Your dream of your first home often starts full of enthusiasm: Searching, viewing and calculating the costs. But then when you see the amount you need and what banks are willing to lend, doubt strikes. It becomes increasingly difficult to find a starter home you can afford.

Higher income, higher thresholds

Recent figures from De Nederlandsche Bank show that house prices are expected to rise by 7.5% in 2025, after already rising sharply in 2024. At the same time, maximum borrowing capacity is also increasing. Yet affordability for first-time buyers remains historically poor; only those with extra help stand a chance of getting a house. Banks look at income, study debt and your own savings to determine what you can borrow. Study debt weighs hard on borrowing capacity: the April 2025 Viisi Starters Barometer shows that over 22% of starters prefer to conceal their debt to meet lending criteria.

This is risky because concealment is not an option. The more residual debt you have, the lower your estimate of what is responsible to borrow. And let's face it, not even a quarter of first-time buyers have enough savings to cover additional costs such as transfer tax and notary fees.

Tight supply and fierce bidding

There is simply too little supply for starters around €250,000-350,000, the segment they can usually bid in. Almost three quarters of first-time buyers say they are afraid they cannot outbid them enough, and within that price range the supply is simply too small. In cities, the situation is sharpest. In Rotterdam and The Hague it is relatively more difficult for starters, but that is still nothing compared to Amsterdam or Utrecht .

"Some starters divert to areas outside the big cities or deliberately choose a house that is not quite ready to move into," says a representative of HypothekenUnie, an independent mortgage adviser based in several places in the Netherlands. They also say that a house with a lower energy label can be very interesting because it offers the opportunity to borrow extra for sustainability. This in turn opens new doors for first-time buyers willing to put a little more work into their home.

Buying together or alone

The financial position differs greatly whether you buy alone or together. According to Business Insider , in the first quarter of 2025, a single starter applied for an average mortgage of €306,000, while couples borrowed an average of €429,000. That puts singles at an average of 1,406 euros per month in gross mortgage payments, which is about 24% of their gross income. Couples are not much different at 23 %, or 1,970 euros. Despite high interest rates (in Q1 2025 it was around 3.68 %), first-time buyers continue to take the plunge.

Extra help from parents and start-up loans

Some parents extend a helping hand by increasing their own mortgage to support their child. However, this only widens the gap between who gets financial support and who does not .

There are other schemes for lower- and middle-income starters: For example, the Stimuleringsfonds Volkshuisvesting Nederland (SVn) offers special schemes, such as the starters loan with tax-free parental donation of up to €6,713 a year, or €32,195 in one go. In addition, for new homes up to €525,000, there is no transfer tax if you are between 18 and 35. These ifs and buts can make just the difference you need.

"More and more first-time buyers are coming in asking what is possible and using our tool to calculatetheir starter mortgage. This tool helps compare providers in an independent way. This is done based on income, student debt and their own resources," a HypothekenUnie representative points out.

By mapping out what you can borrow maximum and what the monthly costs are, it gives more clarity. Before talking to a mortgage adviser. It gives first-time buyers a more realistic picture of their options in the housing market. Moreover, it ensures that they go into the interview better prepared and can ask more focused questions. All in all, good preparation ensures that more opportunities arise.

Independent mortgage adviser

With all those complicated rules, you can quickly lose sight of the forest for the trees. Fortunately, there is help. An independent mortgage advisor looks at your situation without commercial interest and considers what really suits you. From mortgage type to fixed-interest period. Sometimes the solution lies in an annuity mortgage, sometimes a linear mortgage is better. Or maybe you need a starter mortgage, or you can use a starter loan or tax-free gift. They will tell you what to look out for.

Together, starters get further

It is understandable that you sometimes wonder if it is feasible. But smart planning, calculations and help will increase your chances of getting an affordable mortgage. Use tools like starters' mortgage calculator, seek help from an independent mortgage adviser and see if a starters' loan or family mortgage is something for you. Together, you will come surprisingly close to the dream of your own home.