The key point: most costs are borne by the buyer
It is one of the most common misunderstandings among sellers: the notary's costs and registration duties, which make up most of the costs of a property transaction, are paid by the buyer, not by the seller.
As a seller, your expenses come down to three items: the mandatory certificates, the agency's fees if you use one, and the release of your mortgage if one is still outstanding. Here is the detail, item by item.
What the seller pays
- The EPB certificate, mandatory as soon as the property goes on the market. Allow a few hundred euros depending on the size and complexity of the property.
- The electrical inspection, mandatory if the installation dates from before October 1981 and has never been inspected.
- The certified extract from the soil condition database, mandatory for every sale (30 euros per plot), and the planning information.
- The estate agency's fees, agreed in the sales mandate.
- The mortgage release, if a loan is still registered against the property.
- A few administrative costs relating to the preparation of the deed.
Excluding agency fees, the seller's expenses usually amount to a few hundred euros. A modest budget compared with the sale price, provided you plan for it.
What the buyer pays
- Registration duties: in Wallonia, the rate has been 3% for the purchase of a sole own home since 1 January 2025, and 12.5% in other cases.
- The notary's fees and costs relating to the deed of sale.
- The costs of any mortgage they take out.
Together, these purchase costs represent a significant share of the price, which varies mainly according to the registration duty regime that applies to the buyer's situation. For a precise figure, the notary remains the reference.
Agency fees: paid by the seller, set out in the mandate
In the vast majority of cases, the agency's fees are paid by the seller. They are agreed when the mandate is signed and pay for a complete service: valuation, preparation of the file, presentation, marketing, organisation of viewings, negotiation and follow-up through to the deed.
The right reflex is not just to compare percentages, but to understand what the fees actually cover. Careful marketing is measured by the result: the price achieved and the quality of the buyers received.
The mortgage release: the item often forgotten
If a mortgage is still registered against your property, its cancellation, known as the release, takes place at the time of the sale. It requires a notarial deed whose cost depends on the registered amount. It is not an obstacle, but it is an expense to factor into the calculation of your net sale proceeds.
The common mistake: confusing the notary's costs with the seller's costs
Many owners overestimate their costs by imagining they will have to pay the notary's costs. That is not the case: they are borne by the buyer. Conversely, some discover the cost of the certificates or the mortgage release late in the day. A file prepared in advance, with the EPB certificate, the electrical inspection and the planning information gathered from the outset, avoids unpleasant surprises and saves time through to the deed.
A prepared sale file, with no unpleasant surprises
YOUHOME prepares your sale from start to finish, documents included, and explains each item to you before the property goes on the market. You know what you are paying, why, and what it brings to the sale.
