NHG rises to €500,000 in 2027. What does that mean for you?

Half a million. It does sound different from €470,000. NHG has announced that its limit will rise to €500,000 on 1 January 2027. If you're looking at homes around that price, this is worth a closer look.

What exactly changes? Three things. First, the limit below which you can finance with NHG rises from €470,000 to €500,000. Second, the limit with energy-saving measures goes up to €530,000. And third, the one-off fee stays at 0.4% of the mortgage.

Say you're looking at a €490,000 home

Without renovation costs, that home is above the €470,000 NHG limit in 2026. In 2027, the same purchase price is below the new limit. You may then qualify for an NHG mortgage, provided you meet the other conditions too.

That doesn't mean you can suddenly borrow €30,000 more. Your income, debts, interest rate and the property's value still determine what's possible. The NHG limit and your personal borrowing capacity are two different things. It's worth keeping them separate.

Why consider NHG in the first place?

Not just because of the interest rate, although lenders generally offer a lower rate with NHG. It also provides a safety net if circumstances such as losing your job or separating leave you unable to afford your mortgage. NHG can help explore solutions. As a last resort, a remaining debt after a sale may be waived, subject to conditions.

It isn't insurance that automatically fixes every setback. But it deserves a serious place in your mortgage decision. After all, a mortgage needs to work beyond the days when everything goes to plan.

And what about the €530,000 limit?

That higher limit is for energy-saving measures, such as insulation or other improvements that make your home more energy-efficient. The amount above €500,000 is intended for that purpose, not for buying a more expensive property or paying for a new kitchen.

Buying and renovating? We look separately at the purchase, regular renovation work and energy-saving improvements.

Sustainability is becoming less and less optional

That higher €530,000 limit is no coincidence. The government and Europe are pushing ever more clearly for homes with a low energy label to be upgraded. There are proposals to make improvements mandatory for homes with label D or lower in the future, and lenders already look at a property's label more and more when financing.

Buying a home with energy label E, F or G with NHG — and it isn't an apartment right? From 1 January 2027, the starting point is that your mortgage includes at least €20,000 for energy-saving measures. You then choose between an Energiebespaarbudget (EBB) or borrowing for specific Energie Besparende Voorzieningen (EBV).

Can't borrow that €20,000 within the applicable LTI and LTV limits? Then the lower maximum applies.

Rather not borrow the amount? Then you can use a 'Verklaring geen gebruik verduurzamingsbudget' (declaration of no use of the sustainability budget), which NHG is currently developing.

The fee stays at 0.4%

On a €500,000 mortgage, the one-off NHG fee is €2,000. This sits alongside your other financing costs. Whether a lower interest rate recovers that fee, and how quickly, depends on the rate difference and your mortgage. We'd rather work that out than simply promise it.

Buy now or wait until January?

We wouldn't recommend passing up a suitable home solely because the NHG limit is rising. Rates can change, so can asking prices. And the home you actually want may no longer be available.

If you're buying around the turn of the year, timing does deserve attention. Have someone check which NHG conditions apply to your application; a completion date in 2027 alone isn't a reason to assume the new limit applies.

Our take

It's good to see the limit moving with the market, especially if your price range was just outside NHG until now. But don't start with that €500,000 figure. Start with a monthly payment you're comfortable with, the savings you want to put in and the plans you still have.

Have a home in mind, or wondering whether NHG would help you? Bring it to an online conversation with us. We'll look at your numbers, not just the new limit.