Short answer: yes, you can buy an apartment in the Netherlands without a buyer's agent (aankoopmakelaar). It easily saves you € 2,500 to € 5,000. But a buyer's agent does more than bid: they also read the documents of the owners' association (Vereniging van Eigenaars, VvE). Skip that step, and an empty reserve fund, an extra levy or a loan after the transfer can wipe out your savings in one go. So do the agent's work yourself, or have the part you can't do checked separately.
What does a buyer's agent actually do?
A buyer's agent works for you as the buyer. You usually pay a fixed fee or a percentage of the price (see Buyer's agent: what does it cost and what do you get?). For that, they:
| Task | Can you do it yourself? |
|---|---|
| Searching and viewings | Yes. Funda and the seller's agent do most of the work. |
| Estimating the value | Partly. Compare sold apartments in the same building or street. |
| Bidding and negotiating | Yes, with preparation. Read Making an offer on an apartment. |
| Arranging a building survey | Yes. A surveyor does the survey, not the agent. |
| Reading the purchase agreement | Yes, or have it checked for a small fee. |
| Assessing the VvE documents | This is the hard part. See below. |
For a house, the first five tasks are most of the work. For an apartment, the VvE comes on top, and that is where the biggest hidden costs are.
Where you lose your savings: the VvE
With an apartment, you buy into an owners' association. You inherit its maintenance plans, its savings and its debts. Three ways that costs you money:
- A reserve fund that is too small. If a roof replacement or a new lift is due and too little has been saved, an extra one-off contribution follows. For a big project that is easily thousands of euros per apartment. In the VvE files we analysed in full, the reserve fund was clearly too low in one in four cases.
- A VvE loan. You pay your share of the interest and repayments, often for years. Read VvE loan when buying.
- A contribution that is too low. A low monthly contribution looks attractive, but often means too little is being saved. The bill comes later. Read What is a normal VvE contribution?
The seller's agent works for the seller. They will give you the documents if you ask, but they won't go through them for you.
How to do it yourself
- Ask for the VvE documents at the first viewing. Deed of division, maintenance plan (MJOP), minutes, annual accounts and budget. Read Checking VvE documents yourself for the full list and what to look for in each.
- Ask the seller's agent the right questions. About planned maintenance, loans and extra contributions. See Questions to ask the seller's agent about the VvE.
- Set the MJOP against the reserve fund. Is there enough money for the planned maintenance in every year? See Reading an MJOP.
- Read before you bid, and at the latest during the cooling-off period. After the three days you are bound. Read Buying an apartment in the Netherlands.
- Factor what you find into your offer. If a levy of € 5,000 per apartment is coming in two years, that is a reason to bid lower.
What does it cost to have it checked?
You don't have to choose between doing everything yourself and a full buyer's agent. You can also have just the VvE part done:
| Cost | |
|---|---|
| Buyer's agent, full process | often € 2,500 to € 5,000 |
| VvE documents checked by ApartmentCheck | free first scan, quick scan € 49, full report € 249 |
That way you keep most of your savings, without going into the VvE blind.
Frequently asked questions
Is a buyer's agent required in the Netherlands?
No. You can always buy an apartment yourself. You will have the seller's agent, the notary and your mortgage adviser anyway; a buyer's agent is a choice.
What is the biggest risk of buying without an agent?
For an apartment: the VvE. A reserve fund that is too small, a loan or a planned extra contribution can't be seen at the viewing, only in the documents.
Can the seller's agent help me too?
They will answer your questions and give you the documents, but they work for the seller. You have to form your own view of the VvE, or have someone who works for you do it.
Buying without a buyer's agent? Have the VvE documents checked for a fraction of what an agent costs. The first scan is free and takes a minute.
Sources
- Trustoo: Kosten aankoopmakelaar 2026 (Dutch, updated 26 July 2026)
- Univé: Kosten aankoopmakelaar of verkoopmakelaar (Dutch)
- BNNVARA Kassa: Heeft een aankoopmakelaar nut als je een huis zoekt? (Dutch)