Homebuyers will be able to take out mortgages on more expensive homes with protection against payment difficulties. Next year, the borrowing limit for the National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG) will rise to €500,000, up €30,000 from the current limit.
People who make their homes more energy efficient will be able to receive an NHG guarantee for an even higher amount.
The organisation behind the NHG also wants to encourage more homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. Customers buying homes with an energy label E, F or G will automatically be able to borrow up to an additional €20,000 for energy-saving measures. A lower amount may apply if the value of the home does not support the extra borrowing.
Sustainability
The maximum mortgage covered by the NHG for homes with sustainability improvements will be €530,000.
NHG director Roald van der Linde hopes the changes will encourage homebuyers to consider sustainability improvements when buying a property. Buyers could already borrow additional money through the NHG for measures such as insulation, but they did not always use this option.
“By including the financial margin as standard, we make it easier to make a conscious choice,” Van der Linde said.
Homebuyers can still opt out of automatically financing sustainability improvements.
Homebuyers pay a one-off fee of 0.4 per cent of the borrowed amount for an NHG guarantee. The scheme provides a financial safety net if borrowers can no longer afford their monthly mortgage payments, for example after a divorce or job loss.
The guarantee also reduces the risk for lenders. As a result, they offer customers with an NHG guarantee a lower mortgage interest rate.
The NHG limit is based on the average purchase price of homes over the previous 27 months. The organisation adds 5 per cent to this figure and then rounds the amount to a number divisible by €5,000.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
