How to buy a house or villa in Austria

Anyone wishing to move to Austria for permanent residence sooner or later think about finding a suitable housing. At first, many rent housing, but later they often buy their own, for greater comfort and stability.
When choosing, many people prefer apartments, but people with families tend to buy a house - they are more spacious and in many ways more comfortable. Foreigners in Austria can either rent a house or buy it into property. We will tell you more about the features of houses in Austria in this article.

Where to choose a house in Austria?

In this country, you can choose a house based on individual preferences and available budget. If the development of infrastructure in the immediate vicinity of the house is important (cafes, restaurants, shopping and entertainment centers, museums, etc.), then it is worth considering the villas in Vienna or Salzburg. Such objects attract attention with their original architecture, finishing from expensive materials and author's design.
The Austrian capital has been recognized as the best city to live in by the Mercer agency for 9 years in a row. According to analysts, the main advantages of the city are a high level of safety and health care, a developed transport system, and a good environment.
Salzburg is one of the most beautiful and popular regions in Austria for recreation and living, due to its convenient location relative to the airports of Vienna and Munich, the presence of a large city and a huge number of high quality ski resorts.
Houses for a more modest budget can be found in many other provincial towns. Beautiful views of natural landscapes open from the windows of such houses. Russian citizens can buy real estate in Austria. To do this, they will need to first obtain permission to purchase the object from local authorities. It is also possible to register an object for an Austrian legal entity.

Pros and cons of buying a house

Buying a house in Austria is a good decision for many reasons, but this option also has its drawbacks.
One of the main and obvious advantages of buying a house is capital preservation. Austria is a country with a high level of political and economic stability. Real estate here does not get cheaper even during crises; since 2004, housing prices have only been growing.
In addition, by purchasing a house in the resort areas of Austria, you can also make money on it. If you do not plan to live there permanently, during your absence, the house can be rented out to tourist families.
Among the disadvantages of buying a house, it can be noted that as a source of income it is somewhat inferior to the purchase of apartments in popular cities of Austria: due to the higher cost of the object, the net profit will be lower, in addition, the demand for houses is lower than for apartments.
It is also important to take into account the procedure of registering a house purchase: in most popular resort regions this procedure is not so simple - citizens of countries outside the European Union can purchase housing only for a legal entity. However, the plus of houses is that they can be purchased for living in other regions of the country, where the legal procedure will be easier - foreigners as individuals can purchase houses there, with the permission of the authorities.
The procedure for opening a legal entity and the subsequent acquisition of a house in Austria is generally not so complicated; many law firms are ready to carry out such transactions for foreigners. However, this will take some time and entail extra costs, which may be unacceptable for some persons.

How much can cost a house in Austria?

The cost of houses is obviously highly dependent on the region. So, in Lower Austria, you can easily buy a good house for 180 thousand euros. At the same time, villas in the vicinity of Vienna cost from 2 million euros.
As for Upper Austria, houses near the capital of the region cost from 250 thousand euros. In Tyrol, you can buy a house at a price of 370 thousand, and in Salzburg - from 600.

Pros and cons of renting a house

An obvious plus of renting compared to buying a house is the simplicity of the legal procedure: even if you are a foreigner, renting a house will not be a problem.
In addition, property taxes are quite high in Austria, especially if you own a large house. By renting a home, you will avoid these expenses, as well as many others associated with home maintenance.
The main disadvantage is the inability to dispose of the house at your own discretion, make changes, repairs, and so on.
As for the rental price, it all depends on the region and city in which you want to rent the house: in many small cities in Austria, renting a house will cost you about the same money as renting an apartment in large cities such as Vienna or Salzburg. But in general the average price for small houses starts from 1000 euros.

What should be considered when renting a house?

First, it is worth remembering that the minimum rental period is usually three years. If you do not plan to rent a house for such a period, it is worth discussing it separately with the owner.
Also, when renting a house, you always have to pay a security deposit. In the case of high-value houses, it can be the equivalent of six months' rent. But usually the owner asks for the equivalent of a three month rent.

Conclusion

1. The choice of buying or renting a home depends primarily on your personal plans and the budget that you have at your disposal.
2. When buying a house, it is important to clarify whether it is possible for foreigners in the region where you have chosen the house. If not, you should think about the procedure for acquiring real estate for a legal entity.
3. Renting a house on average in the country costs from 1000 euros per month. You also have to pay a mandatory security deposit.