A standard mortgage is no longer enough for many people buying their first home, and a growing share of them is topping it up with a starter loan.
In the first half of 2026 more than 8% of first-time buyers financed their purchase partly with such a loan from their municipality, according to figures from the land registry Kadaster. That is the highest share recorded to date, up from 6.4% last year and just 3.2% in the first half of 2021.
How the loan works
The starterslening bridges the gap between what a bank will lend and the price of the home. For the first three years it is interest-free and nothing has to be repaid.
The loan is capped at 20% of the purchase price and may not push the total above the National Mortgage Guarantee limit. It is issued through SVn, the fund that runs the scheme for municipalities.
Whether a buyer can use one depends on where they buy: 250 of the country’s 342 municipalities currently offer the loan, each with its own conditions.
The effect can be substantial. A buyer earning €48,000 a year can borrow roughly €220,000 from a bank; with a starter loan of about €50,000 on top, a €270,000 home comes within reach.
Other schemes for first-time buyers
Beyond the starter loan, other arrangements help buyers into the market, including purchase discounts of up to €70,000 on some homes.
Demand for this kind of help is rising along with house prices, and the money is not limitless. In Lelystad, one of the municipalities where the loan is used most, the fund has run dry and buyers now face a waiting list.
