Fears of rising interest rates prompted Belgians to rush to buy real estate during the first few months of this year. And not without reason: yesterday the interest rate on fixed-rate mortgages rose to its highest level since 2014. “Young people want to realise their housing plans while they still can,” says Bart Van Opstal, spokesperson for Notaris.be, the website of Belgium's notaries. Apartments, in particular, are in high demand, also among investors.