About Immigrate to Europe
Last Verified: August 28, 2026 Next Verification: January 2027 Currency Basis: €1 = $1.09 (August 2026)
Can an American buy property in Europe?
Yes, in almost every EU country, with no residency permit and no EU passport. Ownership carries no immigration right: you still enter under the Schengen 90/180 rule and may occupy your own house 90 days in any 180. Greece and Malta require special authorization for non-EU buyers.
The real barriers are procedural. Portugal requires a NIF, Spain an NIE, Italy a codice fiscale, and most sellers expect a local bank account. Start both early: they take weeks, not days.
Does buying a house in Europe give you residency?
No, not on its own, and the routes that linked the two have mostly closed. Spain abolished its golden visa on 3 April 2025, and Portugal removed every real estate option on 7 October 2023. As of August 2026, Greece still qualifies property, at €800,000 ($872,000) in Athens, Thessaloniki and the main islands, €400,000 ($436,000) elsewhere.
Portugal's remaining routes are a €500,000 ($545,000) regulated fund or a €250,000 ($272,500) cultural donation, neither involving property. Greek qualifying purchases must be one unit of at least 120 sqm (1,292 sqft).
If residency is the actual goal, a passive income or remote work visa is almost always cheaper than a qualifying purchase.
What is the European equivalent of Zillow?
There is none. No pan-European MLS exists, and no single site covers more than one country well. Each market has its own dominant portal: Idealista in Spain and Portugal, ImmobilienScout24 in Germany, SeLoger in France, Immobiliare.it in Italy, Funda in the Netherlands, Daft in Ireland, Immoweb in Belgium.
Coverage decides how many sites you need. Immoweb reaches roughly 90% of Belgian listings, so one site is most of that market. Bulgaria's largest portal, Imoti.net, sits under 40%. In fragmented markets, add a second portal and expect some stock never to appear online at all.
Most portals mix rentals and sales. Renting is its own problem: your US credit score means nothing to a European landlord, one-year minimum leases are standard, and in Lisbon or Porto, where one-bedrooms run €1,000-1,500/month ($1,090-$1,635/month), plan on two to three months of searching.
How do I find out what a property in Europe actually sold for?
Usually you cannot, and this is the single biggest disadvantage Americans face. No EU portal publishes historical sale prices and sale dates the way Realtor.com and Zillow do. Idealista, Immobiliare, SeLoger and the rest show asking prices only, so you cannot run your own comparables before offering.
The person assuring you the price is fair is normally paid by the seller. Ask agents for recent comparable sales rather than listings, and treat vagueness as an answer.
Before offering on anything significant, commission an independent local valuation and check whether the country keeps a public price registry. Several do, few in English.
Do you get a buyer's agent when buying property in Europe?
Usually not. The US model, where an agent owes you a duty and is paid out of the seller's commission, is not standard in Europe. In most EU markets the agent represents the seller. Assume nobody in the transaction is on your side unless you hire and pay them yourself.
Portugal runs an exclusive listing model: whichever agent lists a property is the one who shows it. If you work with Agent A and want to see Agent B's listing, Agent A must make the approach, which is slow and can cost you the property. Spanish agents cooperate more, closer to the US pattern.
Expect to work with several listing agents in parallel rather than one who shows you everything, and budget for an independent lawyer. Buyer-side costs of 1-3% are common on top of the 2-5% the seller pays.
What are the closing costs when buying a house in Europe?
Far higher than Americans expect. Budget 8-15% above the purchase price depending on country. France is the extreme: notaire fees alone add 7-8%, and as of August 2026 the transfer tax inside that figure sits at 5.8% in 97 of 101 departments. Spain runs roughly 8-12% all in.
Italy is gentler, with notary and lawyer transfer fees near 2-3%, and new builds are taxed more lightly than resale.
Get the real number in writing before you make an offer, not at signing. On a €400,000 ($436,000) purchase, the gap between 8% and 15% is €28,000 ($30,520).
Can an American get a mortgage in Europe?
Yes, on tighter terms than at home. Non-residents typically need 20-30% down, and Spanish banks commonly cap non-resident lending at 60-70% of value. Rates run roughly 2.5% to 5.5%. European lending is also age-sensitive in a way US lending is not.
Portugal caps the maximum lending age at 80, so a 70-year-old qualifies for a 10-year term and a 75-year-old for five. For couples, lenders use the oldest borrower's age, so a 75-year-old spouse shortens the term for both. France and Italy typically cap at 75-80, Spain at 75-80 at maturity.
Processing is slower than in the US: four to eight weeks in Germany, eight to ten in Italy. Talk to a local broker before you start viewing, not after. Financing capacity, not preference, usually decides what is realistic.
Which country actually fits you?
Portal coverage, agent models and lending ages decide where you can buy. They do not tell you where you would want to live.
Take the free quiz. Twelve questions, and it eliminates the countries you cannot legally qualify for before ranking the rest against what you say matters: cost, healthcare, climate, language, community. You will see why each was ruled in or out.
→ Pick your own top 5 EU countries → Read the full guide: all 27 EU portals, agent models, costs and mortgage rules country by country
Want the full picture?
Our Property Portals & Real Estate Guide goes deeper: all 27 EU portals with coverage percentages, agent models by country, closing cost breakdowns, mortgage qualification calculators, and price registry access you won't find in Q&As alone.
→ Pick your own top 5 EU countries → Read the full guide
Verified against national portal, notarial and lender guidance, August 2026. Transaction costs, mortgage terms and residency-by-investment rules change often. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.