Five steps: When is a house definitely sold

Your offer was accepted — congratulations! But in the Netherlands a house is not definitely sold until much later in the process. Between the accepted offer and the keys in your hand, there are five clear steps. Knowing where you stand at each one prevents nasty surprises. Here's exactly when a house is truly sold.

Step 1: Accepted offer - Is your house truly sold?

When the seller has chosen the winning offer, the buyer receives confirmation by phone and email. It's important to know that this is not yet binding. The seller can still sell the property to someone else until the provisional purchase agreement is signed. So be aware: the sale is not final yet.

Step 2: Provisional purchase agreement - When is the sale final?

When both the buyer and seller have signed the provisional purchase agreement, all the details of the purchase are documented in writing. It's called provisional because it includes a statutory cooling-off period of three days before both parties are fully committed.

Step 3: Three-day cooling-off period - Know where you stand

After signing the provisional purchase agreement, a statutory cooling-off period of three days begins for the buyer. This is a legal right. If you have doubts about the purchase, you can withdraw from the deal without giving a reason and without a penalty.

The period must include at least two working days, so it's extended when it falls over a weekend. The table below shows how it works in practice:

Step 4: Dissolution conditions - Important considerations

Provisional purchase agreements usually include various dissolution conditions (ontbindende voorwaarden). A common example is a financing condition, which lets you cancel if you can't arrange your mortgage in time. The discovery of unexpected defects in the property — for instance through a technical inspection (bouwkundige keuring) — can be another reason for dissolution. No penalty is charged if you dissolve the purchase on the basis of an agreed condition.

Step 5: Deed of delivery, transfer at the notary - The final sale

Good news: this is the day the property is definitely sold. The notary carries out a final check to verify everything is still in order, such as confirming clear title, arranging the transfer, and checking the mortgage deed.

After this check, the signing takes place at the notary's office. The transfer of ownership is formalised in the deed of delivery, also called the transfer deed (leveringsakte), which costs around €600 to €1,600. The notary confirms that all parties have met their obligations and, if you're buying with a mortgage, also prepares the mortgage deed at the same appointment. Once everything is signed, ownership transfers and the keys are handed over. Only now is the house definitely yours.

In short: when is a house definitely sold?

A house is only definitely sold once the deed of delivery is signed at the notary (step 5). Before that, both parties can still step back — the seller until the purchase agreement is signed, and the buyer during the cooling-off period or under a dissolution condition. Everything in between is part of the process, not the finish line.

Frequently asked questions

Related articles

• What does a notary do?
• The provisional purchase agreement explained
• What you need at the notary when buying a house
• Notary costs