Schaerbeek Transforms: New Tram Lines Fuel Housing Boom in Brussels

Schaerbeek recorded a 14 percent rise in residential transactions during the first half of 2026 after the Brussels-Capital Region confirmed funding for the Tram 25 extension to the Josaphat site.

The upgrades arrive as the city struggles with a shortfall of 18,000 housing units projected by the 2025-2030 regional plan, pushing buyers and developers toward northern districts that still offer larger plots than central communes such as Ixelles or Saint-Gilles.

Work on the new tram stops at Avenue Rogier and Place Dailly began in April, while the former Josaphat military barracks site is being converted into 1,200 mixed-tenure apartments under a partnership between the Region and the municipal housing company, the Société du Logement de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale. Local estate agents report that two-bedroom flats near the future stops are already listed at between 385,000 and 425,000 euros.

Statbel figures show average apartment prices in Schaerbeek reached 3,920 euros per square metre in May 2026, up from 3,430 euros twelve months earlier. The same data set records a 22 percent increase in foreign investor purchases, mainly from France and the Netherlands, since the start of the year.

Transport upgrades reshape access

The Tram 25 works tie into the existing North-South axis and cut journey times to the European Quarter by eight minutes once the line opens in late 2027. Parallel road resurfacing on the Chaussée de Louvain is scheduled for completion by October, improving bus reliability for routes 65 and 66 that serve the new developments.

Next steps for buyers

Prospective purchasers should review planning documents on the Brussels-Capital Region website and contact the municipal planning office at Avenue Voltaire 36 before committing. Early reservations at the Josaphat site are handled through the Société du Logement, with the next allocation round set for September.