Buy-to-let mortgage in the Netherlands for expats

What is a buy-to-let mortgage?

A buy-to-let mortgage (in Dutch a verhuurhypotheek) is a loan for a property you rent out, rather than a home you live in yourself. In the Netherlands it is the standard way for investors to buy a rental home or a portfolio and earn rental income.

Because you do not live there, lenders treat it as an investment: the rate is a little higher than for an owner-occupier mortgage, and the amount you can borrow is based on the property, the rent and your own funds rather than only your salary.

Can expats get a buy-to-let mortgage?

Yes, but it depends on your situation. This is exactly where many investors run into trouble: not every product is open to internationals. An expat buy-to-let mortgage works much like a standard one, with a few extra checks, and it helps to split two cases.

Expats living in the Netherlands. If you live and work here, you are usually treated much like a Dutch resident. Many lenders do ask for a track record: commonly a couple of years of living and working in the Netherlands, a stable gross income and, at some lenders, EU nationality or a non-temporary residence status. Meet those criteria and much of the market opens up.

Non-residents living abroad. This is far more restricted. Only a handful of lenders finance investors who live outside the Netherlands, and they typically ask for a larger own contribution, extensive proof of income and assets, and sometimes a concrete plan to relocate. If you have already emigrated, most Dutch mortgages are no longer available at all.

The practical upshot: the answer is rarely a flat yes or no; it is a question of which lender. With access to 50+ lenders we know who accepts which profile, so we point you straight to the ones that can actually finance you.

How much can you borrow?

Loan to Value (LTV). Most lenders finance up to around 70 to 80% of the value in let state, the value of the property with a sitting tenant, which is lower than the vacant market value. For internationals the maximum is often closer to 70%. The loan is therefore capped below the purchase price, unlike a residential owner-occupier mortgage where higher LTVs are common.

Own funds. Plan for a minimum own contribution of 20 to 40% of the total investment: the purchase price plus the buying costs (transfer tax, notary, valuation and advice). Financing is generally possible from around €100,000, and interest-only is often available, which helps your monthly cash flow.

A quick example. Say a flat is valued at €300,000 in let state and you buy it for that price. At 70% LTV the maximum loan is €210,000, so you fund the remaining ~€90,000 of the purchase price from your own money, plus the buying costs on top. A lender that goes to 80% would lend €240,000, reducing your own input. Roughly, the cash you would need looks like this:

• Purchase price: €300,000
• Mortgage at 70% LTV: €210,000
• Own funds for the price: €90,000
• Transfer tax (8%): €24,000
• Notary, valuation and advice: a few thousand euros
• Total cash needed: roughly €120,000

How is the rental income assessed?

Lenders do not only look at the value; they check that the rent comfortably covers the mortgage payments. They use coverage ratios such as the ICR (Interest Coverage Ratio) and DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio). As a rule of thumb the rent should exceed the financing costs with a safety margin; a common norm is a ratio of about 1.25. You can model the rent, costs and return with our return calculator.

A quick example. If the interest on your loan is €12,000 per year and the annual rent is €18,000, the interest coverage is 1.5, comfortably above a 1.25 requirement. If the rent were only €13,000, the coverage of about 1.08 would fall short, and the lender would cap the loan at a lower amount.

One firm condition: the property must be let on a permanent basis to a residential tenant. Short-term or holiday letting such as Airbnb is not allowed under a buy-to-let mortgage and is separately restricted by many municipalities.

Interest rates and mortgage types

Buy-to-let rates sit a little above owner-occupier rates because of the risk premium lenders add for let property; indicatively they start from around 4.8%, though the exact rate moves with the market and depends on the LTV, the fixed-rate period and your profile. Ask us for today's rates for your situation.

You can usually choose between interest-only, where you pay only interest and keep maximum cash flow, and a repayment form (annuity or linear), where the debt shrinks over time. Interest-only keeps your monthly cost low, but the full loan has to be repaid or refinanced at the end of the term, so plan your exit.

Taxes and costs

For a home you do not live in yourself, the transfer tax (overdrachtsbelasting) is 8% in 2026, against 10.4% for non-residential property. Notary, valuation and advice fees are added on top and together make up the buying costs you fund from your own money.

How the rental income and the property itself are taxed depends on whether you invest privately (in the Netherlands typically box 3) or through a company, and on your residency situation, which for internationals can be genuinely complex, including double-taxation treaties with your home country. This page is not tax advice: always have your situation reviewed by a tax specialist.

One point that often confuses expats: the 30% ruling does not affect your buy-to-let borrowing capacity. That capacity is based on the property value and the rent, not on your salary or tax status.

How to get a buy-to-let mortgage as an expat

From first question to signing, the route is short and we guide you through every step:

1. Do the free quickscan. Tell us the property type, its value and the loan you need. Within one working day we tell you whether and how it is financeable for your profile.
2. Receive your financing plan. We compare 50+ lenders and come back with the lenders that fit, the expected LTV, the rate and your required own contribution.
3. Choose a lender and apply. You pick the option that suits you. We prepare a complete application with the right figures and documents so the lender can assess it quickly.
4. Valuation and offer. The lender arranges a valuation of the property in let state and issues a binding offer, often within a week of a complete file.
5. Sign at the notary. You sign the mortgage deed at a Dutch civil-law notary and the funds are released so you can complete the purchase.

What lenders look at

When assessing a buy-to-let application, a lender weighs:

• the property and its value in let state;
• the LTV you want and how much you fund yourself;
• the rental income and the coverage ratios (ICR and DSCR);
• the mortgage type and term;
• your profile as an investor, including residency and income.

A complete, well-substantiated application with the right figures makes the difference between a quick yes and a drawn-out process, and that is precisely what we prepare for you.

Why arrange it through Financieren.nl?

We are independent and compare more than 50 Dutch and specialist lenders, so we find the one that fits your object, your LTV and your profile, including as an expat or international investor. We handle the full application and, thanks to our volume, often secure a discount on the costs and the rate. Start with the free quickscan and we tell you quickly what is possible.

Prefer Dutch? See our buy-to-let hypotheek page.