A large home is a dream for many people. What about you?
"}},{"accordionList":[{"richBody":{"value":"A small home can be cosy, but not always practical. Sometimes you simply need more room – for extra bedrooms for the children, a proper workspace, or just because you prefer having your own space.
"},"title":"1. More living space"},{"richBody":{"value":"Do you currently live in a flat or on an upper floor? And are you considering moving to a family home, for example? That often comes with a garden.
Great when the weather’s nice and ideal if you have young children who can play outside safely. Even better if you enjoy gardening.
A larger home usually means more floor space. In recent years, the price per square metre has risen considerably.
Of course, we don’t have a crystal ball and can’t predict the future. Whether the value of your new home will increase is never guaranteed.
Add up the first 3 advantages and, for many homeowners, it results in a (greater) sense of freedom.
Do you currently live in an apartment? With stairs to climb and neighbours all around? Imagine what it would feel like to move into a semi-detached house tomorrow.
Make sure the downsides don’t catch you by surprise.
"}},{"accordionList":[{"richBody":{"value":"Are you moving to a home without a Homeowners’ Association (VvE)? Then you’ll be responsible for all maintenance, from the roof to the drainage.
A bigger home also means more surface area, which can increase your costs for recurring work such as painting.
Will you soon have a (larger) garden? That’s not free either. And maintaining plants and removing weeds takes time. Something you must be willing to spend.
"},"title":"1. Taking care of maintenance yourself"},{"richBody":{"value":"A bigger home usually means a higher premium for your buildings insurance. It also often means a higher property valuation (WOZ value). Depending on the municipality, this may lead to higher property taxes (OZB).
Cleaning a larger home also takes more time – or money if you hire a cleaner. From floors to windows and possibly extra bathrooms.
And then there’s your energy bill. Heating a larger home generally results in higher energy costs. Good to know: newly‑built homes are energy‑efficient as standard. Moving into an existing home? Like many other homeowners, you might consider taking energy‑saving measures before moving in.
"},"textLinks":[{"text":"Lees meer over duurzaam wonen","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/sustainable-living"}],"title":"2. Higher fixed costs"},{"richBody":{"value":"In a bigger home, many people feel the need for a different interior. A larger sofa, a bigger TV, extra window coverings for those additional rooms.
You may also find you suddenly have room for hobbies: DIY projects, gaming, an ever‑growing book collection, your own sauna, a table‑tennis table…
Convenient, but all those extra belongings can also become a burden. And before you know it, you might… run out of space again.
"},"title":"3. A new interior and more belongings"},{"richBody":{"value":"Moving to a bigger home often means needing a bigger mortgage.
Would you prefer to move to a bigger home while keeping your mortgage roughly the same? Or even lower? Then location and your own funds (for example: equity and/or savings) are key:
Did you know you can get a lower interest rate with us if you pay at least 5% of the market value of your new home (the appraised value) with your own funds, such as equity?
Your interest rate decreases step by step the more of your own money you put in.
The English text of the website is a translation of the Dutch original version. This translation is intended for the customers convenience only. In case of any discrepancies between the two versions, the original Dutch version shall prevail. The mortgage offer and contract will be signed in Dutch. Also, all further communication after signing the mortgage contract will be in Dutch. You acknowledge and accept this. If any assistance or clarification is needed, we recommend contacting your mortgage advisor or to call our customer service via the ING app.
"},"title":"Good to know"}]},"localeString":"en-GB","mainHeaderZone":{"backLink":{"textLink":{"text":"Buying your next home","url":"/en/personal/mortgage/buying-a-house/buying-another-house"}},"componentType":"productHeader","coreHeader":{"body":"Whether a bigger home makes you happier is, of course, entirely up to you. Below you can see what others find appealing about more space – and what people sometimes forget.","headerImage":{"extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/b0857e0d8e8217e/original/woman-carrying-big-present.jpg","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/bac2895d-9fc2-468b-b9c6-09a9f0eb84f9/woman-carrying-big-present","type":"image","width":5166},"subtitle":"4 pros and cons of having more living space","title":"Does moving to a bigger home make you happier?"}},"publishDate":"2026-05-27T09:50:57.255+02:00"}}