In Belgium people say they are born with a brick in the stomach: a house is a family project, and buying one is a rite. For a newcomer the rules look daunting, mostly because the most important cost, the registration duties, depends on the region of the property. This guide sets out buying property in Belgium and the choices that matter most.
How does buying property in Belgium work?
- Sign a sale agreement (compromis de vente), then the authentic deed at a notary. The notary collects the registration duties for the Region.
- Ask for your Region's reduced rate if it is your only home and you will live there.
- Register at your new address at the commune within the period your Region requires, to keep the benefit.
Mortgage lending is covered in opening a bank account in Belgium: in principle up to 90% of the value of the home for owner-occupiers.
What are the registration duties when buying property in Belgium?
For your own sole home:
- Wallonia: 3% since 1 January 2025 (12.5% otherwise). You must settle in within 3 years and stay 3 years.
- Flanders: 2% (12% otherwise), with an additional reduction for a modest home up to 200,000 euros (220,000 euros in large cities and the Flemish periphery of Brussels).
- Brussels: 12.5%, but the first 200,000 euros are exempt if the price, costs included, does not exceed 600,000 euros. You must settle in within 3 years and stay 5 years.
On top come notary fees and deed costs. The notary's scale is not reproduced here: ask for a quote.
Why do the three regions differ so much?
Registration duties are a regional tax. The same house at the same price costs different amounts in Namur, Ghent and Ixelles. The rule follows the location of the home, not your current address. The nine German-speaking communes are in the province of Liège and so in the Walloon Region: Wallonia's duties apply there.
What documents do you need?
An ID, a sale agreement, proof of financing and your registration at the commune. If you are new to Belgium, your registration comes first: see residence in Belgium for EU citizens.
Between a reduced-rate deadline, a regional allowance and the notary, it is easy to make an error that costs you the reduced rate. Moovy can walk you through the conditions of the Region where you want to buy and list the questions to ask the notary.
What will you pay every year?
Owners pay a yearly property levy (précompte immobilier), a regional tax calculated on the cadastral income. Each of the three regions has its rules. Income tax also interacts with home ownership, so ask FPS Finance or a tax adviser how it applies to your situation.
What are the traps?
- Losing the reduced rate by failing to register in time or by leaving too soon. You would have to repay the advantage.
- Looking only at the price. Duties and notary costs matter.
- Counting on a 100% loan. Banks expect a deposit; see the mortgage section in the banking guide.
- Confusing regions. Check the rules where the property is.
Should you rent before buying property in Belgium?
Many newcomers rent for a year before buying, to learn the area and the school map. See renting in Belgium and the best places to live in Belgium.
Do British buyers face other rules?
The same duties apply, but the reduced rate requires registration in the population register, which requires a right of residence in Belgium. Read moving to Belgium from the UK.
What does the compromis de vente bind you to?
The sale agreement (compromis de vente) is already a binding contract in Belgium, so read its conditions before signing. Typical clauses concern the price, the date of the deed, a financing condition and the penalty if one party withdraws. A mortgage offer from your bank before signing lets you add a financing condition. Ask the notary to check the clauses, even before the deed: notaries advise both parties on the legal side.
How much cash do you need?
Plan for the deposit, the registration duties, notary fees and the costs of the mortgage deed. Banks in Belgium expect borrowers to cover the costs from their own savings, since the loan is capped at a share of the property value, in principle 90% for a home you will live in. Add moving costs and furniture. This is why buying property in Belgium takes more cash up front than the price alone suggests.
What should you check about the property?
Regional rules differ on the documents a seller must provide and on inspections or renovation obligations, so ask the notary which apply in the Region of the home. Note that the cadastral income is the basis of the property levy.
How does the reduced rate stay yours?
The reduced rates require that you live in the home. The conditions in our fact sheet are:
- Wallonia: settle within 3 years and stay 3 years;
- Brussels: settle within 3 years and stay 5 years;
- Flanders: the rate applies for your sole home, with register conditions to check with the Flemish Tax Administration.
If you do not meet the condition, you may have to repay the benefit, so do not rely on a plan to sell quickly. Newcomers should be particularly careful, since registration in the population register requires a right of residence: see residence in Belgium for EU citizens.
What if you buy to let?
Registration duties are higher for a property that is not your sole home (12.5% in Wallonia and Brussels, 12% in Flanders, according to our fact sheet), and banks lend less (80% for a rental property). Rental income is declared in your Belgian tax return.
Who can help?
The notary is neutral and draws up the deed. A real estate agent represents the seller or buyer, and fees depend on the agreement. A lawyer can advise on complex cases. For finance, compare several bank offers by their annual percentage rate. Buying a home abroad is a major financial decision, so take your time and check each document.
How do you compare Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia?
The rates above apply to your sole home, and the three regions do not use the same mechanism. In Flanders the standard reduced rate is 2%, with an extra reduction for modest homes up to 200,000 euros (220,000 euros in large cities and the Flemish periphery of Brussels). In Wallonia the rate is 3%. In Brussels the rate is 12.5%, with an allowance on the first 200,000 euros, provided the price including costs does not exceed 600,000 euros. Because the mechanisms differ, do not compare rates alone: ask the notary for a calculation on the real price of the home you are considering.
What if you buy before you live in Belgium?
The reduced rates require that you settle in the home within a deadline and register there at the commune. If you buy before arriving, plan your move and your residence registration so that the deadline is met. Registration in the population register requires a right of residence, which is simple for EU citizens but requires planning for others.
What will the notary ask you?
Your identity document, your marital status, how you wish to hold the property (alone, jointly, or through a company) and your financing. Marital and inheritance consequences can differ by country of origin, so mention your nationality and any marriage contract. A notary can advise on these points before the deed.