How much does it cost to sell your home?

You've put your house or apartment up for sale, and you're hoping to receive the highest possible price from the buyer. But beware of the costs involved in selling your property. Here's an exhaustive list to help you prepare.

1. Estimating the price

Many real estate agencies offer a free valuation service. You'll also find online estimators to give you an idea of price ranges. If you decide to have a real estate agent accompany you, he or she will help you set the price of your property. 

If you wish to have an expert appraisal carried out by an accredited expert, this service will cost you around 250 euros.

2. The real estate agency‍

According to Le Soir, a traditional estate agency generally charges a commission set at 3% excluding VAT of the sale price obtained. An online estate agency, such as Bricksquare, will charge less - €2,950 for Bricksquare, for example.

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If you decide to sell your house or apartment yourself, you'll undoubtedly want to use the various real estate portals available online, which are essential for giving your property visibility.

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They can also be expensive. A case in point? An advertisement on Immoweb costs 69.89 euros per month for a "Pack basic", 95 euros for a "Pack Classic", presented as the best value for money, or 120 euros for a "Pack Premium". Prices are degressive according to publication duration. It's mainly the photos and the display mode that justify the price difference.

3. The cost of the energy performance certificate (EPB)

The energy performance certificate is mandatory for all properties put up for sale. The cost of the PEB varies according to the size of the property, the number of facades, etc. The average cost is between 200 and 800 euros.

4. Soil certificate

It is mandatory in Brussels (Bruxelles Environnement). This is a certificate of non-pollution of the land, to be drawn up by an approved organization. Basic fee: 38 euros. Supplements: 60 euros if the land is not registered and/or if the request is not submitted via the web forms provided, 500 euros for an urgent request.

It is also compulsory in Flanders: 52 euros.

However, it is not mandatory in Wallonia. The attestation is a certified extract from the Banque de Données de l'Etat des Sols (BDES). All citizens have access to it. However, authentication is required to obtain a conforming extract of a parcel's condition.

5. Oil tank certificate

Mandatory in the Walloon Region. This is a leak test certificate and environmental declaration (for tanks with a volume of 3,000 liters or more).

Example of prices for a certificate of conformity: at EnerConsult, for an underground tank of less than 10,000 liters, you'll pay 175 euros incl. VAT; for an accessible tank, 115 euros incl. VAT.

6. Capital gains tax

If you purchased your property less than 5 years ago, you will be subject to 16.5% capital gains tax. This capital gain is calculated by deducting the purchase price (plus notary fees, costs of work carried out by approved contractors and 5% annual capital gain) from the sale price.

Please note that capital gains realized as a result of speculation (when the tax authorities consider this to be risky management) are taxed at 33%.

7. Early repayment of loan

If your mortgage loan at the time of the sale of your property is still outstanding, you will have to pay "indemnités de remploi" to the bank, in addition to the outstanding balance. These indemnities vary between 3 and 6 months' interest.

8. Discharge of mortgage

Mortgages are secured for 20 to 30 years. If you sell your property during this period, you will have to pay a "mortgage release fee". This costs around 0.7% of the amount borrowed. If you are selling because you have bought a new home, for which you will continue to borrow from the same bank, you can request the transfer of credit from the first property to the second.

9. Compliance costs

Your home is of a certain age, and you have, for example, problems with damp, substandard electrical installation, single-glazing, and so on. Today, more than ever, buyers are paying a great deal of attention to the EPC - which has a major impact on the price. So consider whether it makes sense to invest in a few renovations first, or whether it's more advantageous to put your property on the market as it is.