Questions, answered honestly
The twelve questions readers ask us most, with the caveats left in.
They are indicative figures built from current asking prices on the main local portals, adjusted where good data lets us. We label every city with a data grade (A, B or C) and an as-of date, and we never present an asking price as a completed sale price. Where markets are thin, we say so.
In most of our coverage, yes, with conditions that vary: full freehold in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece and the UK; designated freehold zones in the UAE, Qatar and Oman; condo quotas in Thailand; long renewable terms in Vietnam and Indonesia; minimum prices for foreigners in Malaysia. Each city page states the rule for that market.
As of our latest update: the UAE (from AED 750k), Turkey (residence permits for owners, citizenship from 400k dollars), Greece (golden visa from 250k euros in select areas), Cyprus (permanent residency from 300k euros in new builds), Oman (ITC purchases) and Qatar (from about 200k dollars). Spain and Portugal ended their golden visas; buying there no longer brings residency.
It is a residence permit for people whose income comes from outside the country, typically a remote salary or an online business. Most require proof of monthly income (commonly 2,500 to 3,500 euros in Europe), health insurance and a clean record. Our visa wizard narrows the realistic options for your situation in five questions.
It ranges from about 4 percent in Dubai or Bulgaria to 10 to 13 percent in Spain and Italy. Every city page carries an all-in costs section, and our cost checklist walks the full list, including the lines people forget: currency conversion, surveys and the first year of running costs.
No, and treat anyone who guarantees a yield with suspicion. We show indicative gross ranges from local data. Net returns after fees, taxes, voids and management are always lower, and we would rather you plan on that.
Often, yes. Spain and Portugal commonly lend 60 to 70 percent to non-residents, the UAE has established non-resident programmes, and the UK lends to overseas buyers at a premium. Turkey, Albania and much of southeast Asia are effectively cash markets for foreigners.
No. We are not estate agents, we hold no listings and no developer pays to be ranked. Where we link to properties, we link to the main public portals for that market. Partner placements, where they exist, are labelled as such.
Three habits beat most traps: use your own independent lawyer, never the seller’s; compare on price per square metre against the city page figures; and never buy on the first trip. Our viewing-trip checklist is built around exactly this.
Most non-EU passports can spend 90 days in any rolling 180-day window across the whole Schengen area without a visa. Owning property does not extend it. Part-year owners often pair a Schengen home with time in Albania, Montenegro or Turkey, which run separate clocks.
Off-plan can be the best value and the biggest risk in the same market. Safety depends on escrow rules: Dubai requires payments into regulated escrow accounts, Spain requires bank guarantees on stage payments. Where protections are weaker, we say so on the city page, and completed resales are the calmer route.
Every city page shows an as-of date and a data grade, and we re-check visa rules when countries announce changes. If you spot something that has moved before we have, tell us through the contact page; readers are our best early-warning system.