Costs when you buy
| Purchase | Transfer tax (2026) |
|---|---|
| Own home (you live there) | 2% |
| Residential investment property | 8% |
| Commercial property | 10.4% |
BV or private ownership
Saudi investors with large portfolios almost always use a BV. The BV pays 19% tax on rental profit and gains up to €200,000, and it can fully deduct interest and costs. A holding company above the BV combines the results. The rate on dividends paid to Saudi Arabia is set in the tax treaty. See the Gulf dividend map. Private ownership in box 3 (36% on a deemed return above €59,357 per person) suits only a single small property. For the full comparison, see BV or private, in numbers.
Investing in Dutch property from abroad? Compare buying privately or through a Dutch company, and the transfer tax that applies.
Buying from Riyadh
First, you set up the company. You can do this remotely. See the incorporation guide. The notary then acts on a power of attorney with an apostille. You pay the purchase price through the notary's escrow account, and the transfer is registered the same day. For development deals and larger structures, you add a group holding. See the holding design.
Is your group setting up a Dutch entity? See setting up a Dutch subsidiary for what you need, how long it takes and what the parent company must sign.
In the Netherlands, a family office has three parts: a holding company, a foundation that issues depositary receipts (STAK) and a foundation for giving. Families organise the decisions in three ways. Read more on a family office in the Netherlands.
What Saudi investors buy
Saudi buyers usually choose from three types of property. For steady rental demand, they buy residential portfolios in the Randstad. For yield, they buy logistics parks between Rotterdam and Venlo. For the family, they buy prestige properties in Amsterdam and Wassenaar. See the luxury buying guide.