Getting loan offers
Which documents banks ask for, how pre-approval works and how to get comparable 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
- Use the same amount, term and own contribution in every request so offers are comparable.
- Ask for the effective interest rate and the full list of fees in writing.
- Ask what is required — life insurance, property insurance, salary account at the bank — and what each costs.
- Compare the total cost, not only the monthly payment.
Last updated October 5, 2026