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A step by step guide to buying a house or apartment in Belgium
3 minutes read
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Léa Léonard 👩🏻💻
Helping you decipher tricky real estate terms
![Léa Léonard 👩🏻💻](https://www.datocms-assets.com/76079/1673438984-leonard_lea_portrait.jpg?fit=clip&fm=jpg&h=288&w=288)
Léa Léonard 👩🏻💻
Helping you decipher tricky real estate terms
Embarking on the journey to homeownership? Discover the essential steps for buying your dream property and making it a reality.
Are you ready to take the exciting journey of becoming a homeowner? Buying a property is a significant life event that involves careful planning, financial considerations, and legal processes. To help you navigate this complex but rewarding endeavor, we've broken down the eight essential steps of buying a property.
1. Determine Your Budget
Your journey to homeownership begins with understanding your financial capabilities. Consult with your bank to determine your borrowing capacity based on your real income. Combine this with your initial capital, or your own funds, to establish a realistic budget for your property purchase. This step lays the foundation for your entire property buying process.
2. The Search and Visits
With your budget in hand, you can now start the thrilling search for your dream home. Define your search criteria, including location, size, and other features that matter to you. Many online platforms and real estate websites allow you to save your preferences, so you'll be notified when a property that matches your requirements becomes available.
3. Making an Offer
Once you find a property that captures your heart, it's time to make an offer to the seller. Be aware that every offer you make is legally binding, so ensure that it aligns with your budget and expectations. The owner may choose to accept, refuse, or counter-bid your offer.
4. Negotiate
Negotiation is a crucial step in the property buying process. You may want to seek the assistance of a real estate agent or a trusted advisor to help you navigate this phase effectively. After successful negotiations and an initial agreement, you're one step closer to making the purchase final.
5. Financing Your Dream Home
Securing the right financing for your property is essential. To ensure you get the best deal, it's advisable to approach multiple banks for loan offers. By comparing different options, you can select the loan that best suits your financial situation and long-term goals.
6. Signing the Sales Agreement
With financing in place, it's time to make the sale official by signing the sales agreement. This pivotal step is typically overseen by the estate agent or a notary. As part of this process, you'll also need to pay a deposit, typically ranging from 5% to 10% of the purchase price.
7. Notarial Investigation
Following the signing of the sales agreement, the notary takes over to conduct various fiscal, administrative, and legal investigations within a four-month period. Once all necessary information is gathered, the notary will prepare the deed of sale, which you'll need for property ownership. Ensure you keep this document, complete with stamps from the tax authorities, safe and secure.
8. Signature of the Sales Deed
The final step in the property buying process involves signing the sales deed at the notary's office. This formalizes the sale and officially transfers ownership to you. At this point, you'll also receive the keys to your new home, allowing you to move in and begin your homeownership journey. Be prepared to pay the remaining purchase amount, along with registration fees and notarial/mortgage costs.
Congratulations, you've successfully navigated the eight essential steps of buying a property! Owning a home is a significant achievement, and with careful planning and diligence, you can enjoy the benefits of homeownership for years to come.
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