First-time home buyer in The Hague. The rules, costs and limits for 2026

As a first-time buyer under 35, you pay no transfer tax in 2026 on a home worth up to €555,000 that you will live in yourself, and on a home of up to €470,000 you can get the National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG).
In The Hague, those limits decide a lot. According to De Hypotheker, the average apartment sold for €416,182 in the second quarter of 2026, within both, and the average house for €824,200, above both.

The Hague adds rules of its own. A cheaper home may not be rented out without a permit, part of the city is on ground lease, and there is currently no regular municipal starter loan. Below are the national rules with their 2026 figures, what they mean in The Hague, how much of your own money you need, and what changes on 1 January 2027, when the exemption limit rises to €615,000.

The starter exemption = no transfer tax up to €555,000

According to the Tax and Customs Administration, you pay no transfer tax if you are 18 or older and under 35 on the day of the notarial transfer, will live in the home yourself, not temporarily, have not used the exemption before, and the home's value is no more than €555,000 in 2026. Having owned a home before does not rule you out.

The value is usually the purchase price, including outbuildings you buy with the home. For a home on ground lease where the ground rent (canon) is still payable, the capitalised canon is added, according to the Tax and Customs Administration. In The Hague, that can take an apartment priced just under €555,000 over the limit, so ask for the lease terms early.

The limit is a hard edge. Above €555,000 the exemption lapses entirely and you pay 2% on the whole value, according to ABN AMRO, so €11,100 on €555,001. If you buy together, the value of the whole home counts, not each share. If only one of you qualifies, for example because your partner is 35 or older, the exemption covers only your share.

You claim the exemption with a signed declaration, which has to be with the notary before the transfer. Each buyer can use it once, so a couple who both qualify use up both exemptions on the same home. Without the declaration, you pay 2% and keep the exemption for later, which can make sense if you expect to buy a more expensive home that still falls within the limit before you turn 35.

What changes on 1 January 2027

From 1 January 2027, the limit rises to €615,000, an amount that had already been set before the budget day of September 2026, according to De Hypotheker; ABN AMRO and the accountancy association SRA report the same figure. What counts is the date of the notarial transfer, according to ABN AMRO and SRA, not the date on which you sign the purchase agreement.

So if you are buying a home priced above €555,000 and up to €615,000, a transfer on or after 1 January 2027 can save you 2% of the price, up to €12,300, provided you are still under 35 on that day. Agree the transfer date with the seller before you sign, and confirm the 2027 limit with your notary before you rely on it.

How much can you borrow as a first-time buyer?

By law you can borrow at most 100% of the home's value, or 106% if the extra goes into energy-saving measures. Within that ceiling, your income decides, using borrowing norms the government sets each year; for 2026 they allow slightly more because wages are expected to rise. A mortgage adviser works out your own maximum from your income, debts and employment contract.

For reference, starters took out a mortgage of €347,899 on average in the first four months of 2026, and single starters €296,898, according to De Hypotheker's figures; that is what they borrowed, not a limit. The energy label of the home adds to your maximum, on top of what your income allows. These are the amounts for 2026:

• E, F or G: no extra
• C or D: €5,000
• A or B: €10,000
• A+ or A++: €20,000
• A+++: €25,000
• A++++: €30,000, or €40,000 with an energy performance guarantee

The amounts come from De Hypotheker. For 2026 the top amounts were lowered, as the government announced: A+++ from €30,000 to €25,000, and A++++ with an energy performance guarantee from €50,000 to €40,000. If you finance energy-saving measures, you can borrow an extra €20,000 with label E, F or G, €15,000 with C or D, and €10,000 with labels A to A++.

NHG - the guarantee for homes up to €470,000

You can get the National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG) on a home of up to €470,000 in 2026, or €498,200 if you include energy-saving measures, according to NHG. The government puts it this way: NHG is possible when the purchase price or the valuation of the home is below that limit. NHG costs a one-off fee of 0.4% of the loan, which is €1,880 on a loan of €470,000.

In return, lenders charge a lower interest rate on loans with NHG, according to NHG, and the guarantee is a safety net; if you have to sell at a loss, a remaining debt can be forgiven under conditions. In The Hague, the limit falls between the price levels: the average apartment, at €416,182, is within it; the average of all homes, €481,504 in the second quarter of 2026 according to CBS, is above it.

How much of your own money you need

At minimum, your savings must cover the buying costs, because a mortgage cannot be more than the home's value. For an apartment at The Hague's average of €416,182 (De Hypotheker), bought with the starter exemption and NHG, those costs come to about €5,600 to €7,200 in our own calculation. Without the exemption, add 2% transfer tax, which is €8,324.

• Transfer tax: €0 with the starter exemption, otherwise 2%, €8,324
• Notary, deed of transfer and mortgage deed: €1,000 to €1,500, according to ABN AMRO
• Valuation report: about €600, according to ABN AMRO
• NHG fee: 0.4% of the loan, €1,665 on a loan of €416,182
• Mortgage advice and arrangement: €2,000 to €3,000 on average, ranging from €1,400 to €4,000, according to Trustoo
• Building inspection of an apartment: €350 to €450, according to the 2026 price guide of Getkadero

On top of that comes anything you bid above the valuation, because the lender lends against the valuation, not against what you agreed to pay. A buyer's agent, a buffer for repairs and the move are not in the total either. The deposit, usually 10% of the agreed price according to De Hypotheker, counts towards the price at the transfer, and instead of paying it in cash you can arrange a bank guarantee.

In practice, starters bring in far more than the minimum. Those who applied for a mortgage in early 2026 brought in €47,800 of their own money on average, according to mortgage platform Homefinance, up from €45,000 in 2025, according to the mortgage data network HDN. De Hypotheker notes that single starters often rely on savings or support from family.

Can you rent out your first home later?

In The Hague, often only with a permit. If the WOZ value is at or below the threshold when your purchase is registered, €470,000 in 2026, you may not rent out the home without a permit, according to the municipality. A permit is possible for renting to relatives in the first or second degree, or for at most one year after you lived there yourself for at least a year.

The permit costs €352.65, even if it is refused, and a decision can take eight weeks, which the municipality can extend once by six. Fines start at €10,000 and can reach €40,000 per violation, according to the municipality. If you might move on within a few years, factor this in before you buy, together with what selling soon after buying costs.

Ground lease, the VvE and older buildings

Part of The Hague is on municipal ground lease (erfpacht). The municipality has around 77,000 ground lease contracts, and in about 46,000 of them the ground rent has been paid off in advance, according to the municipality's figures from February 2024. Where it has not, you pay a yearly canon on top of your mortgage. Our guide explains how the canon is calculated in 2026.

Buying an apartment means joining the owners' association (VvE), which maintains the shared parts of the building from the monthly contributions and the reserve fund. Before you bid, look at the reserve, the annual accounts and the maintenance plan, because a reserve that does not match the plan can return later as a higher contribution or a special levy. Here is what to check in the VvE documents.

An older building deserves a building inspection before you commit. For an apartment, a standard inspection is limited to the private part, and foundation research and an asbestos inventory are extra, according to Getkadero. With NHG, a building report is required when the valuer recommends one or when the direct repair costs exceed 10% of the market value, according to NHG. Read what an inspection does and does not cover.

Is there a starter loan in The Hague?

Not at the moment. The Hague does not currently offer a regular starter loan (starterslening), according to Libero Financieel; a separate starter loan existed for selected new-build projects, and whether it is still available depends on the project and its budget. Ask the municipality before you count on one, and discuss help from family, as a gift or a loan, with your mortgage adviser.

Before you bid

• Talk to a mortgage adviser before you view, so you know your maximum.
• Keep the buying costs in your own account, available at short notice.
• Ask for the energy label, the WOZ value, the lease terms and, for an apartment, the VvE documents.
• Check that the value stays within €555,000 for the starter exemption, counting any capitalised ground rent, and that the price stays within €470,000 if you want NHG.
• Compare the asking price with what similar homes nearby sold for.
• Decide on your maximum bid and on whether to keep a financing condition.
• Still choosing an area? See which neighbourhood fits your commute and school run.

How we help first-time buyers

When you buy with us, we analyse all VvE documents before you bid, for legal, structural and financial risks, and check whether parts you will use, such as a roof terrace or an extension, are missing from the deed of division or lack the other owners' formal consent. We go through the reserve fund, the annual accounts and the maintenance plan to see how your costs may change.

Before the building inspection, we brief the inspector on what to focus on, based on our own viewing, the documents and the seller's questionnaire. You receive market insights and bidding advice, and you can meet us at our office on Anna Paulownaplein in The Hague or by video call. See how we guide you through a purchase.

If you expect to sell again within a few years, for a new posting or a larger home, the selling side belongs in your plan from the start, because the buying costs weigh more heavily the sooner you sell. We also sell homes in The Hague, so when that moment comes, you can read more about selling with us.

Frequently asked questions

Do first-time buyers pay transfer tax in the Netherlands?

Not if they qualify for the starter exemption. In 2026 you pay no transfer tax if you are 18 to 34 on the transfer date, will live in the home yourself, have not used the exemption before, and the home is worth no more than €555,000, according to the Tax and Customs Administration. Above that you pay 2% on the whole price. In 2027 the limit is €615,000.

Can two first-time buyers both use the starter exemption?

Yes, if both of you qualify, and then neither pays transfer tax, as long as the whole home is worth no more than €555,000 in 2026; the Tax and Customs Administration looks at the value of the home, not each share. If only one of you qualifies, for example because one partner is 35 or older, the exemption covers only that buyer's share of the home.

What is the NHG limit in 2026?

€470,000, or €498,200 if you include energy-saving measures, according to NHG. The purchase price or the valuation of the home must be below that limit. NHG costs a one-off 0.4% of the loan; in return, lenders charge a lower interest rate, and if you have to sell at a loss, a remaining debt can be forgiven under conditions.

How much savings do I need as a first-time buyer in the Netherlands?

At least the buying costs, because a mortgage cannot exceed the home's value. For an apartment at The Hague's average of €416,182 (De Hypotheker), with the starter exemption and NHG, that is about €5,600 to €7,200 in our calculation; without the exemption, add €8,324. Starters who applied in early 2026 brought in €47,800 on average, according to Homefinance.

Can I rent out my first home in The Hague?

Not without a permit if the WOZ value was at or below the threshold when your purchase was registered, €470,000 in 2026, according to the municipality. A permit is possible for renting to close family, or for at most one year after you lived in the home for at least a year. It costs €352.65, even if refused, and fines start at €10,000.

Is there a starter loan in The Hague?

Not at the moment: The Hague does not currently offer a regular starter loan, according to Libero Financieel, and a separate loan for selected new-build projects depends on the project and its budget. Ask the municipality before you count on one, and discuss help from family, as a gift or a loan, with your mortgage adviser.

Sources

• Belastingdienst, Startersvrijstelling (updated 6 January 2026): belastingdienst.nl; Het tarief van de overdrachtsbelasting (updated 5 January 2026): belastingdienst.nl
• De Hypotheker, Prinsjesdag 2026: wat verandert er voor huizenkopers in 2027? (17 September 2026): hypotheker.nl; ABN AMRO, Een huis kopen in 2026 of 2027 (15 September 2026): abnamro.nl; SRA (12 January 2026): sra.nl
• Tijdelijke regeling hypothecair krediet: wetten.overheid.nl; Rijksoverheid, Leennormen 2026 (31 October 2025): rijksoverheid.nl
• De Hypotheker, Hoe veranderen de leennormen in 2026? (3 November 2025): hypotheker.nl; Gemiddeld hypotheekbedrag stagneert terwijl huizenprijzen blijven stijgen (22 May 2026): hypotheker.nl
• NHG, NHG-grens in 2026 vastgesteld op €470.000 (8 October 2025): nhg.nl; Rijksoverheid, Wat is het maximale bedrag aan hypotheek voor NHG? (updated 13 August 2026): rijksoverheid.nl; Rijksoverheid, Nationale Hypotheek Garantie (NHG): rijksoverheid.nl
• NHG on direct repair costs above 10%: nhg.nl; NHG on the valuation: nhg.nl
• CBS StatLine, Bestaande koopwoningen; verkoopprijzen, prijsindex 2020=100, regio (table 85792NED, The Hague, second quarter of 2026, updated 22 July 2026): opendata.cbs.nl; De Hypotheker, Huizenprijzen Den Haag (second quarter of 2026): hypotheker.nl
• ABN AMRO, Kosten koper: abnamro.nl; De Hypotheker, Kosten koper: hypotheker.nl; Trustoo, Kosten hypotheekadviseur (updated 30 June 2026): trustoo.nl
• Building inspection price guides 2026: Getkadero (27 May 2026): getkadero.com; Trustoo (21 July 2026): trustoo.nl
• Homefinance, Als starter kom je er niet zonder dit bedrag aan eigen geld (23 September 2026): homefinance.nl
• Gemeente Den Haag, Opkoopbescherming in Den Haag (updated 5 June 2026): denhaag.nl; press release on ground lease (February 2024): denhaag.nl
• Libero Financieel, Starterslening Den Haag: liberofinancieel.nl; Verordening Ibb Starterslening gemeente Den Haag, version in force 2016 to 2020: lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl