Viewings & Negotiation
The most exciting and nerve-wracking part of selling: hosting potential buyers and receiving concrete offers.
The Viewings (Bezichtigingen)
In the Netherlands, sellers are almost never present during viewings. Your agent handles everything to allow buyers to poke around cabinets, ask difficult questions, and visualize themselves in the space without feeling awkward.
The "Open House" Route (NVM Open Huizen Dag)
Twice a year (usually April and October), the NVM organizes a national open house day. You stay home and host the viewers. This is becoming less common in hot markets where individual appointments are the norm.
The "Block" Viewing
More common in cities. Your agent schedules 20 to 30 parties in strict 15-minute slots over a Thursday and Friday. This creates a sense of urgency and competition among the buyers waiting outside.
Receiving Bids (Bieden)
Normally, after a weekend of viewings, your agent will establish a deadline (e.g., "Bids must be in by Tuesday at 12:00 PM").
How to choose the winning bid?
It's not always about the highest price! A good agent evaluates the total package:
- The Price: The numerical amount offered.
- Financing Clause (Voorbehoud van financiering): A bid of €450k without a financing clause is often stronger than a bid of €460k that requires a mortgage approval (which could fall through).
- Building Inspection (Bouwkundige keuring): Is the buyer making the bid conditional on a structural survey?
- Move-in Date: Do they want to move in in 1 month, or 6 months? Does this align with when your new home is ready?
The Bidding Dashboard
Since 2023, there is a new law mandating transparency in the bidding process (via platforms like an official bidding log or biedlogboek). Once the cooling-off period is over and the contract is signed, all losing bidders receive an anonymized log showing the amounts and conditions of competing bids.
The Koopovereenkomst (Purchase Agreement)
Once you accept an offer, the preliminary purchase contract is drawn up. It contains:
- The agreed price and date of transfer.
- The 10% penalty clause (if the buyer backs out illegally).
- The list of movable goods (Lijst van Zaken) - specifying what stays (e.g., built-in appliances, floors) and what goes (e.g., curtains, chandeliers).
Important: Under Dutch law, a verbal agreement to buy/sell a house is NOT binding for private individuals (the written requirement). Both parties must sign the Koopovereenkomst before the deal is officially sealed.