Understand All the Costs of Buying a Property in 2026
You are about to buy a home and you already have a clear idea of the price of the property. But do you really know all the fees that surround a real estate purchase? These additional costs are often underestimated and can significantly impact your total budget.
By identifying these costs in advance, you can better assess your financial capacity, negotiate your project more serenely and avoid unpleasant surprises at the notary or with your credit institution.
Get your free simulation for Real Estate Purchase CostsA few clicks are enough to estimate your borrowing capacity and the total cost of your real estate project.
Plan your real estate project with confidence
In this guide, discover all the key fees related to a real estate purchase: notary fees, mortgage deed fees, administrative costs, and the charges requested by credit institutions.
- Understand each type of fee in simple terms
- Estimate their impact on your total budget
- Prepare your financing file more efficiently
Real estate purchase: hidden costs you must anticipate
Many buyers focus mainly on the purchase price of the property but overlook the additional expenses that are inevitably added: notary fees, registration fees, mortgage registration, deed fees, and various administrative procedures. Yet these elements can represent a significant share of the total cost of your acquisition.
Instead of underestimating or ignoring these fees, it is essential to list them and integrate them into your financing plan. This will allow you to define a realistic budget and avoid putting your financial situation at risk.
To obtain concrete figures, you can also rely on our real estate fee simulators, which take into account the region in which you are buying and the amount of your purchase.
What fees impact a real estate purchase?
1. Costs related to the property itself
Beyond the sale price, you must consider the potential cost of work. Two main situations can arise:
- The house requires renovations or repairs (roof, electricity, insulation, heating, etc.).
- You wish to carry out improvements or layout work before moving in (kitchen, bathroom, painting, landscaping, etc.). Consider a credit renovation to help finance these tasks.
These works can be financed either with your own funds or via an extension of your mortgage loan. In all cases, they must be integrated into your global real estate budget from the beginning of your project.
2. Notary fees
Notary fees are divided into two main parts: the fees relating to the purchase deed of the house and those linked to the mortgage loan deed. They are strictly regulated and largely consist of taxes and duties paid to the State.
Registration fees
Registration fees are a tax set by law that the notary must pay to the State. The amount corresponds to a percentage of the purchase price of your property and varies depending on the region.
In the Walloon Region, the standard registration fee is 12.5% of the market value of the property.
Under certain conditions, you may benefit from reduced rates, for example:
- 6% of the purchase price (for modest houses under specific conditions)
- 1.50% or 0% (for housing sold by a public housing company)
To know the exact applicable rate in your situation, we recommend contacting a notary or using an online simulator specialized in real estate fees.
Notary fees (remuneration)
Notary fees are set by law and are identical for all notaries in the country. For a sales deed, the fee is proportional to the value of the property: different percentages are applied by brackets of the property value.
If several notaries are involved (for example, one for the buyer and one for the seller), the total fee is shared between them based on the work and responsibility of each, according to rules established by professional authorities.
Choosing a notary to accompany you will therefore not cost you more: the “seller’s” notary and the “buyer’s” notary simply share the fees.
Various fees
In addition to taxes and fees, the notary charges various administrative costs required for completing the deed:
- Mortgage and urban planning searches
- Tax and legal searches
- Stamp duties on the deed and its copies
- Transcription fees of the deed and mortgage registration
- File opening and administrative handling costs
These various fees generally range between 650 and 1,250 euros, depending on the complexity of the file.
When you borrow money to buy a home, the loan is often secured by a mortgage on the property. This financing requires a new authentic deed with your notary: the mortgage loan deed, which generates specific fees.
The fees for the mortgage loan deed generally include four main components:
Registration fee
The registration fee is a tax paid directly to the State by the notary at the time of registering the deed. It usually amounts to 1% of the loan amount.
Mortgage registration fee
This fee is also a tax paid to the State when the deed is registered with the mortgage registry. It is typically set at 0.30% of the borrowed capital.
Notary fee for the mortgage deed
The notary responsible for drafting the mortgage deed calculates a fee based on a scale set by law. The amount of this fee does not depend on the choice of notary: it is the same for all.
Various deed fees
In addition to taxes and fees, additional costs are necessary to draft and register the deed:
- Tax searches
- Mortgage certificates requested before and after formalities
- Cadastral extracts
- Tax stamps and legal administrative costs
These items are essential to secure both the buyer and the lender and to ensure the legal validity of the mortgage.
3. Fees requested by the credit institution
In addition to notary fees, the credit institution itself may charge various fees, which vary depending on the amount of the loan and the internal policy of each bank or lender.
These fees generally include:
- Real estate appraisal fees: to determine the market value of the property used as collateral
- File creation fees: for the analysis of your situation and the preparation of the loan agreement
These fees must be taken into account in your overall calculation, as they increase the total cost of your credit and your real estate project.
Why anticipate your real estate purchase costs?
A realistic and controlled budget
By integrating all fees (notary, mortgage, bank, works), you avoid underestimating the real cost of your project and can choose the property that really matches your financial capacity.
More secure financing
Knowing all the fees in advance allows you to better negotiate your loan conditions and avoid situations of financial tension just after the purchase.
Optimized decision-making
With a clear view of all costs, you can compare several scenarios (different properties, different loan amounts or durations) and choose the most advantageous solution for your project in 2026.
Ready to estimate the total cost of your real estate project?
Get a personalized simulation of your real estate credit and all related fees. In a few minutes, you will have a clearer view of the budget you need for your purchase in 2026.
No commitment and 100% online.