You may be considering buying a property, but one thing to figure out first is whether buying would make sense given your personal circumstances.

Good news has recently been thin on the ground where the residential property market is concerned. We see prospective buyers sitting on the fence waiting until the market turns around before making a purchase whereas in fact they should do exactly the opposite. There are quite a few reasons why now would be the perfect time to take advantage of the many benefits offered by the current market.

The larger housing supply has given buyers a much wider choice of available properties. As a result, you now have a far better chance of finding the home that suits you best. Also many sellers have come to the realisation that they have to make compromises where the price is concerned. Lastly, the Dutch Government has temporarily reduced the transfer tax from 6% to only 2% (!) which is something you as a buyer would do well to take advantage of.

So when you are serious about buying a property, now would be the perfect time to do so.Be a well-informed buyer and consult an independent mortgage adviser, preferably one who specialises in expats. He or she will clarify your financial picture, showing you exactly how much you can afford to spend and what your monthly mortgage payments would amount to. With this knowledge you can move on to the next step.

Buying a house can be a complex process, especially if you're doing it for the first time and in a foreign country. A different country comes with different customs, laws and regulations, and having to cope with a foreign language can make things even more daunting. The maze of legal work, negotiations, dealing with surveyors and notaries and worrying about your deal falling through, all of this on top of finding the home of your dreams, would be enough to make anyone's hair stand on end.Fortunately good advice is available to help make your home-buying experience as easy and problem-free as possible. It is always a clever move to hire an estate agent so that money will not be squandered. Hiring them helps you to avoid running into the most common pitfalls of property buying that can turn into costly mistakes as well as keeping you up to date on the best investment opportunities. For a house is more than a home: it's a long-term financial investment. It will probably be the biggest investment you will ever make.

It is important to know that in the Netherlands, anyone who feels like it may refer to them selves as an estate agent as it is no longer a regulated profession. So maybe Mister Nice Guy was selling cars yesterday and is helping you now. So how do you know if you have an estate agent that knows what he or she is doing? Check whether they are a member of one or more of the associations of estate agents such as NVM or VBO, and whether they are certified to carry out valuations for banks. If they are, at least you know that their know-how should be good as well as up to date.

Find an agent you trust and feel comfortable with, and who understands your needs. It is important to hire an estate agent before you go rushing off looking for homes, or you may end up with no representation at all. Net commission usually amounts to 1 to 2% of the property's purchase price depending on what the service consists of. You will appreciate that what you pay for is what you get and cheap is not always the best way to go. Be sensible when making your choice. The Mie-Lan Kok Estate Agency will be delighted to take the entire purchase process off your hands!

Housing seminar for expats on 8 November

To help kick starting your housing search in The Netherlands we are organizing a special seminar for expats. The seminar will take place on 8 November, for more information and registration browse to:

www.expathousingseminar.nl.