Home buying tips: Moving to Belgium as a cross-border commuter
Buying a home in Belgium near the German border offers many advantages, including more attractive property prices compared with the metropolitan regions of Aachen and Cologne. To help make your move to Belgium as smooth and successful as possible, we at Grenzlandimmo have compiled useful tips and practical guidance for you.
What should you consider when financing a property in Belgium?
There are two main ways to finance a property in Belgium: through a German bank or a Belgian bank. In both cases, there are a few important aspects to consider:
- Belgian banks usually offer fully amortising mortgages with a fixed interest rate for the entire term.
- Unlike in Germany, early repayment penalties for mortgage loans in Belgium are generally much lower if you decide to repay the loan ahead of schedule.
- By law, this compensation is capped at a maximum of three months’ interest on the remaining loan balance.
This makes Belgian mortgage financing comparatively flexible-particularly if you are considering refinancing after a few years or selling the property.
Under Belgian law, mortgage loans generally have to be repaid within 30 years.
Since 2020, buyers have also usually been required to contribute at least the purchase costs and 10% of the purchase price from their own funds.
German banks, on the other hand, often require debt-free property in Germany as collateral when financing a property in Belgium.
They also frequently charge an interest premium for financing property abroad and usually limit the fixed-interest period to around 10 to 15 years.
For this reason, a thorough comparison of Belgian and German financing options is essential. We are happy to help you find the financing solution that best matches your personal situation.
What should you consider when buying a property in Belgium?
Buying a property in Belgium can come with a number of legal and financial nuances, so it is wise to be well informed from the outset. The following points highlight some of the key aspects to keep in mind:
- In the German-speaking Community and in Wallonia, purchase costs are either 3% or 12.5%, depending on whether you qualify for the reduced registration tax rate of 3%.
→ More information can be found here: (link: Purchase costs in Belgium) - Notary fees are calculated according to the purchase price and generally amount to around 2% of the total purchase price.
- In Belgium, even an oral purchase agreement may already be legally binding, just like a written contract.
- Withdrawal from the contract generally triggers a contractual penalty.
→ If certain conditions still need to be met—such as the approval of financing—these should always be clearly recorded in writing in the preliminary agreement. - No more than four months may pass between the preliminary agreement and the notarial deed.
- On the day the notarial deed is signed, ownership of the property is transferred to you and the purchase price is released to the seller.
- On that same day, the property is handed over to you free of encumbrances and together with all relevant documents, such as the energy performance certificate and electrical inspection report.
What should you generally consider when moving to Belgium?
If you plan to stay in Belgium for more than three months, you will need to apply for a residence permit as an EU citizen-initially on a temporary basis-through the local authority responsible for your new place of residence. This usually requires either employment in Belgium or sufficient financial resources to ensure that you are not reliant on public assistance.
Within six months of moving, you must register your new address with the relevant municipal administration.
If you bring a German-registered vehicle into Belgium, it must first be declared to customs and then registered with the vehicle registration authority. The vehicle will also need to undergo a technical inspection, and you must provide proof of Belgian motor insurance.
If you are moving with a pet, you will need an EU pet passport, valid proof of rabies vaccination, and the animal’s microchip number. Your pet must also be registered with the local municipality.
From arranging childcare or school places to setting up gas and electricity, moving to Belgium involves a number of practical steps. With our cross-border guidance, we are happy to support you in planning and managing your new start in Raeren, Hergenrath, Hauset, or Eupen. Get in touch with us.