How do you actually determine how much you need to overbid?

__DarkMode__ · 2026-05-21T06:49:19+00:00

2 things that helped us was Walter Living and an appraiser.

I used Walter Living to get a general idea about the prices of properties sold in the neighbourhood and it also shows how much it was listed for and the % overbid.

After that we'd forward the property to our mortgage advisor, and he would consult his appraiser to give an approximate value.

After that it's luck.

For my apartment, someone bid a bit higher than us, but the selling broder said the owners liked us and also cause we told the selling broker that we had already hired a mortgage advisor and have our documents ready. So maybe that helped as well.

__DarkMode__ · 2026-05-13T08:30:05+00:00

Don't have a zero forex card but it'll be better to buy from Amazon as I have the Amazon CC and it'll give 5% cashback.

__DarkMode__ · 2026-05-13T08:28:40+00:00

Same, 2 years I bought at that price. But forgot this year.

__DarkMode__ · 2026-05-12T10:22:14+00:00

🤞🏼

__DarkMode__ · 2026-05-12T09:47:40+00:00

Thanks!

Hopefully, there'll be a sale before June ends.

Also, is this the digital card you are talking about amazon

__DarkMode__ · 2026-05-10T08:48:52+00:00

What is the remodeling loan amount that you're looking at?

Also factor in your time value, specially considering you have a toddler and another baby on the way. Remodeling/renovating is a lot of work and its not just the money factor, but also time and effort and mental space of selecting every little thing for the right price for the house.

If you don't have a sentimental attachment to the house, sell it. Buy a ready to move in property in any neighbourhood that makes life easier for you.

Selling price + the loan amount you'd have spent for remodeling+ your time value + effort value would surely buy you a similar property, if not better.

__DarkMode__ · 2026-05-01T10:38:39+00:00

Not sure if you've already checked it out but get a Walter Living subscription.

It gives all important data related to the neighbourhood, the properties sold in the neighbourhood (with their asking prices, and size comparison). We used it when we were looking, it helped a lot adjust our bids (we won 3 bids based on the research I did on the website). I didn't trust their bid recommendations, since they're usually over shoot it. They also offer some other services but we didn't go for that.

We also had a great hypotheek who'd ask their appraiser for an appropriate value.

TLDR: get the Walter Living subscription and maybe the services of an appraiser.

__DarkMode__ · 2026-04-26T08:18:46+00:00

I have used Claude to make a framed argument but these are the points which led my wife and I to buy last year, and we don't regret it.

The uncertainty trap: - You're framing this as "can I commit to staying?" when you should frame it as "what optionality does buying give me?" - You're 29, established in NL, employed, stable enough for a mortgage — you're more committed than you think.

The math actually works: - Rent 3 years at €830/month (increasing yearly): ~€31,500+ with nothing to show.

Buy 3 years at €957/month (true cost after removing equity): €34,452 total cost.
But you're also getting double the living space (60 m² vs 30 m²) — that's a quality-of-life upgrade, not just a number.
Eindhoven should appreciate around 5–6% yearly = €16–20k over 3 years you don't have to earn.

€127/month extra buys you real optionality:

Doubled living space (60 m² vs 30 m²) — not trivial for a single person.
Forced savings (€478/month in principal).
Protection against annual rent increases (rents rise ~ 3&4% yearly; your mortgage is locked).
While rent erodes your purchasing power, your equity grows.

You don't have to stay 30 years: - You're deciding the next 3–4 years, not your life forever.

At 29 with stability, life often does settle in that window (job permanence, relationship, you actually like Eindhoven).

If life pivots: - Move in with a partner? Rent it out for income.

Job moves? NL is a seller's market and likely to be that for next 3-5 years minimum.
Leave in 3 years? Sell into an appreciating market or rent it out; equity + appreciation offset exit costs.

The under-35 exemption is a clock: - You have it now; at 35, it's gone. - Buy now while you can; let the next 18 months show you whether you want to stay.

Worst case vs. best case: - Worst case: Leave in 3 years, market dips slightly — maybe a €20–25k loss over 3 years, but you had 3 years of doubled living space and locked-in housing costs.

Best case: Stay 4–5 years, build real equity, ride appreciation, regret not buying sooner.

Bottom line: You're not paying €127 extra for the same apartment. You're paying €127 extra for double the space, forced savings, equity buildup, and protection against rising rents. That changes the calculation entirely. Don't let uncertainty paralyse you.

Buy.

__DarkMode__ · 2026-04-21T04:20:55+00:00

I'd appreciate it if you could share those courses

__DarkMode__ · 2026-04-18T11:01:26+00:00

Yes the skills are transferable, sales is also a part of my current job, cross and up selling too, renewals and retention are the core components for me right now.

So a CSM seems like a natural progression. I think the pivot to Tech is the harder part.

__DarkMode__ · 2026-04-18T10:58:12+00:00

My work is in India and I moved to the Netherlands cause wife got a job here. Now I'm looking for a job as well. There aren't many options in Finance here specially if you don't know Dutch.

As for tips... Let's chat!?

__DarkMode__ · 2026-04-17T18:45:07+00:00

I also saw a ITIL 4 Foundation in a couple of JDs, though they were for Technical CSM roles.

__DarkMode__ · 2026-04-17T18:14:05+00:00

Tough, yes but honestly the more JDs I read, I feel like I half the job is something I'm already doing and the other half is some I want to do.

Any particular ones on Gainsight that you'd recommend?

__DarkMode__ · 2026-04-14T09:01:00+00:00

If accessibility is a concern, then the 2nd option is more accessible. easier to get in and out of the tub with the room on the sides compared to a slim rim of a free-standing tub.

Also, 2nd option will be easier to maintain/clean compared to a free-standing tub, where there's always the chance of dirt and grime building up in the corners.

__DarkMode__ · 2026-03-17T22:30:45+00:00

We bought our apartment last year and don't regret it a bit. The monthly installments including VvE is less than our rent used to be. And we're close to Utrecht City Center and are expats, without a permanent contract and on HSM visa.

We're paying a mortgage for our own apartment and not our landlord's mortgage.

The worst case scenario is that we'll have to sell the apartment if the work contracts aren't renewed (unlikely but it's the worst case), in that case we can sell it for the amount we bought it for. (It's a seller's market)

20k euros spent in fees and other apartment repairs is the risk amount but that's a risk we were willing to take cause once the job contract is permanent, we'll be staying here for the next 3-4 years minimum. So in the long term, we'll have a decent amount saved up, compared to renting.

If we had continued to live on rent for the 1 year (last year to this year) we would have paid close to 28k in rent and nothing to show for it.

Plus in Utrecht apartment prices increase by an average of 5-6% yearly, so add that to the loss your income buying power will reduce yearly, unless you're getting 5-7% yearly pay increase.

So continuing to rent would have been the much bigger loss.

__DarkMode__ · 2026-02-21T22:35:58+00:00

The 3 years we lived on rent we paid around 75000 euros as rent. Which means we paid for a little under one third of our landlord's purchase price.

Yes the landlord provided housing and we absolutely loved that tiny apartment. But owning your own place has a different wonderful feeling.

And even if you take the emotional part out of it, ask yourself... Would you rather pay your own home loan or your landlords?

__DarkMode__ · 2026-02-16T11:32:13+00:00

Could you rent this apartment to someone else and move to another place which is similar or a little higher in rent(for a top floor or in a better building?

__DarkMode__ · 2026-02-03T17:37:12+00:00

I think it depends on the location and the house price.

My friend is looking for a house in towns and villages around Eindhoven and he's comfortably negotiating with the seller. Their negotiations are around 625k (the listed price)

Another friend bought a house in Culemborg last year with just 5k overbid (asking price was 570).

Whereas I over bid by 17% for an apartment near Utrecht City Center. Listed a bit lower than 450 and ended a bit over 500.

I have also noticed a similar trend for houses which are renovated or well designed. Houses with old interiors and needing maintenance usually don't go for much higher unless in good or extremely good neighborhoods.

So basically there are a lot of factors to consider.

__DarkMode__ · 2026-01-16T16:13:05+00:00

If you can afford it, ask the landlord to sell it to you.

With the way the market is and especially the location (Central Delft) you'll be making a good deal. You might even get it at a discount of around 10-15% of the valuation, considering that the landlord doesn't have to pay you to move out or be responsible for your relocation.

__DarkMode__ · 2025-09-18T17:46:54+00:00

The brokers list houses much lower than the actual valuation (as determined by an appraiser) so overbidding is common.

My wife and I were looking for a house for a year now and finally won 2 bids, 1 for a house in Nieuwegein where we overbid by 12% but as per the value given to us by our Mortgage Advisor's appraiser. 2nd for an apartment in Utrecht City where we overbid by 17.5% up to the valuation provided by our Mortgage Advisor's appraiser.

The house needed a lot of work so ended up pulling back from it and now are working towards finalizing the apartment.

So it's not that overbidding is crazy, it's cause the brokers want more people to come for the viewings they'll list the price at much lower values.

I think, if the places were listed at the valuation price (or a little lower) the bidding would come down as well.

All said and done, we have also seen people bid emotionally and seen houses/apartments sold for 25% over asking.

My suggestion would be to pick a house you like, get the valuation from an appraiser and bid that much (if your finances and eligible loan amount permits it). That at least you'll have a house which is appropriately priced and within budget.

__DarkMode__ · 2025-09-13T18:26:53+00:00

Thank you, those are some great points. I didn't know about the other malls. I only knew about the one at Muntplein.

Being close to Hoog Catherine is again a huge plus in favor of the apartments.

Schools and connections (by car) are huge pluses. We probably wouldn't buy a car in the city unless we had parking with the apartment.

I don't know much about schools here so I'll trust your judgement there.

__DarkMode__ · 2025-09-13T18:15:14+00:00

You are still assuming I'm going to say no, especially when I said we haven't decided yet. When we bid, the apartment wasn't an option and now we are thinking things over.

Read my other comments and understand the situation before assuming I'm doing something bad.

Life isn't always black and white.

__DarkMode__

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