The words you will meet

AFM

Greece

Your Greek tax number. You need it to buy, rent, open a bank account or sign up for utilities.

Agibilità

Italy

The certificate that a building is fit to live in. Your notary or surveyor should check it exists before the final deed.

AJD (Actos Jurídicos Documentados)

Spain

A regional stamp duty on certain deeds. Buyers of new homes pay it on top of VAT, usually between 0.75% and 1.5% of the price.

Apostille

International

A certificate that makes a public document (birth certificate, power of attorney, degree) valid in other countries that signed the Hague Convention. Ask for it in the country that issued the document.

Arras

Spain

The preliminary contract and the deposit paid with it, usually 10%. Under the common arras penitenciales, a buyer who pulls out loses the deposit and a seller who pulls out repays it twice over.

Bail

France

A residential lease. Unfurnished leases run three years (six with a company landlord), furnished ones one year, and a bail mobilité one to ten months for temporary stays.

Betreibungsauszug

Switzerland

An extract from the debt-collection register (extrait du registre des poursuites in French) showing whether anyone has started debt proceedings against you. Swiss landlords ask for it with almost every application.

Cadastre

Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Greece

The public tax register of land and buildings, with an official (cadastral) value that is usually below the market price. Many property taxes are calculated on it.

Caparra confirmatoria

Italy

The deposit paid with the preliminary contract. If the buyer withdraws, the seller keeps it; if the seller withdraws, they repay twice the amount.

Carte de séjour

Monaco, France

A residence card. In Monaco you need one to live there for more than three months a year, based on suitable housing, proof of means and a clean record.

Caução

Portugal

A rental deposit. Deposits and advance rent are each capped at two months' rent.

Caution

France, Switzerland

In French, either the rental deposit or a guarantor who promises to pay if the tenant does not. Read which one a landlord means.

Certidão permanente

Portugal

An online land registry certificate showing the owner and any charges on a property. Your lawyer should check a current one before you sign the promissory contract.

Codice fiscale

Italy

Your Italian tax code. You need it to buy, rent, open a bank account or sign a utility contract.

Completion

England, international

The day the balance is paid and the property becomes yours. In civil-law countries it is the signing of the deed before a notary.

Compromesso

Italy

The preliminary contract of sale, signed with a deposit. It should be registered within 20 days.

Compromis de vente

France

The preliminary contract of sale. The buyer has ten days to withdraw without penalty after signing, and usually pays a deposit of 5–10%.

Comunidad de propietarios

Spain

The owners' community of a building or development, which manages shared areas and charges monthly fees. Ask for the minutes of its recent meetings before you buy.

Conveyancing

England

The legal work of transferring a property, done by a solicitor or licensed conveyancer who acts for you.

Council tax

United Kingdom

A local tax paid by whoever lives in a home, owner or tenant, based on the property's band and the council.

CPCV (Contrato-promessa de compra e venda)

Portugal

The promissory contract signed before the deed, with a deposit (sinal) often of 10–30%. If the buyer pulls out, the seller keeps the deposit; if the seller does, they owe double.

DLD

United Arab Emirates

The Dubai Land Department, which registers property and tenancy contracts, sets the transfer fee and handles the property golden visa.

Ejari

United Arab Emirates

Dubai's system for registering tenancy contracts. You need a registered contract for utilities, residence visas and disputes.

ENFIA

Greece

The annual property tax, worked out from the location, size, age and use of each property you own on 1 January.

Escritura

Spain, Portugal

The public deed of sale, signed before a notary and then registered at the land registry. In Portugal the state's Casa Pronta service can do the same at a registry office.

État des lieux

France

The inventory of a rental home's condition at move-in and move-out. The deposit is returned within one month if the two match, or two months if not.

Euribor

Euro area

The reference interest rate for most variable mortgages in the euro area. Your rate is Euribor plus the bank's margin.

Exchange of contracts

England

The moment a purchase becomes binding, usually with a 10% deposit. Before exchange, either side can walk away without penalty.

Fiador

Portugal, Spain

A guarantor who agrees to pay the rent if the tenant does not. Landlords often ask newcomers without local income for one.

Fianza

Spain

The rental deposit: one month's rent for an unfurnished home, two for a seasonal let. Extra guarantees on standard homes are capped at two months.

FIRPTA

United States

The rule that makes a buyer withhold part of the price (usually 15%) when a foreign person sells US property, as an advance on their tax.

Frais de notaire

France

"Notary fees", most of which are taxes: around 7–8% of the price on an older home and 2–3% on a new one.

Golden visa

International

A residence permit granted for an investment. Spain and Portugal no longer give one for buying property; Greece, the UAE and Turkey still link residence to property above set values.

Grundbuch

Switzerland

The land register (registre foncier in French), which records owners, mortgages and rights over each property.

Handänderungssteuer

Switzerland

A property transfer tax charged by some cantons. Zürich charges none; Geneva charges a 3% registration duty instead.

IBI

Spain

The annual property tax charged by the town hall on a property's cadastral value.

IMI

Portugal

The annual municipal property tax, 0.3–0.45% of the property's tax value for urban property.

IMT

Portugal

The property transfer tax paid by the buyer. Since May 2026 non-residents buying a home pay a flat 7.5%, with a refund route if they become resident or let long-term.

IMU

Italy

The municipal property tax on second homes, based on the cadastral value. A main home is exempt unless it is in a luxury category.

Inventory

International

A signed list of a rental home's contents and condition, with photos and meter readings. It is your proof when the deposit is returned.

IRNR

Spain

Income tax for non-residents. It applies to rent from a Spanish property and, for homes that are not let, to an imputed income each year.

ITP

Spain

The transfer tax on resale homes, set by each region: 7% in Andalucía, 6% in Madrid, and up to 10% or more elsewhere.

IVA

Spain, Italy, Portugal

Value added tax. On a new home bought from a developer it usually replaces transfer tax: 10% in Spain and in Italy for most homes.

Kaution

Switzerland, Germany

A rental deposit. In Switzerland it is capped at three months' rent and held in a blocked bank account in the tenant's name.

Lex Koller

Switzerland

The federal law restricting property purchases by people living abroad and by many non-EU residents. Holiday homes are possible only in designated areas under quotas.

Licença de utilização

Portugal

The habitation licence that confirms a building can be used as a home. Check it before you sign.

Licencia de primera ocupación

Spain

The licence confirming a new or renovated home can be lived in. Utilities and mortgages may depend on it.

Loan-to-value (LTV)

International

The loan as a percentage of the property's value. Non-residents usually get a lower LTV than residents, often 50–70%.

NIE

Spain

The identification number for foreigners. You need it to buy, sign most contracts and pay tax.

NIF

Portugal, Spain

The tax identification number. In Portugal everyone needs one to rent, buy, open a bank account or sign up for utilities.

Nota simple

Spain

A short extract from the land registry showing the owner, size and any mortgages or charges on a property.

Notary

Continental Europe

A public official who drafts or checks the deed, confirms identities, collects taxes and registers the sale. A notary must stay neutral and is not your lawyer.

OIB

Croatia

The personal identification and tax number. You need it to buy, rent, register utilities or open a bank account.

Padrón

Spain

Registration on the town hall's list of residents (empadronamiento). It is needed for school places, health care and many other services.

Plusvalía municipal

Spain

A town hall tax on the increase in land value, due when a property is sold, usually paid by the seller.

Prezzo-valore

Italy

A rule that lets private buyers of homes pay registration tax on the cadastral value rather than the price, which is usually much lower.

Reference interest rate

Switzerland

The national rate (Referenzzinssatz, taux de référence) that governs rent changes. Tenants can ask for a cut when it falls.

Rogito

Italy

The final deed of sale, signed before a notary.

SARON

Switzerland

The Swiss franc reference interest rate used for variable mortgages.

SDLT

England

Stamp Duty Land Tax, charged in bands on the purchase price, with surcharges for buyers who own another home and for non-residents.

Sinal

Portugal

The deposit paid with the promissory contract (CPCV). If you pull out you lose it; if the seller does, they owe you double.

Snagging

International

Checking a new home for defects at handover and listing them for the developer to fix.

Tasación

Spain

The bank's valuation of a property. The mortgage is based on the lower of this value and the price.

Tax residency

International

The country that taxes you on your worldwide income. Most use a 183-day test plus ties such as your home and family; treaties decide when two countries both claim you.

Taxe d'habitation

France

A local tax now charged mainly on second homes, sometimes with a surcharge in high-demand areas.

Taxe foncière

France

The annual property tax paid by whoever owns the property on 1 January.

TIE

Spain

The foreigner identity card issued to non-EU residents once their permit is granted.

Usufruct

International

The right to use a property and its income without owning it. A usufruct registered on a home you buy can stop you living in it.

Visura

Italy

An extract from the land registry or cadastre, used to check ownership, charges and the cadastral value.

Zemljišna knjiga

Croatia

The land register at the municipal court. Check that the seller is registered as owner and the property is free of charges.