Almost three-quarters of all Belgians no longer think that owning a home is affordable without financial help from family, according to a survey from ads site 2dehands, known for being an online store for secondhand items.
79.1% of Belgians believe that paying rent for a house or apartment is throwing money away and that it makes more sense to pay off a loan for a home. For 6 out 10, the ideal home is a house with a large garden, yet actually obtaining that may be out of reach.
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Crucially, 69.9% think that there are no longer affordable building plots, while 6 out 10 believe that even buying an already finished home is no longer affordable. Altogether, 72.7% believe that owning a home is no longer possible without financial help from parents or family.
Cost of living
The cost of living takes out a substantial part of people's budget. French-speaking Belgians spend on average 31.7% of their income on the rent or payment of their home, while for Dutch speakers that amount increases to 33.8%.
In order to furnish the home, second-hand items are bought. 37% of Belgians consider this acceptable for office spaces, 35.9% about the living room, 25.6% about the bedroom and 19.8% about the kitchen. For decorative items such as vases or art, the tolerance climbs to 51.5%.
71.5% go for second-hand it to save money,37.5% to get things that aren't new and 27% for environmental concerns.
