Buying agent in Utrecht
Falling in love with a house is easy. Deciding whether to buy it is something else.
You walk in and sometimes, within a few minutes, you think: this is the one. That's exactly when it helps to have someone beside you who is just a little less in love.
Someone who looks at the value, the paperwork, the street, the maintenance and the renovation options. Who works out beforehand roughly what a house is worth, and who notices during the viewing what you might overlook.
And who also dares to say: don't do it.
Because the goal isn't for you to buy a house as quickly as possible. The goal is that, later on, you can say with conviction: this was the right decision.
That's Gusto Casa.
Buy a home where you feel at home
A buying agent who looks beyond the asking price
In this market, a buying agent may feel like yet another expense. We get that.
The market is unpredictable. One house is mobbed, another barely sells. The wrong purchase price, a problem with the owners' association (VvE), overdue maintenance or a renovation that turns out far more expensive than expected can end up costing a lot more than a buying agent.
That's why we look at the available information before a viewing. We analyse the market, comparable sales and the likely value of the house. So you don't walk in blind, and during the viewing we can focus on what really matters.
At the viewing, all you have to do is ‘feel’. And we check whether everything is as it looked beforehand in the photos and from the information.
Not: how do we win at all costs?
But: what is this house worth to you, and where is the limit?
Buying agent in Utrecht
Utrecht holds no secrets for us
Buying a house in Utrecht takes more than knowing the average price per square metre.
Two streets side by side can tell a different story. There can even be differences within one street. Owners' associations differ. Ground lease, groundwater, maintenance and future sustainability upgrades can all affect what a house is really worth.
So we don't just look at the postcode and the floor area. We go through all the documents for you before the viewing. And thanks to our market knowledge, we know what's going on and what to watch out for.
We want to know: Which street? Which year was it built? What type of house? Which owners' association? What has been renovated? What's going on in the neighbourhood?
By researching everything beforehand, we save you time and money.
That hyperlocal knowledge is especially valuable when you're buying.
It may seem over the top to research this much before you've even made an offer. Or before you've even gone to look. Until that one detail decides whether you pay €10,000 too much, or would be better off not buying at all.
Utrecht holds no secrets for us
Fun fact
Lindy is a mega NERD: she can tell from the postcode which neighbourhood a house is in. Utrecht has no secrets from her. Name a building period and a neighbourhood, and chances are Lindy knows which defects have been found there.
A home with potential
A fixer-upper? That's exactly what gets us excited.
Can't find what you're looking for within your budget? Then a house that isn't quite right yet can be just the thing.
A house full of potential makes our fingers itch. That's when our inner Bob Sikkes comes out.
Where you might see a dated kitchen or an illogical floor plan, we sometimes see a much better house hidden under the current layout. The house may be bland, neither fish nor fowl, or simply a filthy, smoke-stained hovel.
Where it helps, we can make a layout or a visualisation, so you don't have to guess what it could become. We take you through the possibilities.
Not an overly rosy picture. A realistic picture of the potential, the costs and the energy it takes. But also a realistic picture of what it could become.
We help you think through:
- a different layout;
- knocking through walls and extensions;
- kitchen and bathroom layouts;
- extra bedrooms;
- sustainability upgrades;
- rough renovation costs;
- the value after renovation
Our added value
Can't find a house that meets your wishes and your budget? We get it: we always want everything just a little different too.
Why a fixer-upper?
- Creating value: you add value to the home, which keeps your living costs affordable
- A home entirely to your taste and wishes
- Financially attractive: a fixer-upper can be tax-efficient, and you can make it more sustainable
Buying a home: how does it work?
You're looking for your dream home. At our Utrecht agency we understand how important it is to find your dream home. We've set out on paper the path you'll be walking. Whether you head for your goal in one straight line or wander off the path now and then, we're here to guide you!
Easy to reach
An exciting time. Negotiating on your new home is nerve-racking. To keep the lines short, we set up a WhatsApp group for you, where we can talk things through together and keep each other posted. Much easier.
Understanding
What are you really looking for? We'll quiz you on absolutely everything. Not just the number of rooms and square metres, but how you live, what matters to you and where you will and won't compromise.
Shortlisting
Not every house that turns up in your search filter is worth viewing. We help you make choices, and we search off the beaten track too.
Groundwork
Before a viewing, we look at the value, market data, the features of the home and the points to watch.
Viewing
You see whether you can picture yourself living there. We take a critical look at the house, the possibilities and the risks.
Setting the strategy
What is it worth? What is it worth to you? And which bidding strategy gives the best balance between opportunity and risk?
Negotiating
Sometimes it's a sale by tender, but more and more often it's good old-fashioned negotiating again. Then it isn't about talking harder or louder, but about being better prepared. We negotiate on price and on conditions.
Checking
Purchase agreement, get-out clauses, building survey, valuation and important deadlines: we stay in control, advise and check.
Keys & champagne
We come along to the final inspection and stay involved until the transfer at the notary's. And then it's time to pop the champagne.
Buying agent in Utrecht: what are the options?
À la carte
Already know what you're looking for? You pay €2,750 including VAT, which includes one viewing with an agent from our office. For every extra viewing with one of our agents you pay €275 extra.
All-inclusive
Would you like to work out together with us exactly what you're looking for, and view several houses? Then you pay €4,950 including VAT for unlimited viewings.
Off-market
Do we find a home you can buy without competition, before it's on Funda? A golden opportunity, you might say? Then you pay us a bonus of €2,500 including VAT.
Happy clients
Cheerful and happy people: that's what we do it for!
Every day we strive for the best possible result for our clients.
Happy buyers before you
Client
Lindy and Gé from Gusto Casa helped us brilliantly in all sorts of ways. When we viewed houses they looked on with a critical eye and worked out in advance roughly what certain improvements to the property in question would cost. That way we could decide what our maximum bid was. Based on the current market and homes recently sold in the neighbourhood, Lindy and Gé were able to advise a specific bid, which led to our very first bid being accepted straight away (under Gusto Casa's guidance). On top of that, Lindy and Gé are quick to act, which makes communication really pleasant. In short, we are incredibly happy that we brought in Gusto Casa as our buying agent.
Client
Brilliantly helped by Gé, Lindy and Marijn! In the end I was able to buy a house that met all my wishes, after less than two and a half months of searching. It was really nice to get data in advance (valuation and likely sale price). It makes you look at the house differently during a viewing (‘do I think the house is worth this amount?’). Even after I had bought the house, they stayed in touch and involved in the arrangements for the transfer. Three absolute stars!
A home in Spain
Looking for a second home?
Buying a house in Spain works differently from the Netherlands. But we guide you the way you're used to from us in Utrecht. That's why we guide you from the first selection right through to the transfer, and take a critical look at the house, the price, the location and the paperwork.
In most cases our buying guidance is free for you. Our fee is then paid by the seller or the developer.
Is that not the case for a particular purchase? Then we agree clearly in advance what our guidance costs. For longer or more complex projects, we can work at an hourly rate or a fixed price.
Our goal isn't for you to buy as quickly as possible, but for you to make the right decision.
