Europe Realtor is an independent site about property in Europe. We explain how buying, renting and owning actually work across different countries — the process, the costs, the paperwork, and the things that catch people out. We do not sell property, we do not broker deals, and we do not take a commission from anyone.
Who writes this site
Europe Realtor is written and edited by the Europe Realtor Editorial Team. We are writers and editors. We are not estate agents, not licensed brokers, not lawyers, not notaries and not tax advisers, and we hold no professional qualification in any of those fields in any country.
That matters more here than on most subjects. Property is governed by national and often regional law, and the rules differ enormously between, say, France and Portugal — sometimes between regions of the same country. Anyone who tells you there is one European way to buy a house is either simplifying or selling something.
Despite the domain name, we are not affiliated with the National Association of REALTORS® and we do not describe ourselves or our writers as realtors in the trademarked sense. The name is simply the address the site sits at.
What we will not do
These are commitments, and every article is written against them:
- We do not give legal, tax or financial advice. We explain how a process generally works and what to ask about. Which taxes apply to you, in which country, at which rate, is a question for a qualified professional in that jurisdiction.
- We do not quote specific prices, tax rates or thresholds. They vary by country, region and year, and a figure that was right when an article was written becomes wrong quietly. We tell you which cost exists and what determines it, then send you to the authoritative source.
- We do not promise returns. No rental yields, no capital growth projections, no “up-and-coming area” tips. Property is not a guaranteed investment and anyone presenting it as one is not being straight with you.
- We do not recommend specific agents, developers, lawyers or schemes, and we take no payment for coverage. The site is supported by advertising, disclosed in our privacy policy. Advertisers have no say in what we write.
- We do not give immigration advice. Residency and visa rules change frequently and are enforced by governments, not by websites. We describe the general shape of a route and point you at the official source.
- We do not invent evidence. No fabricated statistics, transaction volumes or survey findings.
Information, not advice
Everything here is general information. It is not legal, tax, financial or immigration advice, and it is not a substitute for a qualified professional in the country you are dealing with.
Buying property abroad is one of the largest financial commitments most people make, usually in a legal system they do not know, often in a language they do not read. Before you commit money, engage an independent lawyer who is not connected to the seller or the agent, and confirm your tax position with an adviser qualified in that country. That single step prevents most of the disasters we write about.
How we approach it
Two things shape the writing. Most people arrive with one specific question, so articles answer it in the opening lines rather than after several paragraphs of preamble. And because rules change, we focus on the parts that change slowly — how a process is structured, who the parties are, what a given document is for — rather than on numbers that will be out of date within a year.
Corrections
Property rules change, and we would rather be corrected than be wrong. If something here is inaccurate or out of date, please tell us through our contact page.