Is it normal to have doubts about buying your first home?
Yes, having doubts when buying your first home is completely normal. You are making a decision involving hundreds of thousands of euros, often for the first time. You have no prior experience to fall back on. Almost every first-time buyer feels that tension. Therefore, doubt does not mean you are making the wrong move. It means you are taking it seriously.
The difference between first-time buyers and those moving on to their next home lies in having a frame of reference. Someone moving on has sold a house before and knows the process. You, on the other hand, are experiencing everything for the first time. As a result, every uncertainty feels bigger, from the mortgage to the viewing. Also read what first-time buyers run into when buying their first home.
In practice, we see that first-time buyers mainly doubt themselves because they have no benchmark. You don't yet know what a realistic offer is. You also don't know if a property is well-maintained. Furthermore, you don't know if your monthly costs will feel comfortable later on. You don't solve that uncertainty with courage alone, but with knowledge and preparation. Therefore, go through our step-by-step guide for your first home first. This way, you know what steps to expect.
{{cta}}
What doubts do you have as a first-time buyer when purchasing a home?
As a first-time buyer, you usually worry about money, the property, timing, or potential regret later on. Each doubt has a different solution, so it helps to separate them.
Below, we go through these four types of doubt:
- Financial doubt about whether you can afford it
- Decision-making doubt about choosing the right home
- Timing doubt about buying now or waiting until 2026
- Fear of regret about the purchase afterwards
1. Financial doubt about whether you can afford it
You resolve financial doubt by knowing what you can borrow and what you will have left over. You calculate your maximum mortgage and add the purchasing costs up. Without that overview, "can I afford this" remains a feeling, not a calculation.
Then, test whether your plan still holds up if things go wrong. Calculate whether your monthly costs would still feel comfortable with a one-percentage-point increase in interest rates. After the purchase, also keep a buffer equivalent to a few months of fixed costs. This way, a broken central heating boiler won't immediately put you in trouble. If your plan still holds up, your doubt is likely just nervousness rather than a warning. If it doesn't, adjust your budget or save for longer.
Amortgage certificate largely removes that doubt. This way, you know in advance that your financing is secured. You can then search specifically for homes within your budget.
Also, look into the schemes that offer you advantages as a first-time buyer. Up to €470,000 your mortgage is often eligible for National Mortgage Guarantee. This guarantee acts as a safety net in case of payment problems and often provides a lower interest rate. Are you under 35 and planning to live in your first home yourself? Then the first-time buyer exemption for a purchase price up to €555,000applies. As a result, you pay no transfer tax. For a home of €400,000, that saves you about €8,000.
2. Doubt about choosing the right home
You can reduce doubt about a home with a simple split. Separate what you can change from what is fixed. A dated kitchen or a boring garden can be adjusted later. The location, the layout, and the neighborhood, however, are fixed. If your doubt is about something adjustable, you usually don't need to walk away. If the doubt is about something fixed, take it seriously.
Trust your gut feeling, but verify that feeling with facts. Many people feel whether a house is right the moment they walk in. That feeling counts. However, you shouldn't buy a house on feeling alone. A pleasant atmosphere can easily make you overlook deferred maintenance. Therefore, have the home inspected with a structural survey. This way, you know if there are hidden defects . These will cost you thousands of euros in repairs later.
Are you not doubting this house, but buying in general? Then another issue is at play, for example regarding your job or your relationship. That is why you shouldn't make a hasty decision about a specific house. First, read our comparison between buying or renting and give yourself time. This way, you won't reject a home for an unrelated reason.
3. Timing doubt: buying now or waiting in 2026
Timing doubt revolves around the question of whether it is better to buy now or wait a while. The honest answer is that no one can predict the market exactly. What you do know is that the housing shortage will remain significant for the time being. As a result, prices will remain high. Waiting for a significant price drop rarely yields what first-time buyers hope for.
The figures support this picture. In the first quarter of 2026, the average selling price was €485,000. Two-thirds of homes still sold for more than the asking price. At the same time, supply is growing and prices are leveling off. According to the Dutch Consumers' Association you will have a better chance of buying a home in 2026.
Your own timeline is more important than the market climate. Do you expect to live in the home you buy for five to ten years? If so, fluctuations in price and interest rates will even out. If, on the other hand, you foresee a major, uncertain move on the horizon, renting is the wiser choice. If your plan is solid, the market in 2026 is no reason to wait.
4. Buyer's remorse
You can ease your fear of regret by knowing that you aren't locked in immediately. Many first-time buyers worry that signing a document is the end of any escape route. However, that is not how the buying process works. Between your offer and the final purchase, there are three safety nets, which we will explain below. Knowing you have these exits makes the fear much less daunting.
It also helps to realize that no home is perfect. Other people's homes have compromises too, even if they look ideal from the outside. Don't expect a perfect score on every point. What matters is finding a home that gets the essentials right.
Which safety nets protect you against a bad purchase?
When buying a home, three safety nets protect you from making a bad purchase: the statutory cooling-off period, the dissolution clauses in your offer, and the requirement for a written agreement. Each safety net provides an exit at a different stage.
The three safety nets at a glance:
- Statutory three-day cooling-off period
- Dissolution clauses in your offer
- The requirement for a written agreement
1. Statutory three-day cooling-off period
After signing the purchase agreement you have three days statutory cooling-off period. During those three days, you can withdraw from the purchase without giving a reason. It won't cost you anything. This cooling-off period is specifically designed to allow you to reverse a hasty decision. For a hesitant first-time buyer, this is a reassuring final safety net.
Use those days actively instead of letting them slip by. Read through the documents carefully, perhaps with legal assistance. This allows you to check that all agreements are as discussed. If you feel something isn't right, you can still back out.
2. Dissolution clauses in your offer
When making an offer, you include contingencies to allow you to withdraw from the purchase. For first-time buyers, two conditions are the most important. With a financing contingency the purchase only proceeds if your mortgage is approved. With a structural survey contingency, you are allowed to back out if major defects are discovered.
These conditions are your insurance against the two things that can go wrong most often. Without financing, you are stuck with a home you cannot afford. Without a survey, you are stuck with a house that has hidden problems. By including them, you keep an escape route for exactly those scenarios. A buying agent drafts these conditions in a legally sound manner. This ensures they actually hold up if you need to rely on them.
3. The written requirement
Since January 1, 2023, the written requirement has meant something important. A purchase agreement is only binding after both parties have signed a document. An offer via WhatsApp, email, or a verbal agreement does not bind you yet. Only when both you and the seller have signed is the purchase legally finalized. Until that moment, you can back out, even after an enthusiastic "yes."
For first-time buyers, this rule provides breathing room between the offer and the actual purchase. You don't have to worry that a text message will bind you immediately. This rule works both ways, however. The seller can also back out until the signature is placed.
{{cta}}
How does homeup take away your doubts when buying your first home?
homeup takes away your doubts with pre-arranged financing and guidance at every step. The housing market is primarily focused on repeat buyers, but we choose the side of the first-time buyer. That is why we offer two services. As a buying agent on the public market, we guide your purchase for €2999. With our exclusive listings, the home has a fixed price, so overbidding is unnecessary. Our guidance for this costs €5999.
As a buying agent, we help you with the points where first-time buyers have the most doubts:
- Financing arranged in advance via a mortgage certificate, so you can search and bid with certainty.
- Market value analysis, so you never pay too much for a home.
- Review of legal documents and drafting your contingencies.
- Abidding strategy devising and submitting the offer on your behalf.
- You only pay upon key handover, so you carry no risk.
All buyers on the homeup platform are financially screened in advance. That makes your position as a buyer stronger. Moreover, buyers at homeup purchase a home on average three months faster. This means you spend less time searching and doubting. Still unsure if you want guidance? Then read whether you do or do not need a buying agent . You can also schedule a free consultation or contact us.
