In January, the number of property transactions rose by 11.6% compared to December last year, representing an increase of nearly 21% on the same period in 2009. In the last quarter of 2009, in fact, business was back to the levels achieved before the crisis started. The KFBN notices no major increase in prices, which may be because sellers are showing more flexibility in order to ensure sales.
According to a survey carried out by iVox for Het Nieuwsblad, the number of people looking to buy has fallen by 13.5% since last year, with one in four hoping for price cuts, while one in two is actually expecting prices to increase. On the contrary, according to one real estate expert, the current situation is a buyers’ market, which will put pressure on prices to stay level, if not to fall. Houses are currently staying on the market for an average of five months and apartments for seven months – twice as long as two years ago, in both cases.
The most expensive places in which to buy houses are Brussels (except for Anderlecht and neighbouring areas in the west of the city), a string of towns northeast of Antwerp from Kalmthout to Malle, the border town of Hoogstraten, Oud-Turnhout in Antwerp province and Meeuwen- Gruitrode in Limburg. The most expensive apartments are to be found in Knokke-Heist; Ledegem, near Kortrijk, and Sint-Martens-Latem and De Pinte, both south of Ghent.
The cheapest homes are in Borgloon in Limburg; Tienen and Landen in Flemish Brabant; Geraardsbergen and Ronse in East Flanders; Langemark-Poelkapelle in West Flanders; and Niel in Antwerp. Finally, the cheapest apartments are to be found in Diksmuide and Ardooie in West Flanders; Nevele and Wortegem-Petegem in East Flanders, Lille and Geel in Antwerp; Bekkevoort and Zoutleeuw in Flemish Brabant; Bocholt in Limburg; and Anderlecht and Jette in Brussels.
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