JWH Netherlands JournalVol.4 **I Decided to Buy This House.Now It Was Time to Decide the Price.**
JWH Netherlands Journal
Vol.4
**I Decided to Buy This House.
Now It Was Time to Decide the Price.**
— The more you want a property, the more rational you must become. —
There is a big difference between wanting a property and knowing what it's worth.
I had already made my decision.
This 1848 building on Delft's historic Markt wasn't just another house.
It was a place where I could imagine my family's future.
But making the decision to buy didn't mean I should accept the asking price.
Buying a property isn't about paying what the seller wants.
It's about deciding what the property is worth to you.
The asking price was €700,000.
The property was listed for €700,000.
Even its official WOZ valuation was around the same level.
In the Netherlands, desirable properties often sell above their WOZ value.
So objectively speaking, the asking price wasn't unreasonable.
Still...
I had my own number.
€650,000.
At that price, I believed the opportunity became truly exceptional.
"Can we offer €650,000?"
I asked the real estate agent.
The answer came back almost immediately.
"That's too far below the WOZ valuation."
The agent explained that presenting such a low initial offer would be difficult.
It wasn't an emotional conversation.
It was a negotiation based on market expectations.
Every negotiation needs a reason.
I wasn't asking for a discount simply because I wanted one.
I explained why I believed the property's market value differed from its hidden potential.
The interior was still designed for student housing.
The layout made it difficult for most buyers to imagine family living.
Renovation would be necessary.
Mixed residential-commercial buildings attract fewer buyers than standard homes.
Those weren't complaints.
They were facts.
Eventually, we reached a point where the agent agreed.
€680,000.
That was the price they were willing to present to the seller.
It wasn't my original target.
But it was a price I could justify.
Why I like mixed-use properties.
In both Japan and the Netherlands, relatively few people buy properties with commercial space.
Many buyers only want a home.
Many investors only want an investment.
Mixed-use buildings sit somewhere in between.
Ironically...
That's exactly what makes them attractive.
Less competition often creates better opportunities.
A normal house gives you somewhere to live.
A mixed-use property can provide much more.
Rental income.
A future business.
A café.
An onigiri shop.
A daifuku store.
A community space.
Or perhaps...
The future home of JWH.
I wasn't buying a €700,000 house.
I was buying:
A family home.
Rental income.
A future business opportunity.
A prime location in Delft.
Hidden potential that renovation could unlock.
That's why I wasn't negotiating over a price.
I was negotiating over value.
And I wanted to buy at a price that still left room for that value to belong to me.
That number became...
€680,000.
JWH Reflection
Price is what you pay.
Finding hidden value is only half the journey.
The other half is making sure you don't pay away all of that future potential on the day you buy.
That's the investment philosophy I've followed in Japan.
And it's exactly the same philosophy I brought with me to the Netherlands.
Next Story
Submitting an offer doesn't mean you've bought the property.
Would the seller accept it?
How does the purchasing process actually work in the Netherlands?
In the next journal, I'll share what happened after the offer was submitted—and how the deal finally came together.
Recommended Images
Hero Image – Why I Chose This 1848 House
Price vs Value
Asking Price (€700K) vs My Target (€650K)
€700K → €680K → Offer Submitted
Store Potential
Price → Value → Potential → Future