Several millions of European citizens leave their countries of origin to settle abroad. This may be temporary, for reasons tied to their professional careers, or permanent, following retirement for example, or it may simply be to enjoy a more appealing country for vacations.
Whatever the reason, these citizens often have the opportunity to purchase property, be it principal or secondary residence.
It is therefore necessary that these future property buyers be familiar with both legal rules and the practical steps when buying property in a new country. This process covers all the steps involved in the purchase of property: negotiation, preliminary agreement, financing, signature of the purchase and sale agreement, transfer of ownership and publication in the land register.
This is always a complex transaction and its complexity is heightened by the fact that is taking place abroad.
It is therefore important that citizens who at any given moment are planning to purchase property abroad should be informed about the fundamental rules of this transaction in their country of choice.
This is why the European Affairs Commission of UINL has created some fact-sheets for the “public at large” regarding this matter in European countries outside the EU and the United Kingdom, knowing that those concerning the EU member states can be found on the website http://www.buyingmyhome.eu/.