When it comes to finding a house abroad there are a few things that you should look into. A lot of different countries have different specifications when it comes to housing, with some countries not allowing you to purchase the land the house sits on, and other countries allowing you to purchase both the land and the house. Knowing regulations, visiting the house in person and other important factors are all covered in our guide on how to find a house abroad.
Regulations
Different countries have different regulations and laws when it comes to buying a house. It’s often tempting when you’re enjoying a holiday abroad to start looking at buying a house there, and either visiting it as a holiday home, or living their permanently. Our mind can wander indefinitely when we’re enjoying ourselves, but before you dive down to the estate agents, you should do a little bit of research. You should make sure that there are no major problems with the property that you’re looking at, whether there’s a contract or series of contracts, and the legal systems in each country. There’s a lot of difference in culture and tradition to take into account. The surveying profession is not as strong in most countries as it might be in Britain, but you must still look at taking professional advice. Looking at the existence of any debts, guarantees and covenants attached the property are all important, as well as the physical condition of the building.
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Don’t Get Carried Away
One of the most important parts when it comes to finding a house abroad is to not get carried away. It’s almost too easy to get drawn into estate agents abroad, particularly as many of them are geared towards expat buyers. One mistake that a lot of people make is to quickly secure the first property they are shown, or the first property that catches their eye, without too much thought about the consequences. It’s incredibly important to make sure that you always view an array of properties and go in with a critical eye, to ensure that you’re really getting the property that wins your heart, rather than the most convenient because you’re too excited to think properly. Looking at properties while you’re on holiday probably isn’t the best way to do it, as you’re not necessarily going to be as critical as you might be when you’re looking to be efficient. This means a second visit back to where you’re looking to buy is essential. For example, if you’re looking in the USA, you should make sure that you enrol on the visa waiver program so you can go to and from the US freely for two years to continually check out any properties that catch your eye on the market.
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Don’t Rely On Pictures
Viewing properties in person are always exceptionally important. Pictures on estate agent websites can often be misleading, as they are made to look good in order to increase interest in a property and ultimately to sell it. You should ensure that you don’t just rely on pictures when you’re looking to purchase a house abroad, and although you may be concerned about the cost of travelling to and from the country that you want to buy your house in, if you’re truly serious about purchasing a property abroad you should try and make sure that you view them all in person. Alternatively, you can ask someone you trust to head out there for you, but ultimately, it is only you who will know whether you truly want that property or not.
