Waarom wij elk dossier lezen voordat jij biedt

Buying a home in Amsterdam moves fast. After a viewing, you often have just a few days to decide whether to make an offer, and how much you're willing to pay. During those few days, the real work isn't in the viewing itself, but in the paperwork.

We read every document. Here's why, and what you should look out for yourself.

The documents you should always check

• The deed of division and regulations (splitsingsakte). These documents explain exactly what you're buying, which parts of the building belong to the Homeowners' Association (VvE), and what you are and aren't allowed to do. Whether you can rent out your apartment, build a roof terrace or install hard flooring is often described in more detail than even the seller might realise.

• The VvE documents. The annual budget, minutes from recent meetings and the long-term maintenance plan (MJOP). These tell you how much money the VvE has in reserve, what maintenance is coming up, which decisions have already been made, whether the VvE has any outstanding loans and whether you might face an additional financial contribution.

• The measurement report. This shows the usable floor area according to the Dutch NEN 2580 measurement standard, along with the floor plans. We check whether the advertised floor area matches the report and whether the floor plans reflect what you actually saw during the viewing.

• The energy label. We look beyond the letter rating and check what's recorded about the windows, insulation and heating systems. For energy labels issued from 2021 onwards, we also look at the share of renewable energy.

• The title deed and leasehold information. Is the property on freehold land or leasehold (erfpacht)? If it's leasehold, we check the current leasehold period, the ground rent (canon), whether it has been paid off or converted to a new system, and under which conditions. A favourable leasehold conversion secured at a discounted rate in previous years can be financially valuable to you as the next owner.

• The list of fixtures and fittings. This tells you what stays in the property, what the seller will take with them and which items you may be able to purchase separately.

What we do with these documents

For every property we sell, we prepare an internal checklist summarising all the important facts from the documents on just two A4 pages. That way, we can answer almost any question from a potential buyer and refer directly to the relevant document.

When we're helping you buy a property, we do exactly the same with the documents provided by the selling agent, before you make an offer.

Not because we expect to find problems, but because making an offer is a lot easier when you know exactly what you're buying.

What you can check yourself

• Floor area: Does the advertised floor area match the official measurement report?

• VvE meeting minutes: Is there anything mentioned about water leaks, foundation issues or ongoing disputes?

• VvE finances: How much money is in the reserve fund, and what is your apartment's share? Is major maintenance planned, and are there sufficient funds to cover it? Could you face an additional contribution? Does the VvE have any outstanding loans?

• Leasehold: When does the current leasehold period end, and what happens afterwards?

• Renovations and permits: What renovations have been carried out? Was approval requested from the VvE where necessary? Were the required permits applied for and granted by the municipality?

Not sure what to make of the documents, or would you like us to review a property file before you make an offer?

Give us a call or send us an email. This is exactly the kind of work we love doing.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Which documents should you review before making an offer on an apartment?

The deed of division, VvE documents, measurement report, energy label, leasehold information and list of fixtures and fittings.

What should you look for in the VvE documents?

Check the reserve fund and your apartment's share, planned maintenance, any outstanding VvE loans and whether additional financial contributions may be required.

What should you check when buying a leasehold property?

The current leasehold period, the annual ground rent, whether the ground rent has been paid off or the leasehold has been converted, and the conditions that apply.