How to buy a house in Europe as a foreigner

A detached house in the Swedish forest or a stone farmhouse in rural France can cost less than a small flat in a big city. Buying one in another country is very doable, but the rules, the paperwork and the costs differ from country to country. This guide explains what is broadly the same everywhere, what differs, and where to check the details. For country-specific rules, read our guides for Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Italy.

1. Check whether you are allowed to buy

Most European countries let foreigners buy property, but not all on the same terms, and your nationality matters:

• Sweden and France have no general restriction on foreign buyers. Sweden does require every private buyer to have a Swedish personal identity number or coordination number to register ownership (since 1 July 2026).
• Finland requires buyers from outside the EU and EEA to get a permit from the Ministry of Defence (since 2020).
• Denmark generally requires permission from the Department of Civil Affairs for anyone who has not lived in Denmark for at least five years or does not have domicile there. EU and EEA citizens can buy a year-round home they actually live in under certain conditions.
• Norway has no general ban, but farms and large plots can require a concession, and some homes come with a duty to live there.
• Italy applies a reciprocity check to some non-EU nationalities.

Rules change, and the details depend on your situation. Always check the official source for the country you are interested in before you make an offer.

2. Understand how the purchase works

The basic steps are similar across Europe: you find a house, agree a price, sign a binding agreement, pay, and register the transfer in the national land register. Who does what differs a lot, though:

• In France and Italy, a public notary (notaire, notaio) draws up and executes the deed and collects the taxes. Usually a preliminary contract is signed first.
• In Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, there is no notary in the French sense. A licensed estate agent usually manages the sale, and the buyer or a bank applies for registration with the land registry.
• In some countries offers and bids are binding as soon as they are accepted (Norway is a well-known example), in others nothing is binding until a written contract is signed.

Read the country guide before you make your first offer, so you know when you are committed.

3. Budget for costs on top of the price

The asking price is never the full cost. Typical extra costs include:

• Transfer taxes or stamp duty, usually a percentage of the price or of the property's value. They range from modest (Denmark) to substantial (France, Italy for second homes).
• Registration and notary fees.
• Surveys and inspections, such as a building survey or a check of the well, septic system and roof.
• Legal advice and translation, which we strongly recommend if you do not speak the language.
• Currency conversion and bank transfer costs when you pay in SEK, NOK or DKK.
• Annual costs: property tax or charges, insurance, electricity and heating, waste collection, road maintenance fees and chimney sweeping.

Our country guides list the main taxes with a link to the authority that sets them. For a feel for running costs, read our viewing checklist and our article on heating a Nordic house.

4. Financing: plan to pay largely in cash

Getting a mortgage from a bank in another country as a non-resident is often difficult, especially for cheap rural houses. Many buyers of houses under €150,000 pay from savings, or borrow against property in their home country. If you need a loan, talk to banks in both countries early, before you make an offer, and make sure the contract allows enough time for financing.

Pay only into accounts you have verified independently: a notary's client account, a broker's client account or the seller's bank account confirmed by phone with someone you know is genuine. Property payment fraud is common; read how to avoid property scams abroad.

5. A house does not give you the right to live there

Owning a house in an EU or EEA country does not, on its own, give you a right to live there. EU and EEA citizens have free movement rights under EU law. Citizens of other countries, including the UK (since Brexit) and the US, can usually spend up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area without a visa, and need a residence permit or long-stay visa for more. Read does owning a house in Europe give you residency? for the details.

6. Check the house, not just the photos

Cheap rural houses are cheap for a reason: they are far from cities and jobs, and sometimes they need work. Before you commit, check at least the roof and structure, damp, the heating system, the electrics, the water supply (municipal or private well), the sewage system (often a private septic system in rural areas), road access in winter, mobile coverage and internet, and the distance to shops and healthcare. In Sweden the buyer has a legal duty to inspect; in France many surveys are compulsory for the seller. Our viewing checklist helps you prepare.

7. Think about taxes and inheritance at home

Owning property abroad can have tax consequences in your own country as well as where the house is: for example on rental income, wealth or a later sale. Within the EU, the EU Succession Regulation lets you choose the law of your nationality to govern your estate, but national tax rules on inheritance still apply. Speak to a tax adviser in your home country before you buy.

8. Where to start

Browse the houses on our map, or start with the countries where most of our listings are: cheap houses in Sweden, cheap houses in France, Denmark and Norway. Not sure which country fits your budget? Compare them in the cheapest countries to buy a house in Europe, based on our own listings.