Buying Guide

Know Before You Buy

Plain-language guides to buying a home in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Türkiye: taxes and costs, the buying process, the areas we know, and market updates.

Spain France Italy Portugal Türkiye

Spain

Buying a Home in Spain

Spain's coasts, islands and cities draw buyers for the climate, the lifestyle, good healthcare and easy flight connections. Markets differ sharply: a flat in Madrid, a villa in Marbella and a village house in the Balearics are very different purchases.

Foreigners can buy freely. You need an NIE tax number and, in practice, a Spanish bank account. On resale homes you pay regional transfer tax of about 6–11%; on new builds 10% VAT plus stamp duty. Budget roughly 8–15% on top of the price in total.

What It Costs to Buy a Home in Spain

France

Buying a Home in France

From Paris apartments to Provençal farmhouses, Alpine chalets and the Riviera, France offers one of the widest choices of homes in Europe, and a buying process that is strongly protected by law.

There are no restrictions on foreign buyers. Every sale goes through a notaire, and after signing the first contract you have a 10-day cooling-off period. Buying costs, often called notary fees, are usually around 7–8% of the price for resale homes and lower for new builds.

Detailed guides coming soon.

Italy

Buying a Home in Italy

The lakes, Tuscany and Umbria, the coasts and historic towns: Italy offers character homes at a wide range of prices, but older properties need careful checks on permits, condition and planning.

You need an Italian tax code (codice fiscale). For a second home bought from a private seller, registration tax is usually 9% of the cadastral value, which is often well below the price; homes bought from a developer carry VAT instead. A notaio handles the final deed.

Detailed guides coming soon.

Portugal

Buying a Home in Portugal

Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira attract buyers with mild weather, safety and an English-friendly lifestyle. Demand in the most popular areas has pushed prices up, so value varies a lot from street to street.

Foreigners can buy freely. You need a Portuguese tax number (NIF). The main purchase tax, IMT, is charged on a sliding scale of up to 7.5%, plus 0.8% stamp duty. We search in Portugal on request.

Detailed guides coming soon.

Türkiye

Buying a Home in Türkiye

Istanbul, Bodrum, the Aegean and the Mediterranean coast offer homes for living, holidays and investment, from city apartments to seafront villas.

Most foreign nationals can buy, with some restrictions near military and security zones. You need a Turkish tax number, and foreign buyers must obtain an official valuation report. The title deed (tapu) fee is 4% of the declared value, usually split or agreed between buyer and seller.

Detailed guides coming soon.

Latest Guides

Taxes & Costs

Spain

What It Costs to Buy a Home in Spain

On top of the price, budget roughly 8–15% for taxes and fees. Here is where that money goes, and what you pay each year once you own the home.

Start Your Search

Buy Your Home Abroad With Someone on Your Side

Honest advice in English or Turkish, from your first brief to the keys

Get In Touch

Our Services