Mortgage lending limits rise slightly for 2027
Almost all households will have somewhat more borrowing power next year, though a higher mortgage rate may limit the rise.
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Almost all households will be able to borrow somewhat more to buy a home in 2027, Housing Minister Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan announced in a letter to parliament (Kamerbrief), partly on behalf of Finance Minister Eelco Heinen. The extra amount depends on income and differs per household.
Why it matters
- Nearly all households will be able to borrow somewhat more for a home in 2027.
- The extra amount depends on income.
- A higher mortgage rate may limit the rise in borrowing power.
The lending standards (leennormen) are revised every year on advice from Nibud. The CPB expects average income growth of 3.7% in 2027, which will also let most households borrow somewhat more.
The CPB, the financial markets authority AFM and the central bank DNB began monitoring the standards and access to the housing market this year. They think it undesirable to change the standards much at present. Looser standards mean buyers take more financial risk and push house prices up further, they say. Tighter ones mean fewer people have a realistic chance of buying a home.
To improve access, the three bodies point, among other things, to building more homes. The cabinet is working on this through its action plan to speed up housebuilding, which contains 50 concrete actions.
Mortgage rates on new loans have risen since March
% · Aug 2025–Aug 2026
Mortgage rates on new loans have risen since March (%). From 3.49 in Aug 2025 to 3.94 in Aug 2026; highest 3.94 in Aug 2026, lowest 3.48 in Nov 2025. Source: DNB.
View data
| Item | % |
|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | 3.49 |
| Sep 2025 | 3.5 |
| Oct 2025 | 3.5 |
| Nov 2025 | 3.48 |
| Dec 2025 | 3.52 |
| Jan 2026 | 3.51 |
| Feb 2026 | 3.56 |
| Mar 2026 | 3.48 |
| Apr 2026 | 3.64 |
| May 2026 | 3.67 |
| Jun 2026 | 3.73 |
| Jul 2026 | 3.87 |
| Aug 2026 | 3.94 |
Source: Rijksoverheid, DNB
More on housing market
CPB (Centraal Planbureau)
The Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, the independent government agency that makes the official economic forecasts used for the budget.
Kamerbrief
A Kamerbrief is a letter that a minister or the government sends to the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives) to inform parliament about a policy matter, a plan or a development. It is the standard way ministers report to parliament and set out their position, often ahead of a debate or a decision.
Leennormen
Leennormen are the lending standards that Dutch mortgage lenders use to calculate how much a household can borrow for a home, mainly based on income. They are revised every year, on advice from Nibud and in line with expected income developments, so the maximum mortgage amount changes annually.
Nibud (Nederlands Instituut voor Budgetvoorlichting)
Nibud is the Dutch Institute for Budget Information, a non-profit foundation that provides budget advice and information to households and publishes research on household finances. Each year it advises on the leennormen, the lending standards that determine how much households can borrow for a mortgage.
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