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 Money in Belgium > Money Guide > Buying property > Introduction

Introduction

Starting your search for the perfect home

The first thing everyone should do who is thinking about buying a house, is think, think and think! Think about what you want, where you want it and for when you want it. This is the most important step when buying property.

Budget

What you should think of first is your budget. How much can this house cost? Don’t forget to add the notary fees, registration fees, etc. to the purchase price. Also take into account the taxes that you will have to pay and the mandatory insurance. If you buy a house that is in need of repairs or renovation, then you also need to take into account those costs.

When you have your final budget, you can go to the bank and ask for a loan (NL: lening FR: prêt). It’s best to compare a few banks and have them compete with each other. They will lower the interest rate if they think you are a good client.

Finding your property

Property in Belgium can be found in 4 ways:

• Going out into the street and reading the for sale (NL: te koop FR: à vendre) signs
• Searching in newspapers
• Going to a real estate agent (NL: vastgoedmakelaar FR: agent immobilier)
• Finding a property online on sites like www.immoweb.be, www.vlan.be or http://housing.justlanded.com

When you find properties that you would like to visit, you should make a list of criteria (price, location, view, garden, distance from your workplace, etc.) and take it with you. That way you can judge the property and compare it with other properties that you visited.

When looking at an advertisement you need to know that the floor area (NL: grondoppervlakte FR: surface au sol) is the square meters built on the first level. The built area (NL: bebouwde oppervlakte FR: surface bâtie) is the square meters on all levels and the living area (NL: bewoonbare oppervlakte FR: surface habitable) equals the built area, but only between the centers of all external walls.

Visiting the property

When you visit the properties on your list, it’s best to have someone with you who knows something about DIY or has a good eye for detail. Other things you should take with you on the visit are a measuring tool, a flash light and a compass, that way you know what orientation the house has. It’s important not to let the sales person disturb you when you’re measuring or thinking. Do everything on your own pace.

Surveyor inspection

The first thing you need to do when you decided which property to buy is to have it checked by a surveyor. This will cost you some money (between 100€ and 300€) but is a very useful investment if it finds problems that you would not have noticed yourself. It’s best to find a surveyor that has been approved by the bank where you’ll be getting your mortgage, since they sometimes send a surveyor to your future property at your cost, so if you can show them the survey report, they will not charge you for this.

• Introduction: Starting your search for the perfect home
• Getting a mortgage in Belgium : How banks lend for property purchases
• Cost of buying property in Belgium: Additional costs
• Property Taxes in Belgium: What taxes to pay when buying property?

• Money in Belgium Money Guide: Buying property
• Money in Belgium Forum: Buying property
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