By Asher Brown, bilingual buying agent at DMJ Makelaar Nederland
15 October 2026
Last spring, an expat couple sat across from me. They had bought their home in Almere a year earlier without an agent of their own, and now they wanted advice on selling it. Halfway through the conversation, the wife looked at me and said quietly: “Where were you when we were buying this house?” A few minutes later, her husband added: “I feel like the agent took our money.”
They were not the first expats to tell me something like that.
If you are considering buying a house in Almere as an expat, this is the guide I wish they had read first. It covers the 2026 market, the buying process step by step, what it really costs, the neighborhoods, and how to avoid the feeling that everyone knows the rules except you.
The short version
The market is cooling, but Flevoland is still competitive. Eight out of ten homes sell above the asking price, against two out of three nationally. The average overbid has dropped to 4.9 percent and there are 37 percent more homes for sale than a year ago.
The agent who shows you the home works for the seller. This is the most expensive misunderstanding expats make. Your own buying agent sits on your side of the table.
Budget for the buyer’s costs on top of the price. On a 450,000 euro home, expect roughly 15,000 euro in tax and fees. If you are under 35 and buying your first home, you save the 9,000 euro transfer tax.
Your 30% ruling affects your mortgage, but not at every lender. Compare several through an independent advisor instead of trusting one bank’s calculator.
Your district decides your daily life. Poort and Stad for the train to Amsterdam, Buiten, Hout and Oosterwold for space and a garden.
What this guide covers
1. Why expats choose Almere
2. The Almere housing market in 2026
3. How buying works, step by step
4. The biggest mistake expats make
5. How bidding works in Almere
6. Your mortgage and the 30% ruling
7. What it really costs
8. Which neighborhood suits you
9. Frequently asked questions
Why expats choose Almere
Almere is a young city: construction started in the 1970s, and it has grown into one of the largest cities in the country. For expats working in Amsterdam, that brings clear advantages:
- The commute. Trains reach Amsterdam in roughly 15 to 30 minutes, depending on your station.
- More home for your money. The square meter price is considerably lower than in Amsterdam, and you get more space, more green and often a garden.
- Newer homes. Most of the housing stock was built after 1976, which usually means better insulation and fewer of the century-old foundation problems found in older Dutch cities. Every home still deserves its own inspection.
- International families. Almere has an international school and a growing expat community.
The Almere housing market in 2026
The market has cooled, but Flevoland is still one of the more competitive regions in the country. The NVM figures for the third quarter of 2026 show:
- 80 percent of homes sold above the asking price, against 66 percent nationally. Per home type the differences are large: 91 percent of terraced homes, 76 percent of apartments, but only 49 percent of detached homes.
- Buyers paid on average 4.9 percent above asking, down from 6.8 percent a year earlier.
- There were 774 homes for sale, 37 percent more than a year earlier, and homes took 31 days to sell instead of 26.
- The median sale price was 471,000 euro, against 503,000 euro nationally.
What this means for you: there is noticeably more choice and more time to think than in recent years, and the average overbid is shrinking. But for a well-maintained terraced or semi-detached home, the asking price is still a starting point rather than a ceiling. On a home listed at 450,000 euro, an average 4.9 percent overbid means paying about 22,000 euro above asking. Knowing when to bid more, and when to stop, is worth real money.
How buying a house in Almere works, step by step
1. Know your mortgage capacity before your first viewing. You can borrow up to 100 percent of the market value, or 106 percent if the extra goes into energy-saving measures. The buyer’s costs come out of your own savings.
2. Hire your own buying agent. The step most expats skip, and the one that costs them the most.
3. View homes and get to know the districts. Your commute and your children’s school matter more than the finish of the kitchen.
4. Make an offer. Not just a price: also the transfer date and your resolutive conditions, such as financing and a structural inspection.
5. Sign the purchase agreement (koopovereenkomst). Your three-day cooling-off period starts the day after you receive the copy signed by both parties. My article The Dutch Purchase Agreement Explained covers this contract clause by clause.
6. Arrange your mortgage, valuation and inspection. Watch the deadlines of your resolutive conditions closely.
7. Transfer at the notary. Deeds signed, money transferred, keys handed over. If you do not sufficiently understand Dutch, an interpreter must be present.
From accepted offer to keys usually takes two to three months. Each of these steps has its own traps, deadlines and documents, and that is exactly what the free Expat Home Buying Roadmap walks you through.
The biggest mistake: thinking the agent at the viewing works for you
Here is what almost nobody explains clearly. When you view a home in the Netherlands, the agent showing you around is usually the seller’s agent. They are paid by the seller, they work for the seller, and their job is to get the best price and terms for the seller.
They are polite, helpful and often speak excellent English. But they sit on the other side of the table. This is where the “the agent took our money” feeling comes from: expats trust the friendly agent at the viewing, make their offer through that agent, and only later realize who they were negotiating against.
The solution is to hire your own buying agent (aankoopmakelaar). Buying agents charge either a fixed fee or a percentage of the purchase price, so always ask for a written quote. VUL AAN: tarief of tariefstructuur DMJ.
| Selling agent | Buying agent | |
| Who pays them? | The seller | You |
| Whose interests? | The seller’s | Yours |
| Negotiates | Against you | For you |
| Checks the koopovereenkomst for you | No | Yes |
| Explains what you are signing | Not their job | Their job |
| Stands next to you at the notary | No | Yes |
> Free download: the Expat Home Buying Roadmap. Seven steps from first viewing to notary, in plain English, with every trap marked. Download the roadmap now.
How bidding works in Almere
In many countries, the asking price is the ceiling. In the Netherlands, it is often the starting point. With eight out of ten homes in Flevoland selling above the asking price, the number on Funda is a marketing tool rather than the expected price. For detached homes the picture is different: fewer than half sell above asking, so there the asking price really can be a ceiling.
The seller is free to choose which offer to accept, and the selling agent does not have to tell you what others have bid. Popular homes are often sold through a bidding round with a deadline.
A good buying agent helps you in three ways at this stage:
- Real comparisons. They look at actual sale prices of similar homes in the same street or neighborhood, not asking prices.
- Reading the other side. How many viewings and bidders are there? Is there a deadline? What matters to the seller besides price, such as a quick or flexible transfer date?
- A strong package. Your offer competes on price, conditions and timing. You are not just bidding an amount. You are bidding a package.
Your mortgage as an expat, and the 30% ruling
Dutch lenders look at your gross income, your employment contract and, for non-EU citizens, your residence permit. Foreign income, a temporary contract or a recent job change make your file more lender-specific, which is why comparing lenders through an independent advisor matters.
The 30% ruling. If you qualify, your employer can pay up to 30 percent of your salary as a tax-free allowance, for a maximum of five years. From 1 January 2027, the maximum drops to 27 percent for rulings that started in 2024 or later. If your ruling was already applied before 2024, you keep 30 percent for the rest of its term.
Lenders do not all treat the tax-free allowance the same way, and some look closely at when your ruling ends. Do not rely on one bank’s online calculator. Have an advisor who works with expats compare several lenders for your specific situation.
NHG (National Mortgage Guarantee). In 2026, you can get NHG on a mortgage of up to 470,000 euro, or 498,200 euro if the extra amount is used for energy-saving measures. You pay a one-off fee of 0.4 percent of the mortgage amount. In return, you usually get a lower interest rate and protection against residual debt in certain situations, such as unemployment or divorce.
What buying a house in Almere really costs
The purchase price is not the full cost. On top of it, you pay the buyer’s costs (kosten koper):
| Cost item | Indication |
| Transfer tax | 2% of the price for a home you will live in. 0% for first-time buyers who are under 35 on the day of transfer, once in a lifetime, for homes up to 555,000 euro in 2026 |
| Notary (transfer deed and mortgage deed) | Around 1,500 to 2,500 euro |
| Mortgage advice | Around 2,500 to 4,000 euro |
| Valuation report | Around 600 to 900 euro |
| Structural inspection | Around 400 to 700 euro |
| NHG fee, if applicable | 0.4% of the mortgage |
| Buying agent | Fixed fee or percentage, ask for a quote |
| Bank guarantee and interpreter, if needed | Ask for a quote |
Example: for a 450,000 euro home bought by someone over 35, transfer tax alone is 9,000 euro. Add notary, advice, valuation and inspection and you quickly reach around 15,000 euro, before the fee of your buying agent. A first-time buyer under 35 saves the 9,000 euro in transfer tax.
Which Almere neighborhood suits you?
- Almere Stad. The center around the Weerwater, with Almere Centrum station, shops, apartments and family homes. Ideal if you want to walk to the train.
- Almere Haven. The oldest district, on the Gooimeer. A village feel with a harbor and a lively center.
- Almere Buiten. Large and green, with plenty of family homes and gardens, and its own stations. Often more space for your money.
- Almere Poort. The newest district on the west side, closest to Amsterdam, with Almere Poort station and the beach at Almere Strand.
- Almere Hout and Oosterwold. Green and spacious, with self-build plots and a rural feel. Convenient for driving toward Utrecht via the A6 and A27.
Check your own commute on 9292.nl before you choose a district.
What changes in 2026 and 2027
- Since 1 April 2026: a foundation label in every valuation. The valuation report now includes a foundation risk label from A to E. A D or E label can lead to extra research and affect how much a lender will finance.
- Proposed for 1 January 2027: a higher limit for the first-time buyer exemption. The 2027 Tax Plan, presented in September 2026, raises the limit from 555,000 euro to 615,000 euro. This still needs parliamentary approval, so treat it as likely rather than certain. If your budget falls between those amounts and you qualify, the date of transfer at the notary decides which limit applies, and timing it can save you 2 percent transfer tax.
- From 1 January 2027: the 30% ruling becomes 27% for rulings that started in 2024 or later. Base your future budget on the correct percentage.
Frequently asked questions about buying in Almere
Can I buy a house in Almere with a temporary residence permit?
Yes. There are no nationality restrictions on buying property in the Netherlands. To get a mortgage, non-EU citizens need a valid residence permit and a BSN. Lenders assess temporary permits differently, so an independent mortgage advisor who works with expats is essential.
Do I need a buying agent?
It is not a legal requirement. But in a market where eight out of ten homes sell above asking, and where the only agent in the room works for the seller, going in alone is the expensive option.
How long does buying a house in Almere take?
That depends on how quickly you find the right home. From accepted offer to keys usually takes two to three months. Expat files with foreign income can need extra time for the mortgage, so plan for that in your financing deadline.
Can I buy in Almere without speaking Dutch?
Yes, as long as the right people bridge the language for you before you sign anything. Read How to Buy a House in the Netherlands Without Speaking Dutch for the full picture.
Does the 30% ruling help me get a bigger mortgage?
Sometimes, but not at every lender. Have an independent advisor compare them for your situation.
Your next step
Buying a house in Almere as an expat is very doable. Doing it without a guide is expensive. Doing it with someone who works for the other side is worse.
1. Download the free Expat Home Buying Roadmap. Seven steps from first viewing to notary, in plain English, with the traps marked.
2. Book a free 20-minute call. One conversation, no obligation, about your plans, your budget and the neighborhoods that fit.
E-mail info@dmjmakelaar.com or call/WhatsApp +31 6 40196433.
Asher Brown is a bilingual buying & selling agent (aankoopmakelaar en verkoopmakelaar) at DMJ Makelaar Nederland. He helps expats buy homes in Almere and the surrounding area, in plain English, from first viewing to the keys. VUL AAN: lidmaatschap brancheorganisatie, aantal begeleide expat-aankopen, reviews.
Together we make it happen.
