Preliminary purchase agreement

So we are very interested in a house and are in negotiations - so far it looks good and we would come to an agreement, but now the thing is that I want to have security as soon as possible that I will actually get this house. My bank advisor says that financing will be in place in up to 4 weeks BUT those are 4 weeks in which I still can’t make an appointment with the notary and theoretically someone could outbid us and buy the house in the meantime... How do you proceed in such a case? Can you make a preliminary contract? How do I secure the house or how does this usually work anyway? Can I also go to the notary already without having the money (but then I still have to pay the notary immediately, right?!)

A financing commitment should be obtained from a good bank within 48 hours. Do not take any action before that.

We already have the commitment, but as long as I don't have the money, I wouldn't sign anything with the notary now - or is that actually common?

I would try to reserve the house (for 2 weeks, for example). Then you just tell the seller that the loan commitment still needs to be made, but you already have the verbal promise. Then it should be no problem to reserve the house. To make sure the reservation really works, you have to act very confident and leave no doubt that you will also get the commitment in writing ;)

Before the written financing confirmation from the bank is not there, sign nothing!