Walloon real Estate Market Heats Up, But Reform May Benefit Sellers More Than Buyers
Walloon Brabant, belgium – A surge in home sales following the reduction of registration fees to 3% is fueling intense competition among buyers in Wallonia, with some properties attracting bids 10% above the asking price, according to real estate professionals. While the reform aimed to improve access to homeownership, experts suggest sellers are currently reaping the biggest rewards.
The market experienced a “complete revival” beginning in February-March, driven by the lowered registration fees, reports Catherine Delforge, director of the GET Master agency in Court-Saint-Étienne. prices have risen between 8 and 10% recently, with properties selling quickly, often within the agency’s existing client base without needing wider advertising.
“The goods are sold quickly, sometimes only via the agency customer base, without going through specialized portals. Competition between candidates even leads to bids of 10 % above the displayed price,” Delforge stated.
Though the price increases partially offset the savings from the registration fee reduction – impacting monthly mortgage payments rather than the initial transaction cost – the reform is still expected to facilitate faster access to property ownership.A stabilization of prices is anticipated following the initial surge.
However, the benefits may be short-lived. Mortgage rates, which temporarily fell to around 3 to 3.5% in the first half of 2025,are now rising again,potentially slowing demand in the latter half of the year,warns Jean-Frédéric vigneron,a notary in Wavre.
The reform also appears to be negatively impacting new construction projects. The significant tax difference – 3% registration fees for existing properties versus 21% VAT for new builds – is making it challenging for developers to find buyers. “For the purchase of an existing property, the buyer pays 3 % of rights… In new, it is 21 % VAT. The difference is enormous: eighteen tax points. Result: many new projects are struggling to find takers,” Vigneron explained.
