HOUSE SEARCH AGREEMENT

Thank you for choosing Great Expatation to assist you in finding your ideal home. We are excited to support you throughout this process. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the house search process and the activities we will conduct on your behalf.

To better understand the current housing market and living costs, we have included this helpful link where you can compare rental prices and living costs around the world Numbeo Cost Of Living

HOUSE SEARCH PROCESS

STEP 1: INTAKE CALL

After registering with us, we schedule an intake call.

During this call, we discuss your housing preferences, budget, and timeline, and provide clear insight into the current housing market and what is realistic. We also identify any additional relocation needs, such as school advice, immigration/visa support, mortgage advice, and tax-related matters, which we can support you with as part of our house search service.

After the intake call, and once we are aligned, you will receive the House Search Agreement for signing. We also ask you to start preparing the required documents, which you can find below under “Steps for Clients.”

STEP 2: COMMITMENT DEPOSIT & START OF THE SEARCH

After we have received the signed agreement from you, we will issue the invoice for the commitment deposit of €400,- plus 21% VAT.

Please note that the commitment deposit is non-refundable.

Once the payment has been received, we will officially start the house search and begin actively representing you in the market.

This commitment deposit confirms the start of the collaboration and secures the time, planning, and resources dedicated to your search. The amount will later be deducted from the final service fee invoice once a property has been secured.

STEP 3: HOUSE RECOMMENDATIONS

Once the House Search Agreement is signed and the commitment fee is received, you will be connected to our exclusive house search platform.

This private tool allows us to:

•⁠ ⁠monitor the market continuously,

•⁠ ⁠ensure no suitable opportunities are missed, and

•⁠ ⁠secure early access to properties the moment they become available.

You will receive property recommendations by email, aligned with your criteria. In addition, we share off-market and early listings directly via WhatsApp whenever available.

To ensure smooth and efficient communication, we set up a dedicated WhatsApp group with you and your assigned housing agent. This allows us to act decisively and swiftly in a competitive market.

Please note:
Access to certain institutional landlords and large property managers is often limited for newcomers to the Netherlands, particularly when timelines are tight. We will always advise you transparently on feasibility and positioning throughout the process. This includes, among others: Liv Residential, Vesteda, REBO, Wooove, VBT, MVGM, Van der Linden, Bouwinvest, Openkoop and Hoekstra.

STEP 4: ARRANGING VIEWINGS

Once suitable properties are identified, we gather additional information, answer your questions, and arrange viewings, either in person or remotely if you are still abroad.

STEP 5: ACCOMPANYING VIEWING

We accompany you during viewings or make clear video’s when searching remote, and provide professional guidance regarding the property, the building, and the surrounding area. 

  1. The house search service includes up to 5 property viewings with the agent. 

  2. Additional viewings can be scheduled if needed, for a fee of €95 (excl. VAT) per viewing. 

STEP 6: OFFER PREPARATION

When you decide to proceed with a property, we prepare and submit a strong and well-positioned offer, including all required documentation, and align the terms to maximize the chances of acceptance.

Due to the highly competitive housing market in the Netherlands, it may be necessary in certain cases to strengthen an offer by offering a higher rental price and/or an upfront payment of multiple months rent in order to increase the chances of acceptance over competing applicants.

In particular, applicants with a less competitive or more complex financial profile (such as foreign income, self-employment, limited local history, pets, sharing, or lower income ratios) may be required by landlords or agents to offer additional financial security.

STEP 7: CONTRACT REVIEW AND PAYMENT COORDINATION

Once your offer is accepted, we carefully review the rental agreement to ensure that all agreed terms are correctly reflected.

After the contract is signed by all parties, we guide you through the payment process, which typically includes the first month’s rent and a deposit of two months’ rent.

STEP 8: CHECK-IN AND UTILITIES SETUP

We accompany you during the check-in and walk through the property together to identify any existing damage or issues. These will be documented in the official check-in report prepared by the listing agent or property manager.

In most cases, tenants have up to two weeks after check-in to report any additional issues or damage to the landlord or property manager.

We also assist with setting up water, gas, electricity, and internet/TV services. If needed, we can also help arrange mobile phone contracts and insurances, at no additional cost.

Please note that weekend check-ins are subject to an additional charge of €250, - ex VAT. Kindly contact us beforehand to verify if a weekend arrival is possible.

Throughout the process, Great Expatation will be your primary point of contact, representing your interests and guiding you every step of the way. We look forward to supporting you in finding your new home.

Additional Relocation & Immigration Services

Great Expatation offers a variety of relocation and immigration services, which you can find on our website at Great Expatation. Let us know if you would like more information about these services. 

  • Before the Search Begins: 

    1. Complete the House Search Agreement and pay the commitment deposit invoice (for more information, see below)

    2. Send a screenshot of Google Maps with the areas you'd like to live in clearly marked or circled. This will help to better understand your preferences and focus the search accordingly. 

    3. Personal & Financial introduction
    Please provide a personal & financial introduction including a profile photo.

    Follow the guidelines in the attached document, which clearly explains how to structure your introduction and what information to include. This will help you present yourself professionally to landlords and property managers. Tenant Introduction

    4. Document Preparation
    After signing the House Search Agreement, please prepare and upload the required documents as soon as possible.

    Having these documents ready allows us to review them in advance and make any necessary adjustments. This ensures that when a suitable property becomes available, we can submit a complete application immediately and act quickly in a competitive market.

    All documents must be:

    • In Dutch or English, and

    • Stated in EUR (€) (or clearly explained if originally in another currency).

      Folder structure:

    • Create one folder per person

    • Name each document as: document type + full name

    ———
    Required documents:

    • Copy of passport / ID

    • Personal & Financial introduction

    • Please upload a PDF document containing the following details for every person who should be included on the rental agreement:

      •⁠ ⁠ Full legal name
      •⁠ ⁠ Current residential address
      •⁠ ⁠ Phone number
      •⁠ ⁠ Email address
      •⁠ ⁠ Type of ID document (passport / ID card / residence permit, etc.)
      •⁠ ⁠ ID document number

    • Tenant introduction (with profile photo included in the document) How to write a strong Tenant Introduction

    • Video introduction:
      If you’re comfortable with it, please record a short video (around 30 seconds). This gives the landlord and their agent a much better impression of who you are and can really help strengthen your rental application, especially in a competitive market.


      Please ensure all information is complete and accurate, as this information will be used for the rental contract documentation process.


    If employed: 

    • Last 3 months of salary slips

    • ⁠Employment contract

    • Recent employer’s statement
      This is a standard document used in the Netherlands to confirm employment: Employer’s Statement

    If Self-employed: 

    • Recent accountant’s statement.
      Accountant Statement if Self-Employed

    • Tax returns from the past 2 years 

    • Proof of savings and/or assets 

    • Official company registration. 

    • Short business description, company website and/or professional profile (LinkedIn).


    Please upload all documents to a Google Drive folder and email the link to info@greatexpatation.com. Provide a clear summary of all uploaded documents, including a brief description of each file’s content and purpose.

    Kindly ensure that the Google Drive link’s sharing settings are set to “Anyone with the link.” Provide a clear summary of all uploaded documents, including a brief description of each file’s content and purpose.

    Use the following format for the email subject: Documents: [Full Name]


    When we secured a house for you:

    5. Sign the Rental Contract. 

    6. Provide Proof of Payment for the following: 

    •  First rental payment 

    • Security deposit

  • COMMITMENT DEPOSIT FEE
    Before we begin representing you and actively searching for suitable properties, a commitment deposit fee of €400 plus 21% VAT is required. This amount will be deducted from the service fee invoice once a rental property has been secured. Please note that the commitment deposit is non-refundable.

    An invoice for the commitment deposit will be issued upon receipt of the signed House Search Agreement.

    SERVICE FEE
    All fees mentioned below are excluding 21% VAT, unless stated otherwise.

    Once you have successfully secured a rental property, the service fee amounts to:

    • 1 month’s rent
      (including any furniture and/or service charges, excluding utilities)

    • Minus the commitment deposit payment of €400,- (+21%) paid at the beginning.

    • Minimum service fee: €2,250,-*

    ADDITIONAL FEES
    Additional fees may apply in the following situations. Please note that all amounts are subject to 21% VAT.

    • Sharing (with a colleague or friend) + €500.

    • Pets
      Up to 2 pets: + €750.
      Each additional pet: + €250 per pet

    • Short-term rental (11 months or shorter)
      15% surcharge on the total rent amount (excluding utilities)

    • Accompanying or video viewing
      An additional viewing fee of €95 per viewing applies for requests exceeding 5 viewings.

    • Check-in Fee
      For weekend check-ins, we charge an additional fee of €250.

    • Travel Expenses
      Mileage compensation applies only when more than 100 km is driven within one search assignment.
      We always aim to work with a local agent where possible; any kilometers above 100 km are charged at €0.45 per km.


    FINAL INVOICE
    The final invoice for the remaining service fee will be issued after the check-in has taken place.

    Payment terms for the final invoice are 14 days from the invoice date.

    Minimum fee applies before VAT.


    CANCELLATION FEE (After Accepted Offer)
    By instructing Great Expatation to submit an offer, the client confirms their intention to proceed if the offer is accepted.

    Acceptance of an offer constitutes successful completion of the services. The property is typically withdrawn from the market and other interested parties are declined, and withdrawal may adversely affect relationships with landlords, sellers, and agents.

    If the client withdraws after acceptance, for reasons not caused by Great Expatation, a Cancellation Fee of 50% of the agreed House Search Fee shall apply.

    The fee is non-refundable and payable immediately upon withdrawal.

We look forward to guiding you through this exciting process and helping you start your Great Dutch Life! 

By reading and proceeding, I acknowledge that I have reviewed the General Terms and Conditions and agree to abide by the policies and conditions outlined herein.

By clicking “Sign Agreement”, you will be redirected to DocuSign to electronically sign the full House Search Agreement.

Sign Agreement