Step one is whether foreigners may own property there at all. Some countries permit full ownership of flats while restricting agricultural land; in other places, the authorities require a corporate vehicle or a long lease instead. Such restrictions are revised periodically, so verify them apartments for sale in genoa the current year, rather than from a dated article.

The next stage is due diligence on the property itself. An independent lawyer should check the title, existing charges, building permits and whether the seller can legally transfer it. In several jurisdictions, unpaid local taxes attach to the property, not the person who ran them up.

The payment side needs its own planning. Setting up a local account tends to be a requirement for the transfer, and banks will ask for proof of the source of funds. The exchange rate can move the amount you actually pay noticeably, so it is worth comparing providers.

The reservation agreement generally comes first: a holding deposit takes the listing off the market while checks are completed. Check carefully the refund conditions if due diligence turns up a problem. A well-drafted clause refunds the sum when the defect lies with the buying property in skiathos.

The final signing generally occurs before a notary or an equivalent official, depending on the country. The change of ownership only becomes final after registration, a step that can take days or months. Keep the full file — the purchase deed, tax receipts and the registry extract. You will need them when you sell.