More single people are buying property despite rising prices
Single buyers have become more active in the housing market, according to a new analysis by the Federation of Notaries (Fednot) on Thursday. For both houses and flats, the proportion of single buyers is on the rise, despite rising property prices.
Last year, single people accounted for 58 per cent of all apartment purchases in Belgium, up from 55 per cent in 2019. The proportion of single buyers purchasing houses has also increased, rising from 36 per cent in 2019 to 38 per cent in 2024.
"Single people and single parents make up around 45 per cent of Belgian households," said Bart van Opstal, a notary and spokesman for Notaris.be. "In recent years, single people have become much more active on the real estate market. It makes sense that they more often choose an apartment. They are usually smaller and less expensive."
Rising prices
The increase in single buyers is notable given that prices have also risen significantly. In 2024, a single person paid an average of 273,628 euros for a house, compared to 218,233 euros in 2019. In the same time frame, the average purchase price of an apartment bought by single people rose from 206,610 euros to 252,070 euros.
According to Fednot, price differences between regions significantly influence the percentage of single property buyers. In Brussels, the most expensive region, 32 per cent of house buyers are single. This figure rises to 35 per cent in Flanders and 45 per cent in Wallonia. Among apartment buyers, 56 per cent were single in Flanders, compared to 59 per cent in Brussels and 62 per cent in Wallonia.
© BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE
Related news
