WOZ Value: What It Is and How to Check It

WOZ value (Wet Waardering Onroerende Zaken) is the estimated market value of your home on 1 January of the previous year, set yearly by the municipality and used as the basis for local taxes. Because that reference date trails the real market by up to two years, treat the WOZ figure as context, not proof: understand the home's value before you bid.

Key takeaways

• WOZ value is your home's estimated market value on 1 January of the previous year, redetermined every year by the municipality (Waarderingskamer).
• Municipalities base it on sale prices of comparable homes plus characteristics like location and size.
• You have six weeks from receiving your assessment to object if you disagree (Waarderingskamer).
• The eigenwoningforfait, OZB and other taxes are calculated from your WOZ value (Belastingdienst).
• WOZ values are expected to rise 9.5% to 11.5% in 2026, after roughly 5% in 2025 (Waarderingskamer).

What is WOZ value?

According to the Waarderingskamer, the national body that oversees municipal valuations, the WOZ value (Wet Waardering Onroerende Zaken, the Valuation of Immovable Property Act) is the estimated market value of your home on 1 January of the previous year, known as the reference date (waardepeildatum). Every municipality sets one WOZ value per home each year, and that number becomes the basis for calculating various municipal and national taxes.

The WOZ value is public, so you can compare your home with neighbouring properties. Good to know: it is a single figure, not a range, and it stays valid for one calendar year before the municipality redetermines it.

For the plain-language version of the concept and when it applies, our explainer on what the WOZ value is and when you need it walks through it. The WOZ value is a starting point for tax, not a verdict on what your home is worth today.

How is the WOZ value determined?

The municipality determines the WOZ value, and according to the Waarderingskamer it does so with a valuation model built on sale prices of comparable homes combined with property characteristics such as location, plot, volume and living area. Officials register these characteristics, analyse recent transactions in the area, and run them through the model to reach one value per home, redetermined yearly.

Two things follow from this method. First, the model leans on transactions that closed months before the reference date, so it always trails the live market. Second, the recorded living area matters: an error in the square metres moves the outcome.

Reference properties do the heavy lifting here, which is why reference homes matter so much for your home value. Plainly: the WOZ value is a modelled estimate, not an individual inspection of your home.

How can I check if my WOZ value is correct?

The WOZ-waardeloket, the national government portal, and tools like the Vereniging Eigen Huis WOZ-check let anyone look up a home's WOZ value for free, and the Kadaster publishes WOZ figures too. Comparing your number with recent sales of similar homes is the fastest sanity check: if the modelled value sits far above what comparable homes actually sold for, that is worth questioning.

With Walter you can check a home's WOZ value and calculate an estimated home value in seconds by creating a free Walter account. Search by address, and the price history on the detail page shows the WOZ values alongside comparable homes.

Want to sense-check the underlying worth rather than the tax figure? Our guide on what your home is worth helps. Honestly: a WOZ value that looks right is not the same as a home value you can bid on with confidence.

Is the WOZ value the same as the appraisal value?

No, and the gap matters. The WOZ value uses a reference date at least 12 months before it is issued, and the sales it leans on typically closed 6 to 12 months before that date, so the WOZ figure can trail the real market by roughly 18 to 24 months. An appraisal value (taxatiewaarde), set by an independent appraiser in a taxatierapport validated through the NWWI, reflects the home on the inspection date.

That lag is why a WOZ value is often of limited use when you are weighing a bid. It can still flag something: an asking price at or below the WOZ value deserves a closer look, and maybe an explanation from the seller.

"A WOZ value tells you what your home was worth to the tax office last year. Your bid happens on today's market."

Steven van Wel, CEO Walter Living

For the full picture, see why you need an appraisal report and what goes into an appraisal report.

How do you object to a WOZ value?

If you disagree with your WOZ value, the Waarderingskamer is clear: you must file a written objection with the municipality within six weeks of receiving your WOZ assessment (WOZ-beschikking). Miss that window and the value stands for the year.

Start by checking the facts the municipality used: living area, plot size, and the comparable sales behind the figure. If a characteristic is wrong, that is your strongest ground. You can object yourself, directly to the municipality, free of charge.

Two Walter guides walk through the process step by step: how to object to a WOZ value and the top questions people ask when objecting. Good to know: a lower WOZ value cuts some taxes but can also change how a lender reads your home, so weigh both sides before you object.

Why does the WOZ value matter for your taxes and mortgage?

Your WOZ value drives real money. The Belastingdienst uses it to set the eigenwoningforfait, a percentage of the WOZ value added to your taxable income each year in the income tax return. Municipalities use the same figure for property tax (OZB), the waste levy and the sewerage levy, so a higher WOZ value usually means a higher tax bill.

On the mortgage side, value and loan size are linked through the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. According to the AFM, the maximum mortgage may not exceed 100% of the home's value. A low value relative to the loan means more risk for the lender, which can affect your conditions.

See our explainer on the eigenwoningforfait and how to calculate it and, if you are financing, on the mortgage quote. The right price is the price that is logical within the same value framework, not the tax figure alone.

How much are WOZ values rising in 2026?

The Waarderingskamer expects WOZ values of homes to rise by 9.5% to 11.5% on average in 2026, after an average rise of just over 5% in 2025 and about 3% the year before that. These are national averages, so your municipality and home type can differ a lot; CBS house-price data shows the same regional spread.

A rising WOZ value is not automatically bad news. It can lower the relative risk on your mortgage, but it also lifts the eigenwoningforfait and the municipal taxes tied to the figure.

Whether a high number helps or hurts depends on your situation, which we unpack in the advantages and disadvantages of a low WOZ value and in what determines the value of a house. A WOZ increase is a tax event, not proof your home is worth more today.

Before you act on any WOZ figure, whether you are objecting, budgeting for tax, or weighing a bid, build your own value picture first. Walter doesn't gamble. Walter explains: pull a free Walter report on your target home and you will see the WOZ value next to comparable sales and a current estimate, so you decide with insight instead of guessing.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find my home's WOZ value?

Fastest via the WOZ-waardeloket or your municipality, but those show only the number. Look it up by address; the figure is public, and the Kadaster publishes it too. With a free Walter account you also see the WOZ value next to comparable sales, which tells you more than the number on its own.

Is a high WOZ value good or bad?

It depends on what you are optimising for. A higher WOZ value raises your eigenwoningforfait (Belastingdienst) and municipal taxes like OZB, but it can lower the relative risk on your mortgage. There is no universally good WOZ value; it hinges on your tax and financing situation.

Can I use the WOZ value instead of an appraisal for my mortgage?

Sometimes, but usually not. A few lenders accept a mortgage based on the WOZ value alone, in which case no appraisal report is needed. More often the lender wants an independent appraisal (a taxatierapport validated via the NWWI), because the WOZ value lags the market by up to two years.

How long do I have to object to my WOZ value?

The clock is short: six weeks from the date you receive your WOZ assessment, according to the Waarderingskamer. You file a written objection with the municipality, free of charge. Check the recorded living area and comparable sales first, because a factual error is your strongest ground.

This article is informational and not Wft-regulated financial advice.