Buying a home in the Netherlands means meeting a wall of Dutch financial jargon, and a hypotheek (mortgage) is the biggest contract you will ever sign here. The good news: expats can borrow on the same terms as locals. The catch: the vocabulary, and a few rules, can cost or save you real money. Here is the terminology, decoded.
Yes, expats can borrow, with conditions
As Expatica’s guide to Dutch mortgages explains, you get the same mortgage as a Dutch national if you live in the Netherlands and your salary is in euros (your employer can be abroad). Some banks count only 90% of non-euro income. How much you can borrow is based mainly on your income. Most expats use a hypotheekadviseur (mortgage advisor), who, as the guides note, acts as an intermediary between you and lenders, invaluable if you do not speak Dutch.
NHG: the guarantee worth knowing
The single most useful term is NHG (Nationale Hypotheek Garantie). As ABN AMRO describes the NHG and De Hypotheker’s glossary confirms, for homes up to 470,000 euros (2026) it is a safety net: if you cannot repay because of job loss, divorce, or similar, the public guarantee fund helps, and you get a lower interest rate (often around 0.5% less). It costs a one-off 0.4% of the loan, on a 300,000-euro mortgage that is 1,200 euros, usually repaid many times over by the rate cut.
The words on the mortgage
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| Hypotheek | Mortgage |
| Hypotheekadviseur | Mortgage advisor |
| Rente | Interest (rate) |
| Aflossen | To repay (principal) |
| Annuïteiten- / lineaire hypotheek | Annuity / linear mortgage |
| NHG | National Mortgage Guarantee |
| Taxatie | Valuation |
| Koopakte / leveringsakte | Purchase / transfer deed |
The two main repayment types, annuïteiten (annuity: fixed monthly total) and lineair (linear: fixed principal, falling total), matter for tax and budgeting, so have your advisor explain which suits you. One more term worth knowing is hypotheekrenteaftrek (mortgage-interest deduction), a long-standing Dutch tax break that lets you deduct mortgage interest from taxable income, part of why buying can be attractive here. Ask your advisor how it applies to you, since the rules tighten over time.
Where it fits
The mortgage is the financial core of buying, surrounded by the rest of the process: the VvE documents if it is an apartment, standing out to the makelaar, and decoding Funda jargon. Once you own, setting up the home follows, starting with the gas, water, and electricity.
The bottom line
Expats can get a Dutch hypotheek on local terms, usually through a hypotheekadviseur. Learn the key words, especially NHG (a lower rate and a safety net for homes under 470,000 euros, for a 0.4% fee), and understand whether you are taking an annuïteiten or lineaire mortgage. The biggest contract of your life deserves more than a trusting signature.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the financial and property Dutch a mortgage involves, the words for interest, repayment, guarantee, and valuation, in five-minute lessons, so you can follow your hypotheekadviseur and read the documents rather than signing on trust alone.
Frequently asked questions
Can expats get a mortgage in the Netherlands?
Yes. Expats get the same mortgages as Dutch nationals, provided you live in the Netherlands and your salary is in euros (your job can be abroad). Some banks count only 90% of non-euro income. A mortgage advisor (hypotheekadviseur) is the usual route, especially if you do not speak Dutch, and how much you can borrow is based mainly on your income.
What is NHG (Nationale Hypotheek Garantie)?
NHG is the Dutch National Mortgage Guarantee: a safety net (run by a public fund) that, for homes up to a set limit (470,000 euros in 2026), protects you if you cannot repay due to circumstances like job loss or divorce, and gives you a lower interest rate (often around 0.5% lower). You pay a one-off fee of 0.4% of the loan for it.
What does hypotheekadviseur mean and do I need one?
A hypotheekadviseur is a mortgage advisor who acts as an intermediary between you and lenders, comparing options and handling the paperwork. You are not required to use one, but most expats do, because the Dutch mortgage market and its Dutch-language documents are complex, and an advisor can find a lender that accepts your situation.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for getting a mortgage?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best choice because it teaches the financial and property Dutch a mortgage involves, the words for interest, repayment, guarantee, and valuation, in five-minute lessons, so you can follow your hypotheekadviseur and read the documents rather than signing on trust alone.
