The first thing to check remains which ownership rules apply to foreign buyers. A number of countries permit freehold ownership of apartments while restricting agricultural buy land in lapitos; others ask for a local company or a long lease as the workaround. Such restrictions are revised every few years, so check them for the current year, not from second-hand gonyeli real estate advice.
What follows is due diligence on the property itself. An independent legal adviser should verify the registered title, any mortgages or liens, building permits and whether the vendor can legally transfer it. In many markets, unpaid local taxes follow the property, not the person who ran them up.
Money needs its own planning. Setting up a local account is frequently a requirement for the purchase, and local banks will ask for documented origin of the money. Currency conversion can move the amount you actually pay significantly, so compare providers before transferring.
The preliminary agreement usually comes first: a modest payment takes the listing off the market while checks are completed. Pay attention to the refund conditions if the inspection uncovers a problem. A properly written clause refunds the money when the problem lies with the property.
Completion generally occurs before a notary or an equivalent official, depending on the country. The change of ownership is only complete after registration, which can take days or months. Retain all the paperwork — the purchase deed, proof of taxes paid and the registry extract. They will be needed when you sell.