In a Walloon sale the notary runs the legal searches (mortgage, tax, cadastre, planning), drafts and reads the authentic deed, collects the registration duties, holds the funds securely and transcribes the deed at the mortgage registry to make ownership final (Notaire.be, 2026).
The notary is the public officer who turns a private agreement into secure, public ownership. Their role begins after the compromis and runs through to the transfer of keys, and it is far more than signing a document.
The heart of the job is the pre-deed searches. Between compromis and deed, the notary verifies existing mortgage inscriptions and arranges their discharge so the buyer receives the property free of old debts, contacts the tax administration to check the sellers’ fiscal position, consults the cadastre, and confirms the planning situation and any right of pre-emption (Notaire.be, 2026). Because the tax authorities have priority over the sale proceeds, the notary also acts as a collector, retaining and remitting amounts due, on pain of personal liability.
The notary then drafts the authentic deed, reads it to the parties, collects the registration duties and holds the price in escrow until the transfer is complete. Finally, the deed is transcribed at the bureau de securite juridique (mortgage registry), the step that makes ownership enforceable against everyone (Notaire.be, 2026).
The counter-intuitive point that saves money: notary fees are fixed by law, so a single notary can act for both buyer and seller at no extra cost, and choosing your own alongside the seller’s does not raise the total. What you are paying for is legal certainty. Easyhome coordinates closely with your notary so every certificate and figure is ready and the deed is signed on time.
At a glance
| Task | Detail (source, date) |
|---|---|
| Mortgage search | Verify inscriptions, arrange discharge (Notaire.be, 2026) |
| Tax search | Check sellers’ fiscal position, collect what is due |
| Cadastral search | Confirm parcel, surface, cadastral income |
| Planning check | Confirm situation and pre-emption rights |
| Drafts and reads | The authentic deed to both parties |
| Funds and duties | Holds the price, collects registration duties |
| Transcription | Registers the deed at the mortgage registry |
| Fees | Fixed by law, one notary can serve both parties |