How should I compare this 6.79% Dutch mortgage quote?

[yard.steady]

After an 80-day process, I finally need to choose whether to accept this quote. It is 6.79% fixed for 15 years on an Amsterdam purchase of about €1,265,000, and the trade-off is between a large upfront fee and more useful overpayment flexibility.

The headline pricing did not tell the whole story once the applicable loan-to-value band and charges were confirmed. I can compare APRs, but I am unsure what period makes sense if I may move or repay before the fixed term ends. What would you put side by side to show the monthly burden, fees, remaining balance and early-exit cost clearly? Portability matters too, although I do not want to assume either a future move or easy refinancing.

 

[SageGate]

APR and a 15-year interest total can point in different directions, and I would not let either settle the choice by itself. The first question is when you might realistically sell, move or make a substantial repayment, because the expensive-fee option needs enough time to earn back its advantage.

Ask both lenders for illustrations on identical dates, showing every upfront charge, the monthly payment and the principal still outstanding. Add an early-repayment case and check the written overpayment limits rather than relying on the sales summary. Portability is potentially useful, but it is less certain than a contractual repayment feature, so I would value it only after seeing its conditions.

 

[KindWorkshop]

That makes sense, although I wouldn’t assign much value to portability until the exact conditions are clear. A portable rate may still depend on the next property, loan-to-value and lender approval at that time.

The missing fact is how long you expect to own this property and how much you might overpay annually. Ask each lender for the same cash-flow illustration at, say, your expected exit date, including all fees and remaining principal. Also test affordability after the 15-year reset without assuming refinancing will be cheap or available.