Wallonia’s main first-home lever is not a cash grant but a tax cut: registration duties on an own and sole home dropped to 3% on 1 January 2025, down from 12.5% (source: Wallonia government and Lydian, 2025). On a 240,000 euro house that is a saving of over 20,000 euros.
Buyers hunting for a “first-home grant” in Wallonia should reset the expectation: the headline support today is a reduced registration-duty rate rather than a cheque. Since 1 January 2025, a natural person buying their own and sole home in full ownership, with no other property, pays 3% registration duties instead of the standard 12.5% (source: Lydian, 2025). Applied to the median Walloon house of 240,000 euros, the difference is well over 20,000 euros of tax, by far the largest lever a first-time buyer will find.
The relief comes with conditions. You must occupy the property as your main residence within three years (five years for a new build or building land) and keep it as your main residence for a continuous minimum of three years. It applies to an own and sole home, so a second home, an investment property, or a purchase through a company stays at 12.5%.
The counter-intuitive effect is macro. This buyer-friendly reform is widely credited with pushing 2025 prices up 15.4% and lifting transaction volumes around 16% to 17% (source: Notaire.be and Fednot, 2026), because the saving enlarged budgets and drew buyers in. Support for buyers helped strengthen sellers’ hand.
Regional gaps matter: Flanders taxes an own home at 2%, while Brussels stays at 12.5% with an abattement (allowance). Always check the rule for Wallonia specifically.
At a glance
- Main lever: 3% registration duty on an own and sole home since 1 January 2025 (was 12.5%).
- Indicative saving: over 20,000 euros on a 240,000 euro house.
- Who qualifies: a natural person, full ownership, no other home.
- Occupancy: main residence within 3 years (5 for new build/land), kept for at least 3 years.
- Excluded: second homes, investment property, company buyers (12.5%).
- Regional gap: Flanders 2%; Brussels 12.5% with an allowance.