We are currently negotiating a house.
That sentence does not quite convey the excitement and stress that come with the process of looking for and finding a house you like, meeting with the Owners, negotiating the price, negotiating the details, informing the notaries, and getting the paperwork ready.
The reason why we are moving is that we are currently living in a very drafty 2br apartment in central Brussels. Lots of traffic, no safe outside area (it's a small terrace with 22 floors of apartments above it; people throw stuff down: cigarette butts, hot oil, rice, cereal, plastic steps, towels, carpets....), firestation on other side of the road. The Landlady wants to sell the apartment and is kind enough to wait for us moving out, but will not do any repairs anymore. We don't want to insulate the apartment either, because we are moving out.
Rent in and around Brussels for a 2br apartment/house with a garden in a quiet neighbourhood runs to €1,200/month on a obligatory 9-year contract. A mortgage for a €200,000 4br house with a decent garden is around €950/month for 30 years. We still have to shop for the proper mortgage, but this is the amount the bank came up with when we went there just to see how much mortgage they would give us. The mortgage is based on my income only.
We don't have much money in savings, but all our major expenses have been paid: marriage, car, dh's education, move from the Netherlands to Brussels (Belgium), birth of dd, new furniture for the apartment (+fridge, stove, washing machine, tv), visit to my in-laws in Africa. We are debtfree. My parents are willing to give us an interest-free loan for the associated costs. I have been finding out how much everything would cost and would like to keep track of our progress on this forum.
House:
8,250 / 8,250 Registration fee
2,163.66 / 2050 Notary
1,100 / 0 additional documents/seals/etc
Mortgage:
2,200 / 0 Registration fee
899.72 / 0 National Mortgages' Office
952.32 / 0 Notary
1,000 / 0 additional documents/seals/etc
Take-over and Renovations:
500 / 0 Van rental
1,500 / 0 Taxes for the rest of the year
1,000 / 0 paint and wallpaper for downstairs' rooms
3,000 / 0 Re-wiring electricity whole house
Total
needed: 22,565.70 / saved: 10,300
This week we will sign the preliminary contract, which gives us 4 weeks to find a mortgage. Within 4 months of signing the preliminary, we will have to sign the proper handover agreement (supposing we have found the mortgage, otherwise the sale won't happen - it's in the preliminary). The 'house', 'mortgage' and 'taxes' costs are due on the date we sign the proper agreement.
Where to get the money from:
- the mortgage will be 100%
- interest free loan from parents upto €16,000
- I have €2,400/month coming in; we currently save about €1,000/month
- dh to get a job
- dd to be pottytrained, so she can go to kindergarten in January, which is free. Creche costs us €2/day (no typo! It's €13.50 with €11.50 taxback)
- re-submit my income over 2007 to Belgian tax authorities; I forgot to add 1 week of interim work and can claim tax refund of about €150.
- write letter to British tax authorities to claim tax refund; I worked in England for 4 days in 2007, but was not there long enough to actually have a Social Security/Tax number. This should be another €150.
- The Belgian tax authorities have written me a letter saying that they will refund €3,500 over 2008. The check is due to arrive late September.
- 13th month in December. It's taxed at 60%, but still better than nothing
That sentence does not quite convey the excitement and stress that come with the process of looking for and finding a house you like, meeting with the Owners, negotiating the price, negotiating the details, informing the notaries, and getting the paperwork ready.
The reason why we are moving is that we are currently living in a very drafty 2br apartment in central Brussels. Lots of traffic, no safe outside area (it's a small terrace with 22 floors of apartments above it; people throw stuff down: cigarette butts, hot oil, rice, cereal, plastic steps, towels, carpets....), firestation on other side of the road. The Landlady wants to sell the apartment and is kind enough to wait for us moving out, but will not do any repairs anymore. We don't want to insulate the apartment either, because we are moving out.
Rent in and around Brussels for a 2br apartment/house with a garden in a quiet neighbourhood runs to €1,200/month on a obligatory 9-year contract. A mortgage for a €200,000 4br house with a decent garden is around €950/month for 30 years. We still have to shop for the proper mortgage, but this is the amount the bank came up with when we went there just to see how much mortgage they would give us. The mortgage is based on my income only.
We don't have much money in savings, but all our major expenses have been paid: marriage, car, dh's education, move from the Netherlands to Brussels (Belgium), birth of dd, new furniture for the apartment (+fridge, stove, washing machine, tv), visit to my in-laws in Africa. We are debtfree. My parents are willing to give us an interest-free loan for the associated costs. I have been finding out how much everything would cost and would like to keep track of our progress on this forum.
House:
8,250 / 8,250 Registration fee
2,163.66 / 2050 Notary
1,100 / 0 additional documents/seals/etc
Mortgage:
2,200 / 0 Registration fee
899.72 / 0 National Mortgages' Office
952.32 / 0 Notary
1,000 / 0 additional documents/seals/etc
Take-over and Renovations:
500 / 0 Van rental
1,500 / 0 Taxes for the rest of the year
1,000 / 0 paint and wallpaper for downstairs' rooms
3,000 / 0 Re-wiring electricity whole house
Total
needed: 22,565.70 / saved: 10,300
This week we will sign the preliminary contract, which gives us 4 weeks to find a mortgage. Within 4 months of signing the preliminary, we will have to sign the proper handover agreement (supposing we have found the mortgage, otherwise the sale won't happen - it's in the preliminary). The 'house', 'mortgage' and 'taxes' costs are due on the date we sign the proper agreement.
Where to get the money from:
- the mortgage will be 100%
- interest free loan from parents upto €16,000
- I have €2,400/month coming in; we currently save about €1,000/month
- dh to get a job
- dd to be pottytrained, so she can go to kindergarten in January, which is free. Creche costs us €2/day (no typo! It's €13.50 with €11.50 taxback)
- re-submit my income over 2007 to Belgian tax authorities; I forgot to add 1 week of interim work and can claim tax refund of about €150.
- write letter to British tax authorities to claim tax refund; I worked in England for 4 days in 2007, but was not there long enough to actually have a Social Security/Tax number. This should be another €150.
- The Belgian tax authorities have written me a letter saying that they will refund €3,500 over 2008. The check is due to arrive late September.
- 13th month in December. It's taxed at 60%, but still better than nothing