Buying property in Europe follows a broadly similar shape wherever you do it — offer, legal checks, a signing in front of a notary or equivalent official, then registration of the new owner. What differs, sometimes sharply, is who may buy, which costs land on the buyer, and what paperwork is required. This guide collects everything we have written about the process, the costs, financing it, and how individual countries diverge.
Two things worth knowing before you read any of it. We do not publish specific prices, tax rates or fee percentages: they vary by country and region and go out of date quietly, and a stale number that reads as authoritative is worse than no number. And the single step that prevents most cross-border property disasters is engaging your own independent lawyer — one with no connection to the seller or the agent.
Once you own it, our companion guide to renting and living in Europe covers the rest.
Buying Process
How a purchase actually works step by step — offers, notaries, contracts and completion.
- Buying Property Jointly Across Borders — How joint ownership of overseas property actually works, why the rules differ by country, and what co-buyers need to check before they sign
- How Buying Property in Europe Actually Works — A plain guide to how buying property in Europe actually works: the steps, who can buy, hidden costs, and why rules vary by country
- Off-Plan Property: How the Process Differs — Buying off-plan means paying before a property exists
- Power of Attorney in a Foreign Property Purchase — How a power of attorney works when buying property abroad, what it covers, and the checks that keep it from being misused
- Property Surveys and Structural Checks Abroad — How property surveys and structural checks work when buying abroad, who performs them, and why practices differ sharply by country
- Title Checks and Land Registries in Europe — How title checks and land registries work across Europe, what they show, and why systems and reliability vary sharply by country
- What a Notary Does When You Buy Property in Europe — How the notary’s role works in European property purchases, why it differs by country, and what it does not cover
- What a Preliminary Contract Commits You To — A preliminary property contract creates real, often binding obligations before completion
- Why You Need Your Own Lawyer Buying Abroad — An independent lawyer, not tied to the seller or agent, is what protects you when buying property abroad
Costs & Taxes
Purchase costs, ongoing property taxes and the fees that catch buyers out.
- Currency Risk When Buying Property Abroad — How exchange rate movements affect a foreign property purchase, from deposit to completion, mortgage and resale
- Ongoing Costs of Owning Property in Another Country — What continues to cost money after you buy abroad: annual taxes, charges, insurance, filings and upkeep — and why the figures vary by country
- Property Transfer Taxes: What They Are and Who Pays — Property transfer tax applies when property ownership changes hands
- The Costs of Buying Property Abroad Nobody Mentions — The purchase price is the smallest number
- Who Pays the Estate Agent in a European Sale? — Estate agent commission rules differ by country in Europe — here’s how the seller-pays and split models generally work
Mortgages & Finance
Borrowing as a non-resident, currency risk and how lenders assess foreign buyers.
- Getting a Mortgage in Europe as a Non-Resident — How non-resident mortgages work across Europe, what lenders ask for, and why the rules vary sharply by country
- Life Insurance and Mortgage Requirements Abroad — Why some European mortgage lenders require life insurance, how it varies by country, and what to check before signing
- Why Foreign Buyers Get Different Mortgage Terms — Foreign buyers often face lower loan-to-value limits and higher margins
All mortgages & finance articles
Country Guides
How the rules and the process differ from one European country to the next.
- Buying Property in France: How the Process Works — How buying property in France actually works: the compromis de vente, the notaire, financing, costs and residency questions
- Buying Property in Portugal: How the Process Works — How buying property in Portugal actually works: NIF, preliminary contract, notary deed, taxes, and where an independent lawyer fits in
- Buying Property in Spain: How the Process Works — A clear walkthrough of how buying property in Spain works, from NIE and reservation to notary signing and land registry
Also on Balds
The companion guide, Hair Loss Options, covers the other half of the subject. Our about page explains who writes this site and what we will not claim.
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.