Step one remains whether foreigners may own property there at all. A number of countries permit full ownership of bulgaria apartments for sale while restricting agricultural cheap land for sale in spain; elsewhere, governments ask for a corporate vehicle or a long lease in place of direct title. Such restrictions change periodically, so verify them for the current year, bang tao property not from an old forum post.
What follows concerns the legal status of the property. An independent legal adviser should check the title, existing charges, construction approvals and whether the vendor is actually the person entitled to sell. In several jurisdictions, outstanding service charges attach to the property, not the person who ran them up.
Money requires as much attention as the property. Opening a local bank account tends to be necessary for the transfer, and local banks typically ask where the funds came from. Currency conversion can change the final figure noticeably, so it is worth comparing providers.
The reservation agreement typically comes before anything binding: a modest payment takes the listing off the market while checks are completed. Pay attention to the refund conditions if the inspection reveals something serious. A properly written clause refunds the deposit when the problem lies with the property.
Closing generally occurs before a public notary or a registered conveyancing agent, according to local practice. The new title only becomes final when the register is updated, which can take days or months. Keep all the paperwork — contracts, proof of taxes paid and the ownership certificate. You will need them when you sell.
