[trgn]

It is a cultural thing in Belgium for sure. It also has a few other things going for home buyers. The population density plays in its favor, there is less risk that changing jobs requires you to move. The high taxes and fees when purchasing (between 12-25%) are a break on speculation, so there are no bubbles to speak of. And even though land is expensive, there is sufficient supply in quality housing stock due to the backlog of six decades of sustained housing construction. It's affordable to buy at many price points.