The 7 steps of real estate purchase
Discover the 7 key steps to successfully purchase your property in Belgium, from defining the project to installation.
Define your project and your budget
Buying real estate can be a stressful time. To move forward calmly, the first step is to clearly define your project: primary residence, secondary residence, or rental investment.
Next, assess your wishes and criteria: minimum area, outdoor space, accessibility, location, bedrooms, office, parking... A well-defined list will facilitate the next steps.
It is also essential to establish your purchase budget before starting the search. Review your finances and discuss with your bank or broker to simulate financing and obtain an estimate of your borrowing capacity.
Find the property, visit it, and make an offer
With your criteria and budget, you can start the search and visit real estate properties. Arm yourself with patience and stay responsive when you spot an interesting property.
Register on the main real estate portals to create daily alerts according to your criteria. You can also be accompanied by a real estate advisor, such as Bricksquare, who can search for and visit properties for you.
If you like a property, find out about the price, the neighborhood, the condition of the property, and take the time to read the available documents. Then comes the step of making an offer: it is done in writing and generally includes the contact details of the parties, the address, the description, the proposed price, and possibly financing conditions. Don't forget to indicate a validity period.
Compromise, authentic act, and installation
Once the offer is accepted, it is time to choose a notary for the drafting of the sales agreement and the authentic deed. The agreement contains many clauses and notably recalls the price, the lot purchased, the area, and the terms of purchase (long sale, conditions precedent, etc.).
At this stage, a deposit is most often paid: it represents on average 10% of the price. In Belgium, "agreement is equivalent to sale": there is no withdrawal period.
After signing the agreement, return to your bank or broker to finalize the financing. Count on an average of 2 to 3 months between the agreement and the authentic deed, with a maximum legal delay of 4 months. On the day of the signing, the notary reads the deed and you pay his fees as well as the purchase price.
Finally, it's time for the move and installation. You can also plan some renovations. Bricksquare can assist you in discussing your purchase project in Belgium.
