borrow extra specifically for energy-saving improvements.

  • Employment type: permanent contracts, freelance (ZZP), and BV ownership are all assessed differently. Self-employed borrowers need 12–36 months of income history.

Our happy clients

We focus on delivering great results — and our clients' feedback tells the rest of the story.

Luc has been amazing at helping us navigate all the procedures regarding our mortgage. He is quick to respond and is always available over call. We had a great experience with him.

Balaaj

22-06-2026

Toni was happy to help us out quickly and was able to secure a good deal for us. He helped us out regurarly with a bunch of questions. - From a happy customer and a first time home owner.

Gedeon

13-03-2026

Our mortgage application was quite complex and Tony helped us through it very well. He gave brilliant advice that really saved our mortgage and enabled us to buy a home.

Abdullah H

26-02-2026

Luc was very informative, he made sure to explain everything I needed to know as a first time buyer. He made sure to be available for all my questions and inquiries. The process went very smoothly, and approval was quite quick.

Reem

23-06-2025

Bart is such a great mortgage advisor. He is reliable, knowledgeable and explains every details to me with great patience. It is a very smooth process to get 2 mortgage applications approved!

Melanie

19-06-2025

He helped us through the whole proccess, always helping us with our doubts and questions

F.N.S

15-06-2025

Meet our mortgage advisors

✓ 10+ years’ experience working with expats ✓ Independent advisors with access to 40+ lenders ✓ Guidance in English from start to finish.