A good start for beginners

Already the last column of 2020, rarely have we had a more turbulent year. The end of the year may be in sight, but the end of the corona crisis is not yet. Of course we are already in an atmosphere of looking back and looking ahead, but as real estate agents we hardly have time for that. It remains as busy as ever! Apart from the usual sales, the government’s decision to change the transfer tax as of 1 January has now led to extra hustle and bustle. For starters it disappears altogether (was 2%), for investors it goes to 8% (was 2 or 6%). Investors were therefore extra active – and in a hurry – on the market in December, while some starters wanted to postpone an intended sale for a while. So it was quite a hectic end of the year.

During the past year, I have repeatedly expressed the expectation that the tight situation on the housing market will continue to determine the number of sales and house prices more than the corona crisis. This has been the case so far. Although the number of sales remained limited due to the limited supply, they did not decline. And prices continued to rise unabated. It is of course tempting towards the end of the year to polish up the globe and look into the future. So far, we could say: it depends on whether there will be a second wave. Now we know that the second wave is not so easy to curb. As a result, the damage to the economy may increase. And that could also limit the number of home sales, of course. On the positive side, interest rates are super low and ECB policy ensures that this will continue to be the case for a longer period of time.

In any case, let us express the wish that 2021 will provide a good start for those starting up in the housing market. Perhaps investors will rest on their laurels for a while, which will give them more opportunities, partly thanks to low interest rates and the abolition of transfer tax. But of course I wish everyone a good year, in which as many housing wishes as possible will be fulfilled.