Buying in Amsterdam: where the room still lies

In a tight market, the best-bought home is not the most beautiful one, but the one whose potential is not yet visible. That means looking beyond the listing photographs: at the floor plan, the structural condition and the space still permitted under planning rules.

Unused cubic metres

Uninsulated attics, basements with too little headroom, boarded-up rear façades. These are the places where value lies that no listing mentions, simply because they look unappealing in photographs.

Listed status as an opportunity

Listed status puts many buyers off. In practice it mostly means a longer preparation period and more disciplined materials - and therefore less competition at the moment of bidding.

Doing the sums before bidding

We set asking price, renovation, transfer costs and contingency side by side into a single total investment. Only then is an offer a decision rather than a gamble.