Getting loan offers

Ask several banks for an offer — the differences in interest and fees over 20 or 25 years are large.

Prepare your documents

Banks usually ask for:

• ID card and proof of address
• Proof of employment and income (employment contract, recent payslips or a bank statement of salary payments)
• An overview of existing loans and cards
• For the property: the property certificate, the pre-contract or offer, and the bank's valuation report later on

Pre-approval first

Before you sign anything with the seller, ask your bank for a pre-approval: how much they would lend you and on what terms. Sellers take buyers with a pre-approval more seriously, and you avoid paying a deposit for a property you cannot finance.

Ask the same question everywhere