Huiskoopwijzer

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Inspiration

As a first-time homebuyer in the Netherlands, I was overwhelmed by scattered information, biased advice, and confusing mortgage terms. I couldn’t find one clear, independent place that helped me make smart decisions. So I built what I wish existed: a free, transparent toolset for starters on the Dutch housing market.

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What it does

Huiskoopwijzer.nl offers free, easy-to-use tools and explanations for anyone buying their first home in the Netherlands. You can calculate your maximum mortgage, compare renting vs buying, check your “kosten koper,” or see if extra mortgage payments make sense. All tools are jargon-free, ad-free, and built with one goal: to help you make better financial choices.

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How we built it

Huiskoopwijzer was built as a solo hobby project using Bolt.new, with custom logic and calculators coded in TypeScript and embedded in a clean, mobile-friendly design. It’s hosted on Netlify and every tool was tested by actual first-time buyers for clarity and usefulness.

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Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges was simplifying complex financial topics without losing accuracy. It was also tough to keep the experience ad-free and neutral in a space dominated by commercial advisors. And as a solo builder, prioritizing features while keeping the site lean was a constant balancing act.

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Accomplishments that we’re proud of • Helping over 4.000 users calculate their housing finances in the first months • Staying 100% independent and user-first

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What we learned

People don’t want sales talk, they want clarity. The most appreciated features were not the most complex, but the ones that removed doubt. I also learned how important UX and trust are in financial tools, especially for young buyers making life-changing decisions.

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What’s next for Huiskoopwijzer • More advanced calculators (e.g., equity build-up, interest scenarios) • Translations and an English-language version for expats • A mini course to guide buyers step-by-step • And hopefully: keeping it all free and independent through community support

Built With

• react