Buying, renting or owning property in another European country is a large decision taken inside a legal system you probably do not know, and almost everything written about it is published by someone who earns a commission on the outcome. Europe Realtor is an independent reference site. We explain how the purchase process actually works, what a notary does, which costs land on the buyer, how non-residents are treated by lenders, what a lease commits you to, and how residency, taxes and daily life differ from one country to the next.
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Buying property in EuropeHow the purchase actually works, the costs that land on the buyer, and how countries diverge.
Renting & living in EuropeLeases, residency, running costs and the practical side of actually living there.Browse by topic · ordered by altitude
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Buying Process
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Buying Process
How a purchase actually works step by step — offers, notaries, contracts and completion.
The one thing worth doing before you commit
Engage your own independent lawyer in the country you are buying in — someone with no relationship to the seller, the developer or the agent. It is the single step that prevents most cross-border property disasters: unregistered extensions, unpaid community debts that transfer with the property, sellers who are not the sole owner, and deposits handed over on a contract nobody explained. An agent who found you the property and earns on the sale is not the person to check it.
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Europe Realtor publishes general information about European property, not legal, tax, financial or immigration advice. We are writers and editors, not estate agents, lawyers, notaries or tax advisers. Rules differ by country and often by region, and they change. Before committing money, engage an independent lawyer in the relevant country who is not connected to the seller or the agent, and confirm your tax position with an adviser qualified in that jurisdiction.