What costs are involved in selling a property?

While the buyer must cover numerous costs during a property transaction, the seller must provide documents and complete certain procedures that incur costs. To help you avoid any unpleasant surprises, we list them in this article.

The cost of the valuation and advertisement

To determine the best selling price for your property, you can call upon an expert. 
This service costs around 250€ for an impartial valuation. At J&J, we offer you a valuation within 48 hours, free of charge and with no obligation.

The cost of putting your property on the market

You can choose to sell your property yourself or through a professional.
In the first case, expect to pay between 69.89€ and 119.68€ to give your classified advertisement visibility.
In the second case, you can approach an estate agent or a notary. The agency works on a commission basis (which varies from one agency to another), payable only if the sale is completed.
A public sale handled by a notary costs between 3500€ and 4000€.

The cost of the energy performance certificate

The PEB must be prepared by an accredited professional, who will report on the property’s level of thermal insulation, the performance of its heating system, ventilation and solar energy.
This certificate is mandatory when selling a property and is paid for by the seller: it costs between 100€ and 800€, depending on the Region, the type of property, its surface area, etc.

The cost of the soil certificate

Here again, this certificate must be issued by an accredited expert. It certifies that the land being offered for sale is not polluted.
          In Brussels, it is mandatory and costs between 38€ and 60€.
          In Flanders, it is also mandatory and costs 52€.
          In Wallonia, however, it is not mandatory.

Capital gains tax

Have you purchased a property and are reselling it less than 5 years later? Remember to take into account the 16.5% tax levied on the capital gain. This is calculated by deducting the purchase price (increased by notary fees, the cost of work carried out by accredited contractors and an annual capital gain of 5%) from the selling price.

Early repayment of the loan

If you still have an outstanding mortgage when you resell your property, you will have to pay the bank an “early repayment charge”, in addition to the remaining balance due. This is equivalent to 3 months’ interest.

Discharge of the mortgage

Property loans are secured by a 30-year mortgage. If you sell your property during this period, you will have to pay ‘mortgage discharge fees’. This involves a notarised deed through which the lender relinquishes its security over the property.
This procedure incurs fees of around 0.7% of the amount borrowed. However, if you sell a property to buy another one (for which you will continue to borrow from the same bank), you can request a mortgage transfer to avoid these fees.