Fewer houses sold last year

13 March 2007

BRUSSELS – Some 65,967 houses were sold in Belgium in 2006, a decrease from the 67,772 sold in 2005. The number of apartments sold increased from 31,013 in 2005 to 33,842 in 2006.

This emerged on Tuesday from figures from the Federal Government Service on Economics. The average sale price of a home rose from EUR 131,336 in 2005 to EUR 148,723 in 2006.

Of the total of 65,967 houses sold in Belgium in 2006, 36,868 were in the Flemish region, 24,894 in the Walloon region, and 4,205 in the Brussels region. The average house price was by far the highest in the Brussels area (EUR 280,022 euro).

There was also a significant difference between average house prices in Flanders and Wallonia (EUR 156,661 compared to EUR 114,787, respectively). The peak year for house sales in Belgium was 1993, when 72,263 houses were sold.

The average selling price for apartments rose as well, from EUR 140,877 in 2005 to EUR 156,341 in 2006. Most of the apartments, flats or studio apartments sold in 2006 were in Flanders (21,249), with lower numbers of sales in Wallonia (4,438) and Brussels (8,155).

The average price was once again highest in Brussels (EUR 166,913), followed by Flanders (EUR 160,705) and Wallonia (EUR 116,020).

Subject: Belgian news