Purchase costs hit at the very beginning. Depending on the country, these can include stamp duty, notarial charges, registration fees, the cost of legal advice and agency commission. As a working assumption, set aside a meaningful percentage on top of the price, and confirm the exact rates locally.

Annual property taxes come next. Assessment methods differ from place to place, and certain jurisdictions charge different rates depending on residency. Where the property sits empty most of the time, additional levies can apply.

Service charges are easy to underestimate. A flat cheap houses in maryland a complex with a swimming pool, a lift and round-the-clock security comes with recurring costs that keep coming regardless of occupancy. Ask villas for sale in paris and the suburbs the last two or three years of accounts before signing, and enquire about any planned major works.

Being far away adds a category of its own. Someone must hold keys apartments for sale in cordoba emergencies, deal with mail and official notices, and organise routine maintenance. A management company normally charges a percentage of the rent, france houses and going without it usually proves costly in the long run.

Insurance, utility standing charges and exit costs finish the budget. Capital gains tax often applies even to a non-resident owner, occasionally at a higher rate. A good discipline means putting together a five-year cost model before you commit — the total tends to exceed what the buyer imagined.