” Still quite surprising, ‘ says Esa van den Heuvel, spokeswoman for project developer Triple Living. ‘Brussels is the capital of the European Union and home to many large multinationals. Every year our capital attracts more and more expats and highly educated high potentials.’The numbers confirm his words. In recent years, Belgium has more expats than ever before. An estimated 220,000 foreign highly skilled workers live and work in and around the Brussels region. That is an increase of almost 50% compared to the beginning of the century. In 2000, only 150,000 expats were active in our country. 

In the light of the crises of recent years (Brexit, attacks at Zaventem airport, the financial crisis), the increase is remarkable, but at the same time it shows the incredible potential that exists in our country for expats. 

The 10 most expensive European cities for expats

1. Zurich

2. Genève

3. Basel

4. Berne

5. Tel Aviv

6. Copenhagen

7. London

8. Vienna

9. Amsterdam

10. Prague

Major international institutions, such as NATO, and the European Quarter make Brussels highly sought after by expats. Its image as one of the most important political world cities in the world also attracts a lot of attention abroad.

Although Brussels is ranked 41st worldwide, Mercer’s ranking shows that our capital, compared to other major cities in Europe, is still very affordable. London, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, Prague, Copenhagen, Helsinki: each of them is more expensive than our capital. And that probably also plays a role in the minds of expats.  

3 reasons why they are golden times for real estate investors

• Real estate is more stable than the stock market and yields 5x more than your savings book.  
  
• Due to the low interest rates, borrowing money was never so cheap, which means that you can invest even with a modest contribution of your own. 
  
• Thanks to the professional and experienced rental service of Triple Living Renting, you can rent out carefree. 

With the increase in expats in Brussels, the demand for centrally located quality rental apartments is also increasing. There is still an acute shortage of quality, affordable housing in and around Brussels. The ultra-modern new construction project the BANKS, which brings 200 homes to the busy Canal Zone, offers an answer. ‘Expats will find their way to the BANKS effortlessly,’ says van den Heuvel. “Is it not because of the bustling, Green neighborhood and the spacious and high-quality housing, but because of the accessibility and the excellent central location near Tour & Taxis and the bustling Noordwijk.”

Opportunities for investors

Due to the growing number of expats in Brussels, the demand for spacious and luxurious expat apartments currently exceeds the supply. Good news for investors, because they can get their money’s worth from the current expat boom. Those looking for an investment with a high return and unprecedented growth prospects will find exactly what they are looking for in the BANKS.  

Own rental service specialized in expats

With years of experience and more than 1000 apartments under management, our rental specialists know the Brussels rental market like no other. Due to the high occupancy rate, they offer you Security for maximum efficiency. The personal rental supervisors of Triple Living Renting also take care of all the administration and practical matters, so that you can deal with more fun matters.