Buy a House in Sneek, Friesland

Sneek sits beside the Sneekermeer and a network of canals, and the August Sneekweek sailing regatta is a fixture of the Frisian calendar. Boat moorings, jetties and houses with water access are a feature of the local market, so ask whether a mooring comes with the property or has to be rented separately. Trains run to Leeuwarden, and the A7 motorway passes the town. Winters are windy and damp, so check insulation and ventilation, and ask about foundation condition, as older Frisian houses may stand on soft clay ground.

The Netherlands charges transfer tax of 2% for owner-occupiers and 8% for other homes, so a non-resident buying a holiday home or investment pays the higher rate. Add a notary (who handles the title transfer) and a surveyor; buyers also typically pay their own agent if they hire one. A purchase agreement is followed by a short cooling-off period of three days. Non-residents may find Dutch banks cautious, so read our Netherlands mortgage guide and the buying process, then use the mortgage calculator.

Leeuwarden, the provincial capital, and Heerenveen and Drachten are all Frisian markets within an easy drive; Wergea is a village near Leeuwarden. Emmeloord and Meppel lie across the border into Flevoland and Drenthe. See the Netherlands guide for more.