Keys to an apartment abroad? First, learn the rules of the game!
Turquoise water outside the window, a sun-drenched terrace, and the keys to your own apartment. Sounds like a dream come true? But before you sign the contract, it’s worth checking a few things you won’t see in the listing photos.
A beautiful location, high standards, and the prospect of renting it out easily catch your eye. When buying real estate abroad, however, it’s worth starting with the less glamorous part: checking the rules under which you’re actually buying and later using the property.
In the European Union, EU citizens can generally buy and sell real estate under the same conditions as citizens of the country in question. However, this doesn’t mean identical taxes, transaction costs, or financing rules—these depend on the specific country.
Therefore, before buying, it’s worth checking the following above all:
💧legal status and form of ownership,
💧taxes and fees,
💧the possibility of short-term rentals,
💧management and maintenance costs,
💧rules for resale,
💧financing options for foreign buyers.