FAQ – Great Expatation

We specialize in house searching, for both rentals and purchases, for internationals, expats, families and companies relocating to the Netherlands or already living here and looking to move. Clients we actively support with a home search receive complimentary access to our trusted network of visa specialists, tax advisors, movers, handymen, interior stylists, and school consultants, so they can easily connect with reliable partners throughout their relocation journey.

Housing & Real Estate
- Full personal house searches (rent and purchase)
- Remote searches for clients abroad
- Arranging and attending all viewings
- Preparing and submitting offers
- Contract checks
- Check-in guidance
- Short-stay and temporary housing
- Full purchasing support
- Access to our exclusive House Search System with daily matching homes (1-on-1 clients)

Relocation Support
- Utilities setup
- Insurance setup
- School and daycare advice (via partners)

Legal, Tax & Visa (via trusted partners)
- 30% ruling
- DAFT visa
- Residency permits
- Tax advisory support

Home Furnishing & Practical Assistance
- Interior setup
- Furniture sourcing
- Recommended movers and handymen

Corporate Relocation
- Employee housing
- Family relocations
- Onboarding support
- Temporary and emergency accommodation

We also offer Rental Services for Landlords.
We support you throughout the full rental process, including:
- Creating the listing and placing it on major platforms
- Sharing it on our social channels
- Distributing it within our network of real estate agents and relocation companies
- Screening and selecting tenants
- Organizing viewings
- Preparing proposals and assisting with the rental agreement
- Check-in and handover support
- Pricing available upon request

The level of support depends on your rental budget.

Budget €2,000+ per month (1-on-1 search)
- Full proactive search
- Access to our exclusive House Search System
- Active searching via our own network and off-market contacts
- All viewings arranged and attended
- Negotiation and contract support
- Free access to our full partner network throughout the search

Budget below €2,000 or students (WhatsApp Housing Group)
- You receive listings we find and share in the group
- No access to the House Search System
- When you respond to a listing and we start assisting you with that property, you temporarily gain access to our trusted partner network if relevant
- No guarantee, as supply under €2,000 is limited

- We share suitable listings in the WhatsApp group
- You respond when you are interested in a property
- From that moment, we take over the process:

  • contacting the agent
  • arranging the viewing
  • attending the viewing (in person or via video)
  • giving feedback
  • preparing and submitting the offer
  • trying to secure the home

WhatsApp clients can request partner introductions only when we are actively helping them with a property. There is no guarantee due to limited supply, but full support is provided once a suitable listing appears.

Most landlords follow these rules:

Single applicants
- Three times the monthly rent (gross)

Couples or families
- Three and a half times the monthly rent (combined gross)

€2,000 per month
- Single: €6,000 gross per month (€72,000 per year)
- Couple/family: €7,000 gross per month (€84,000 per year)

€2,500 per month
- Single: €7,500 gross per month (€90,000 per year)
- Couple/family: €8,750 gross per month (€105,000 per year)

€3,000 per month
- Single: €9,000 gross per month (€108,000 per year)
- Couple/family: €10,500 gross per month (€126,000 per year)

Included
- Base salary
- 8% holiday allowance
- Fixed bonuses and allowances
- Guaranteed 13th month
- Structural shift allowances
- For self-employed clients: average profit before tax (last 1–3 years)

Not included
- One-time bonuses
- Variable commissions
- Irregular income
- Savings (unless accepted by the landlord)

To make your house search as smooth and successful as possible, landlords appreciate having a clear and complete picture of who you are. Below you’ll find what to prepare based on your situation.

If you are employed
Please prepare:
- A copy of your passport or ID
- Your signed employment contract
- ⁠Your last 3 payslips (if you have them)
- An employer statement (if you have one)
- Proof of savings and/or assets (always helpful)
- ⁠⁠A tenancy statement of a previous landlord
- ⁠A short personal introduction with a photo (landlords love this)

If you are self-employed
Landlords often need a bit more detail to understand your financial stability. Please prepare:
- A copy of your passport or ID
- Your KvK extrac
- Your most recent annual accounts or tax return
- Recent bank statements
- An accountant’s statement confirming your income (if available)
- Proof of savings or investments
- A tenancy statement of a previous landlord
- A short personal introduction with a photo to make your profile complete

If you are a student
Because you usually rely on financial support, please prepare:
- A copy of your and your guarantor’s passport or ID
- Proof of enrollment
- A financial guarantee or sponsor letter
- ⁠Proof of income and/or savings of your sponsor
- A personal introduction with a photo(this helps landlords get to know you)

1-on-1 House Search
- Fee: one month of rent
- Minimum: €2,000
- Plus 21% VAT
- Includes: full search, all viewings, negotiation, contract check, check-in assistance, access to our House Search System, and full partner access throughout the search

WhatsApp Housing Group
- Free to join
- When you respond to a listing, support for that specific property is included at no extra fee
- No access to the House Search System
- Partner access only when we are actively assisting you with a home
- When we secure a house for you, you pay a one month fee with a minimum of €2000,- + 21%VAT

Additional fees
May apply for:
- home-sharing searches
- searches for clients with pets
- student searches
These are always discussed during the intake call.

Purchase Support
With our Purchase Support, we guide you through the full buying process:
- Identifying suitable properties
- Arranging and joining viewings
- Strategy and negotiation advice
- Due diligence support
- Connecting you to our trusted mortgage, notary, and inspection partners
We charge 1% of the purchase price, with a minimum fee of €5,000 (excl. 21% VAT)
A fixed-fee quote is available upon request.

Corporate Relocation
- Tailored pricing on request

Pet-friendly homes are limited because many landlords worry about:

- potential damage
- noise
- smell
- allergies
- maintenance and cleaning issues

We search proactively for clients with pets, but acceptance is always the landlord’s decision.

Yes, under certain conditions.

Most Dutch municipalities allow a maximum of two unrelated individuals to register at one address without a special permit. We therefore offer shared tenancy searches for up to two people.

Not all landlords accept home-sharing, so availability is more limited. An additional fee may apply.

No. Many clients start while still abroad. We attend all viewings, record videos, and guide the process remotely until you arrive.

Most clients secure a home within one to four weeks, depending on:

- budget
- flexibility
- preferred areas
- market availability

- Intake call
- Daily proactive searching (on-market, off-market and via our network)
- Access to our exclusive House Search System with daily matching homes
- Arranging and attending all viewings
- Video viewings for clients abroad
- Offer strategy and negotiation
- Contract review
- Check-in assistance
- Utilities and insurance support
- Free access to our trusted partner network (visa, tax, schools, movers, interior stylists, handymen, etc.)

WhatsApp clients receive partner support only when we are actively assisting them with a home.

Yes. We support HR teams and employers with:

- employee housing
- full relocation programs
- onboarding support
- family relocations
- temporary and emergency housing
- access to our trusted partner network for their employees

Yes. Our purchasing service includes:

- property search
- viewings
- market and price advice
- offer strategy
- negotiation
- inspection coordination
- notary support
- introductions to reliable mortgage advisors

No. Our fees are fixed and transparent. Any additional services are always discussed upfront.

Depending on your package, we assist with:

- we check the contract together
- we join you to the check-in
- utilities and insurance setup
- settling-in support when needed
- partner introductions when needed

We operate throughout the entire Netherlands. We frequently assist clients in Amsterdam, Haarlem, Utrecht, The Hague, Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Amstelveen, Almere, Leiden and many other regions.

Complete our registration form. Based on your details, we advise whether you should start with a full 1-on-1 house search or the WhatsApp Housing Group.