A buying agent in the Netherlands usually charges in one of two ways: a fixed fee agreed in advance, or a commission that moves with the purchase price. IMMO works with a fixed fee of between € 1,500 and € 4,000, depending on how much support you need. If you also sell your current home through us, or arrange your mortgage with Vynanzie, that fee is lower.
Those few thousand euros come on top of the other buyer's costs, which raises the obvious next question: do you get them back?
Fixed fee or commission
With a fixed fee you know in advance what you will pay. Whether you buy an apartment of € 250,000 or a family home of € 550,000, the amount stays the same. It also stays the same if you end up bidding higher than you had planned.
A commission is a percentage of the final purchase price. On an expensive home you pay more than on a cheap one, while the work is often comparable. With this arrangement, check what happens if you end up well above the asking price, because the commission rises along with it.
Some agencies also work on a no cure, no pay basis: you only pay on a successful purchase. That sounds attractive. Do ask what "successful" means exactly, and whether there is a starting fee or a cancellation charge attached.
Whichever arrangement you choose, find out before you sign: is the amount including VAT, how many viewings and bids are included, and what happens if you still have not bought anything after three months.
What is included in IMMO's buying support?
We guide the purchase from viewing and valuation through to bid and transfer. In practice that means: coming along to the homes you have in mind, testing the asking price against what is actually paid in that neighbourhood, assessing the structural condition and the owners' association documents, setting the bidding strategy, negotiating, recording the conditions for dissolution, and joining you at the final inspection and at the notary.
A few things that many agencies charge for separately are included with us:
- A free conversation with the mortgage adviser at our office, before you bid. That way you know what you can actually offer.
- Free moving boxes and the IMMO moving van when you buy.
- A lower fee if you also sell your current home through IMMO or arrange your mortgage with Vynanzie Hypotheken & Verzekeringen.
We agree the fee in advance, so you know where you land within that range before the first viewing. We have been an NVM estate agent in Almere for over 30 years and have bought more than fifty homes for clients in Almere and the surrounding area in recent years.
The buying agent alongside the other buyer's costs
The average sale price in Almere in the first quarter of 2026 was around € 461,000. For a home like that, the cost picture looks roughly like this:
| Cost | On a home of € 461,000 |
|---|---|
| Transfer tax (2%, owner-occupied) | € 9,220 |
| First-time buyer exemption (under 35, home up to € 555,000) | € 0 transfer tax |
| Validated valuation report (NWWI) through IMMO | € 850 incl. VAT and validation costs |
| Notary, mortgage deed and Land Registry | approx. € 3,000 |
| IMMO buying support (fixed fee) | € 1,500 to € 4,000 |
| Total | € 14,570 to € 17,070 · with the first-time buyer exemption € 5,350 to € 7,850 |
People tend to be too gloomy about the tax side. The valuation report belongs to the financing and is therefore deductible: on average you get € 300 back from the tax authorities. The same applies to the NHG premium. The buying agent's fee does not qualify, because it belongs to the purchase of the home itself, just like the transfer tax.
And the buyer's costs do not necessarily have to come entirely out of your own savings. There are ways to include them in the mortgage. Have a mortgage adviser look at your situation. We have one at our office, and that first conversation is free.
Does a buying agent pay for itself?
That does not depend on the fee, but on what happens during the negotiation.
Most of the money sits in the price. A home with a strategic asking price is not automatically worth more. We look at what has actually been paid in the same neighbourhood for the same type of home, not at what the selling agent asks. Bidding one per cent too much on a home of € 461,000 costs you € 4,610, which is more than the entire support package.
Then come the conditions. Many buyers drop their financing condition to win the bidding. The question is not only whether you should do that, but also how you cover the risk: with a longer term, a structural survey beforehand, or a penalty clause that works both ways.
And then there is the home itself. A subsiding foundation, a dormer window without a permit, an owners' association without a long-term maintenance plan, a ground lease due for review in two years. You will not spot those during a twenty-minute viewing, and after the transfer they are your problem.
"Cheap buying agent": what to look out for
Steering on the lowest fee is fine, as long as you compare like with like. Ask every agency the same four questions:
- Is the amount including VAT?
- How many viewings are included, and does the agent come along in person or do you get advice by phone?
- Who negotiates: the agent you spoke to, or a colleague?
- How many homes has this agency bought in your neighbourhood over the past year?
That last question often says more than the fee. An agency that knows your neighbourhood knows what is actually being paid and where the room to negotiate sits.
Frequently asked questions
Is a buying agent compulsory?
No. You may bid and negotiate yourself. In that case the selling agent only represents the seller's interests, not yours.
Can I add the buyer's costs to my mortgage?
More is often possible than people think. What applies in your case depends on your income, the property value and the lender. So do not assume up front that you have to bring everything yourself.
Are the costs of a buying agent tax-deductible?
No. The fee belongs to the purchase of the home and is not deductible. The financing costs are: you may declare the valuation report and the NHG premium in your tax return.
Can I outsource only the negotiation?
Yes. We also take on single assignments, for example the negotiation only, or a second opinion on a home you have already viewed yourself. What it costs depends on exactly what you want, so call or email our office. You will know after one conversation.
Want to know what it costs in your situation?
That starts with a conversation about what you are looking for and what you can spend. Free and without obligation, and with the mortgage adviser present if you like. Make an appointment or call our office in the centre of Almere.
Further reading: Changes to transfer tax rules in 2026 and Choosing an estate agent in Almere: what to look for.
