National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG) in 2027: mortgage limit rises to €500,000

From 1 January 2027 the limit for a mortgage with National Mortgage Guarantee (Nationale Hypotheek Garantie, NHG) rises from €470,000 to €500,000, or €530,000 if you also finance energy-saving measures. A home between those amounts falls outside NHG in 2026 and inside it in 2027, and that can mean a mortgage rate about 0.5 percentage point lower. This article explains the new limits, which date decides the limit you get, what NHG costs and saves in euros, and what else changes in 2027.

This article is written by Bart Kooijman, our mortgage advisor at OHAO, who helps expats and internationals navigate the Dutch mortgage and housing market. Do you want to discuss your own situation? Contact us.

What is the NHG limit in 2027?

The NHG limit in 2027 is €500,000. With energy-saving measures it is €530,000. The one-time fee stays at 0.4% of the loan, NHG announced on 13 October 2026.

Table showing the NHG limit and fee for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Source: NHG and Rijksoverheid.

The limit follows house prices. NHG sets it each year from the average purchase price of the past 27 months plus 5%. The limit applies to the whole loan, including any renovation costs you finance.

Which limit applies if you buy around the turn of the year?

The date of the binding mortgage offer (bindend aanbod) decides, not the date you sign the purchase agreement. The 2027 rules apply to loans for which the lender issues a binding offer from 1 January 2027, NHG states in its news on the NHG conditions for 2027.

Many buyers assume the purchase date counts. It does not, and that creates an opening. For example: you sign a purchase agreement in November 2026 for a home of €485,000. With a binding offer in December, the 2026 limit of €470,000 applies and NHG is not possible. With a binding offer in January, the home falls under the 2027 limit of €500,000.

The downside is the deadline in your purchase agreement. The financing clause usually gives you only a few weeks to arrange the mortgage, and the interest rate in your offer can change while you wait. Agree the dates with your advisor before you sign.

What does NHG protect you against?

NHG is a guarantee to your lender, not an insurance that pays your mortgage for you. If you can no longer pay because of job loss, disability, divorce or the death of your partner, NHG works with the lender to keep you in your home where possible. If the home has to be sold for less than the mortgage, NHG can cover the remaining debt under conditions.

Because the lender runs less risk, it charges a lower interest rate. That discount is what makes NHG worth it for most buyers.

What does NHG cost, and what does it save?

NHG costs 0.4% of the loan, paid once when you take out the mortgage. The fee is one of the tax deductible mortgage fees in the year you buy.

For example: a mortgage of €480,000, which becomes possible with NHG in 2027.

Table comparing a €480,000 annuity mortgage over 30 years with and without NHG. The rates are examples: the Dutch consumer association Consumentenbond calculates that the rate with NHG is on average about 0.5 percentage point lower for a 10-year fixed rate at 100% of the home's value.

In this example the fee is earned back in about 13 months, and the saving is roughly €1,736 per year after that. See the current mortgage interest rates in the Netherlands for today's rates with and without NHG.

NHG has limits of its own. The home must be your main residence, the rules on interest-only borrowing are stricter, and the discount is smaller if you bring a lot of your own money, because the lender's risk is then already low. Read more about loan-to-value in the Netherlands.

What else changes for NHG in 2027?

Two changes go beyond the limit:

• Energy labels E, F and G. For a house with one of these labels (apartments are not included), NHG includes €20,000 of extra borrowing room for energy-saving measures by default. You can choose not to use it. Any part you have not spent on improvements within two years is repaid on the mortgage. Read more about how the energy label affects your mortgage.

• Foundation risk. For homes with a high risk of foundation damage, the expected repair costs are taken into account when the application is assessed, the Dutch government (Rijksoverheid) announced.

NHG publishes the full conditions for 2027 on 30 October 2026.

Can expats get a mortgage with NHG?

Yes. The limit and the fee are the same for every buyer, whatever your nationality. What the lender checks is your income, your contract and your right to stay in the Netherlands, as with any mortgage. Use the NHG eligibility calculator to check whether your purchase fits the limit. Your income and contract also decide how much you can borrow with a Dutch mortgage.

Keep in mind that every situation is different. The examples in this article are for illustration purposes only. For advice tailored to your personal situation, contact our mortgage advisors at OHAO.

Frequently asked questions from expats

What is the NHG limit in 2027?

The NHG limit is €500,000 in 2027, up from €470,000 in 2026. If you finance energy-saving measures, the limit is €530,000. The one-time fee stays at 0.4% of the loan.

Does the 2027 limit apply if I sign the purchase agreement in 2026?

It can. The date of the binding mortgage offer decides: if the lender issues it on or after 1 January 2027, the 2027 limit of €500,000 applies. Check that the financing clause in your purchase agreement leaves enough time for this.

Is NHG worth the 0.4% fee?

In most cases yes. On a €480,000 mortgage the fee is €1,920, while a rate that is 0.5 percentage point lower saves about €145 per month, so the fee is earned back in just over a year. The benefit is smaller if you put in a lot of your own money.

Buying a home near the NHG limit?

Book a free, no-obligation call with one of our mortgage advisors. We check whether your purchase fits the 2026 or the 2027 limit, calculate your rate with and without NHG, and plan the dates of your offer. We work with all the major Dutch banks and over 40 mortgage lenders.