Selling Your House in Belgium: Sell It Yourself or Use an Estate Agent?

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Selling your house in 2025: go it alone or use an estate agent?

With today's property prices, an estate agent's commission can weigh heavily. With an average commission of 3-4% of the sale price, excluding VAT, you're quickly looking at tens of thousands of euros on a standard property. No wonder more and more owners are asking themselves: is it better to sell my house myself or through an estate agent?​

Both options can work - provided you fully understand the differences in time, risk, return and stress levels. This guide will help you make a well-informed decision.

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What does an estate agent cost in Belgium?

In Belgium, most estate agents work with a commission on the sale price:

• On average 3-4% commission, excluding VAT​
• Often within a range (for example 2.5-3.5%) depending on the type of property, price bracket and service package​
• Some agencies work with a fixed fee or a different model, but that is more the exception​

Example at a sale price of €350,000:

• 3% commission = €10,500 (excl. VAT)
  • 21% VAT = total €12,705 in agency fees

That is a significant amount, but it covers a full package of services: valuation, marketing, viewings, negotiations, file management and contractual handling.​

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Selling your house without an agent: what does it involve?

A growing number of platforms explain how to sell your property yourself and offer tools, coaching or fixed-price packages. The step-by-step guide to selling without an estate agent looks broadly like this:​

1. Valuation

You need to determine the right asking price yourself:

• Compare recent sales in the area (not just asking prices)
• Take into account the habitable surface area, finishes, energy performance certificate (EPC) label and location​
• Consider bringing in an independent valuer

A price that is too high - few viewings and a long time on the market.
A price that is too low - an immediate loss of tens of thousands of euros.​

2. Mandatory certificates and documents

Without a complete file, you cannot legally put your property on the market. You will need to arrange, among other things:​

• Energy performance certificate (EPC)
• Asbestos certificate (for properties built before 2001)
• Electrical inspection
• Soil certificate
• Town planning information
• Cadastral extract and title deed
• Flood risk assessment, post-intervention file, ... (depending on the property)

Some certificates are obtained quickly, while others involve a waiting time of several weeks.​

3. Marketing and viewings

You are personally responsible for:

• Photos (preferably professional) and an attractive listing description
• Online publication (Immoweb, Zimmo, social media, your own network)
• Scheduling and conducting viewings
• Answering phone calls, emails and questions from prospective buyers​

For a popular property, that can mean dozens of contacts.

4. Negotiating and accepting an offer

You need to:

• Negotiate the price, suspensive conditions and handover date
• Keep your emotions in check and remain businesslike
• Make the most of opportunities for competing bids or open-house days, without putting buyers off

For many private sellers, this is precisely the hardest part.

5. The sales agreement and legal formalities

The sales agreement (compromis de vente) is legally binding and at least as important as the notarial deed. Without an agent, you need to keep a close eye on:​

• Correct description of the property and moveable items
• Suspensive conditions (financing, town planning, soil, ...)
• Deadlines for the deed, payment and handover of keys
• Tax implications and clauses in case of non-performance

In practice, many private sellers therefore still call on a notary or lawyer to draft or review the sales agreement.

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Advantages of selling your house yourself

1. No agent commission

The biggest advantage is clear: you save the 3-4% commission. On a sale of €350,000, that represents a saving of around €10,000-€13,000.​

2. Full control

You decide:

• How you market the property
• When you schedule viewings
• Which offers you take seriously
• How far you are willing to negotiate

For owners who like to keep things in their own hands, that is a real plus.

3. Direct contact with buyers

You know your home best. You can often tell the story of the property, the neighbourhood and its strengths better than anyone else - and some buyers appreciate dealing directly with the owner.

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Disadvantages and risks of selling without an estate agent

1. Time-consuming and stressful

You have to do everything yourself: putting together the file, obtaining certificates, marketing, viewings, follow-up and negotiations. Hellohome and other guides emphasise that this can mean months of work for an inexperienced seller.​

2. A pricing mistake can quickly cost more than the commission

The biggest pitfall: getting the price wrong.

• Priced too high - the property sits on the market for a long time, buyers assume something is wrong and eventually come in with low offers.
• Priced too low - you sell quickly but potentially leave tens of thousands of euros on the table.

Professional estate agents and notaries point out that every percentage point below market value on a standard property can easily exceed their commission.

3. Legal mistakes can be costly

A poorly worded clause, a failure to disclose a defect or an incomplete file can lead to:

• Disputes after the sale
• Price revisions
• In extreme cases, the dissolution of the sale

A recognised estate agent operates within the rules and code of ethics of the IPI/BIV, which limits this risk.​

4. Emotions get in the way

Sellers are often emotionally attached to their property. That makes rational negotiation harder:

• You take a low offer personally
• You underestimate objective negatives (busy street, poor EPC rating)
• You overvalue the