Entrepreneurs more likely to own their home, but less likely to have a financial safety net

Entrepreneurs have the highest rate of home ownership among working people in the Netherlands. Almost three-quarters live in an owner-occupied home, compared with 64% of employees. They also tend to have more living space and are more likely than other working people to be highly satisfied with their home. Yet the financial safety net protecting that home is often less robust. Among entrepreneurs with homes worth up to €450,000, almost half (46%) do not have a mortgage backed by the Dutch National Mortgage Guarantee scheme, known as NHG. By contrast, two-thirds of employees in this segment do have this protection. These findings come from a new ABN AMRO analysis based on the 2024 Netherlands Housing Survey (WoON 2024), conducted by the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

The perception that entrepreneurs struggle to obtain a mortgage remains widespread. In practice, they are actually more likely to own their home than people in employment. Mortgage criteria have also become more flexible: around two-thirds of mortgage providers now accept applications for an NHG-backed mortgage from entrepreneurs who have been in business for just 12 months.

The differences extend beyond financing. Entrepreneurs also tend to have larger homes. Of those living in a self-contained home, 41% have at least 150 square metres of living space. This is twice the proportion among employee households (21%). Having more space also goes hand in hand with greater satisfaction. Of all entrepreneurs, 45% say they are very satisfied with their home, compared with 34% of employee households. When it comes to struggling with housing costs, however, the two homeowner groups do not differ much: 5.8% of entrepreneurs and 5.3% of employees say they have difficulty meeting their monthly housing costs.

A weaker financial safety net

It’s a different story when it comes to having financial protection for the home. Among entrepreneurs with a mortgage on a property with an official (WOZ) value of up to €450,000, 46% do not have NHG, compared with 33% of employee households. Their overall financial safety net is often weaker too. More than one-third of self-employed people see their home as a source of retirement income, while 27% have made no provision for incapacity for work. These figures come from the 2025 Self-employed Labour Survey conducted by TNO and Statistics Netherlands. Employees receive much of this protection automatically through mandatory WIA insurance against incapacity for work and a pension arranged through their employer. Entrepreneurs must make these arrangements themselves. For entrepreneurs, NHG can provide another important layer of protection. In the event of incapacity for work, unemployment or divorce, payment arrangements may be adjusted to help them remain in their home. If a forced sale becomes unavoidable, any residual mortgage debt may be forgiven.

Siri Mauer, Head of Consumer Clients at ABN AMRO, says: “Entrepreneurs pour all their energy into their business. Their home feels like a secure foundation and many also see it as their retirement nest egg. As long as the business is doing well, there may seem little cause for concern. But without a financial safety net protecting the home, a setback in the business can have an immediate impact on life at home.”

Bringing home and business finances together

Home and business may seem like two separate worlds, but for entrepreneurs they are often more closely connected than they realise. A business decision can have consequences for their personal finances, just as a private financial decision can affect the business. That connection is already relevant when applying for a mortgage and remains important at every subsequent step, whether the entrepreneur is renovating, making the property more energy-efficient or moving home. ABN AMRO therefore advises entrepreneurs to consider their home and business finances together whenever they make a significant financial decision.

Mauer adds: “When entrepreneurs sit down with an adviser, the conversation is almost always about the business figures and rarely about the home. That is a missed opportunity. You can always arrange disability insurance later, but not NHG. You need to build in safeguards such as NHG at the right time, when you take out the mortgage. The aim is to give life at home the same level of protection as the business, so that a setback in the business does not put the home at risk.”

END OF PRESS RELEASE

About the research

ABN AMRO conducted this analysis using data from the 2024 Netherlands Housing Survey (WoON 2024) by the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and Statistics Netherlands (CBS). WoON 2024 is a sample survey covering more than 41,000 households, with the results weighted to represent the Dutch population. The analysis compares households whose main source of income is their own business with households whose main source of income is paid employment. Additional figures on pensions and incapacity for work come from the 2025 Self-employed Labour Survey conducted by TNO and Statistics Netherlands.