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Outils Belges

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Housing & credit in Belgium

Buying, borrowing, financing a project: every euro counts at each step. These free tools estimate your total budget, from the purchase price to notary fees, including your monthly loan payment.

The total budget of a property purchase

The listed price of a property is only part of the bill. You must add the notary fees, whose main component is the regional tax (registration duties): 3% in Wallonia, 2% in Flanders for a sole own home, and a €200,000 allowance mechanism in Brussels. Add the notary’s fees (set by royal decree, degressive) and administrative costs.

Financing: capacity, payment and cost

On the financing side, two questions always come up: how much can I borrow? and what will my monthly payment be? The indicative rule of Belgian banks caps repayments at about one third of net income. Beyond the monthly payment, always look at the total interest cost over the term: extending the loan lowers the payment but raises that cost.

Mortgage or consumer credit?

For real estate, it’s the mortgage loan (long term, property as collateral). For a car, renovations or a personal project, it’s consumer credit, whose cost is measured by the APR, legally capped in Belgium. Always compare several offers before signing.

Frequently asked questions

How much are notary fees?

Mostly registration duties (the regional tax), which vary by region and type of purchase: 3% in Wallonia, 2% in Flanders for a sole own home, 12.5% in Brussels with a €200,000 allowance. Add the notary’s fees (degressive) and administrative costs. The notary fees calculator breaks it all down.

How much can I borrow with my income?

Belgian banks generally cap repayments at around one third (≈ 33%) of household net income, after existing charges. The mortgage simulator estimates your borrowing capacity and monthly payment.

What is the difference between a mortgage and consumer credit?

A mortgage finances real estate (with the property as collateral) over a long term. Consumer credit finances a project (car, renovation, personal) without mortgage collateral, over a shorter term. Each has its own simulator.

How do I compare two credit offers?

Always via the APR (annual percentage rate), which includes all costs and measures the real cost. In Belgium, the APR is capped by legal maximum rates (FPS Economy).

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