Can you buy a house in Belgium if you live in the Netherlands?
Yes. As an EU citizen you buy a home in Belgium without restrictions, to live in yourself or as a second home. You do not need a residence permit. Citizens of other countries can buy too; the rules on residence then depend on your nationality. If you move in, you register with the municipality, in this case Brecht.
The five biggest differences from the Netherlands
| Subject | Netherlands | Belgium (Flanders) |
|---|---|---|
| Offer | A verbal offer is not binding; the sale is only final after a written purchase agreement | A written offer that is accepted is binding on buyer and seller |
| Cooling-off period | Three days by law | No statutory cooling-off period for an existing home |
| Preliminary contract | Purchase agreement, often through the agent | Compromis (private sale agreement), usually with a deposit of around 10% |
| Tax on purchase | Transfer tax | Registration duties (in Flanders: sale duty, verkooprecht) |
| Notary | The buyer chooses the notary | Buyer and seller may each choose their own notary, at no extra cost |
The guide in three parts
- Costs and registration duties: what you pay on top of the purchase price, with a worked example based on the asking price of Villa Grandeur.
- Mortgage and tax: where to borrow, and what happens to your tax and health insurance if you live in Belgium and work in the Netherlands.
- The buying process: from viewing and offer to compromis and notarial deed, with the deadlines.
Certificates: what you receive as a buyer
In Flanders the seller must supply a series of documents. The most important are the energy performance certificate (EPC), the soil certificate, the planning information, the flood-risk information (P-score and G-score) and the inspection report of the electrical installation. For homes built before 2001 an asbestos certificate is added. Villa Grandeur dates from 2004, has EPC label B (134 kWh/m²) and scores A on both the P-score and the G-score. All details are listed under features.
What does EPC mean?
The EPC is the Flemish energy label. It expresses the calculated energy use in kWh per m² per year and translates that into a label from A+ to F. Label B, as for this villa, means a figure between 100 and 200 kWh/m². Homes with label E or F are subject to a renovation obligation in Flanders after purchase; label B is not.
Help with the purchase
The sale of Villa Grandeur is handled by De Boer & Partners, an agency that regularly assists buyers from the Netherlands and abroad. Agent Andres van Elten explains how the process works and what you can expect from the notary.
Reference date: September 2026. This is general information, not personal advice. Rates and conditions change; have your situation checked by your notary or adviser.
