Reduced Registration Fees for Buyers in the Brussels-Capital Region
In the Brussels-Capital Region, homebuyers can, under certain conditions, receive a discount on the base amount used to calculate registration fees, also known as the "abattement." This translates into a reduction in the registration fees that the buyer has to pay. A great incentive for those looking to purchase their first home in the capital!

Benefits of Buying a Home in Brussels
Since the abolition of the home bonus in 2017, homebuyers in any of the 19 Brussels municipalities have benefited from lower registration fees, known as the abattement. What does this mean?
Starting April 1, 2023, the abattement applies to the first €200,000 of the purchase price, resulting in a saving of €25,000 due to the 12.5% registration fee rate (compared to €175,000 previously, which provided a saving of €21,875). This is an attractive tax measure, though there are specific conditions:

• The purchase price must not exceed €600,000,
• The purchase must be fully and outright ownership,
• The property must be intended for full or partial habitation,
• At the time of purchase, you must not already own another property in full ownership,
• Within two years of signing the deed, you must establish it as your primary residence and live there uninterrupted for at least five years.

If you do not meet these conditions, the tax benefit may be reclaimed, except in exceptional situations such as death, divorce, serious accident, or illness.

Additional Tax Benefit for Energy Renovations
There's more good news! Brussels Minister of Finance, Sven Gatz (Open VLD), has advocated for an additional abattement for comprehensive energy renovations. This additional discount is €25,000 for each step improvement in the energy rating on the EPB scale, provided there is an improvement of at least two steps. In this case, the homeowner can enjoy an extra €50,000 discount, yielding an additional tax benefit of €6,250 on top of the initial €25,000. This means the total tax benefit can rise to as much as €31,250!