Oostende Real Estate: Seaside Apartments on the Belgian Coast

Oostende has a long beach, a casino and Kursaal, a harbour, a marina and a rail line to Ghent and Brussels, making day trips and weekend use easy. It is more of a living city than the smaller coastal resorts, with year-round shops, events and a hospital. Many buyers are Belgians seeking a weekend flat, retirees and investors in short-let apartments, subject to local rules.

Sea air is hard on facades, so check the syndicate's maintenance plan and any large works planned.

Belgium has no general bar on foreign buyers. Oostende is in Flanders, where registration duty is 2% for the sole own home and 12% otherwise, so a non-resident buying a second home normally pays 12% (verify, as rules depend on circumstances). Add notary fees, which are set by scale, and any agent fees. The notary is central to every sale, and a compromis (sales agreement) is binding.

Our Belgium buying guide and financing guide explain the steps.

These are other markets rather than close neighbours: Ghent and Antwerp in Flanders, and Brussels, Anderlecht, Schaerbeek and Uccle in the capital region. See Belgium.