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Updated: October 2026
Buying in Forest? Hypoprime, mortgage broker in Forest and across the Brussels Region, compares 7 banks and negotiates your rate. Character house, flat or property to renovate: from the start, we factor in the Brussels abatement, the deed costs and the renovation budget.
Source: notaire.be.
Forest, in the south of Brussels, combines very different neighbourhoods: Altitude Cent and its Art Deco facades, the Saint-Denis district around the abbey, and the areas around Forest Park and Duden Park. Several former industrial sites have also been converted, such as the old Wielemans brewery, now the Wiels contemporary art centre.
The housing stock is therefore varied: Brussels character houses, flats in older buildings and more recent projects. For an older house, the renovation budget often weighs as much as the price in the bank’s decision.
For a purchase in Forest, we look in particular at:
The renovation budget: roof, electrics, heating or insulation are costed before the file is submitted. Some works can be financed together with the purchase.
The EPC and grants: a poor EPC weighs on the value of the property. The regional Renolution grants can reduce the cost of some works, under conditions. See EPC (PEB) and mortgages (in French).
The loan-to-value: the less own funds you bring, the stronger the file must be.
Forest is in the Brussels-Capital Region, where registration duties amount to 12.5% of the price. For your only own home, however, the abatement exempts the first €200,000. According to notaire.be, the saving therefore reaches €25,000, for a property of up to €600,000. Your mortgage broker in Forest builds it into your financing plan from the outset.
| Purchase price | Duties without abatement | Duties with abatement | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| €300,000 | €37,500 | €12,500 | €25,000 |
| €400,000 | €50,000 | €25,000 | €25,000 |
| €500,000 | €62,500 | €37,500 | €25,000 |
Calculation: 12.5% of the price, with or without deducting €200,000. Excluding the notary’s fees and other deed costs.
On the date of the sales agreement, you must not own any other property intended for housing, in Belgium or abroad. You must then establish your main residence in the property within 3 years (5 years if you carry out an energy renovation), and keep it there for 5 years (notaire.be).
For a personal check, ask your notary before signing. See also registration duties and notary fees (in French).
Take a house bought for €300,000 (an example price, not a market average). With the abatement, the registration duties come to €12,500, compared with €37,500 without it. On top of this come the notary’s fees and the deed costs, which you pay.
Now assume a loan of €270,000 over 25 years, at an illustrative fixed rate of 4%. The monthly repayment, excluding insurance, is about €1,425. At 3.70%, it falls by about €44 a month: that is why comparing banks and negotiating your rate matters.
Illustrative example: neither a client file nor an offer. The actual rate depends on your profile, the loan-to-value and the bank. See fixed or variable rate (in French) and the cost of a mortgage (in French).
Every file is different. As your mortgage broker in Forest, we study your situation, then present your project to the most suitable banks:
The abatement changes your budget: we take it into account from the first simulation. Home mortgage.
Purchase and renovation can often be financed together, based on quotes. EPC (PEB) and mortgages (in French).
Financing up to 100% of the purchase price can be considered, case by case; purchase costs remain your responsibility. Buying without own funds (in French).
A bridging loan can finance your purchase while you sell your current property. Bridging loan.
A new rate, or consolidating loans as part of a mortgage refinancing. Refinancing.
Variable income or a company: we present a clear file, with the right supporting documents. Documents to prepare (in French).
A broker does not replace the bank: they help you choose the right one and present a solid file to it. In practice:
Comparing 7 banks and negotiating your rate: criteria, rates and lead times vary from one lender to another; we champion your file to obtain the best possible conditions.
Preparing a complete file: income, expenses and budget are checked before submission. See the documents for a mortgage (in French).
Anticipating costs: abatement, registration duties and deed costs are built into the financing plan.
Protecting your sales agreement: we discuss the loan condition and the timetable before you sign. See using a broker (in French).
Your application moves forward in four steps:
First conversation: you tell us about your project, your budget and the property you have in mind.
Analysis: we check income, expenses, own funds, loan-to-value and type of rate.
Comparison: we present your application to the banks best suited to your profile and negotiate your rate.
Offer and deed: we review the offer with you, then your notary prepares the deed.
Yes, because Forest is part of the Brussels-Capital Region. According to notaire.be, the abatement exempts the first €200,000 of the price from registration duties, for a property of up to €600,000. In particular, you must not own any other home, and you must make the property your main residence within the required time.
Often, yes. We present the purchase price and the works, costed on quotes, to the bank. The amount that can be financed depends on the value of the property, your income and your own funds. Purchase costs remain your responsibility.
On top of the price, you pay registration duties (12.5% in Brussels, after any abatement), the notary’s fees and the deed costs, including those of the mortgage deed. These costs remain your responsibility: estimate them with our notary fees simulator (in French).
Sometimes, yes. Depending on your profile, some banks finance up to 100% of the purchase price, on a case-by-case basis. Notary fees, however, remain your responsibility. No approval is guaranteed, but a well-prepared file gives you the best chances of approval. See buying without own funds (in French).
Talk to your notary and your broker first. Then include a loan condition (condition suspensive) with a realistic deadline: a bank’s approval often takes two to four weeks with a complete file. Also read the mistakes to avoid in the sales agreement (in French).
At our office, Avenue Vital Riethuisen 21, 1083 Ganshoren, a few minutes from Forest. We see clients by appointment, Monday to Saturday, from 9 am to 7 pm. We can also talk by phone on 02 410 17 34 or remotely: book an appointment via our contact page.
Budget, abatement, loan-to-value, choice of bank: a free, no-obligation review, with an answer within 24 to 48 hours.
Page written by Hypoprime, mortgage broker in Brussels. Information only: tax and banking rules change and depend on each file. The amounts are illustrative examples, neither a loan offer nor tax or legal advice. Warning: borrowing money also costs money.
Would you like an estimate or to compare the available solutions?
We offer you a personalised, no-obligation analysis, and we negotiate your rate with the banks.
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