Use three budgets, not one headline number
Start with the asking price in its stated currency. Then maintain a separate transaction-cost budget and a first-year ownership budget. This prevents a lower-priced home with significant works or running expenses from appearing automatically cheaper. WestHome shows source asking prices without inventing exchange rates or presenting a project starting price as the cost of every unit.
Ask for a written transaction breakdown
Request the applicable taxes, registry-related charges, professional fees, translation or notary costs, valuation requirements and agency remuneration for your specific circumstances. The relevant amounts and allocation depend on the transaction and should be verified by the appropriate professional. Do not treat a generic percentage found online as a binding all-in quotation. Confirm which amounts are estimates, when they are due and who receives them.
Plan for the first year
List service charges, insurance, utilities, setup expenses, furnishing and any repairs you expect to commission. A villa with a private pool and garden has a different maintenance brief from an apartment with shared facilities. Ask for the current management arrangements and known planned works. Treat expected rent as a separate scenario, not guaranteed funding for ownership costs.
Stress-test timing and currency
Consider the currency in which your funds are held, the currency of the agreement and the timing of each payment. Obtain appropriate advice on transfers and independently verify payment instructions. Leave room for circumstances that are not yet quantified. Your final decision should be based on a property-specific written agreement and independently checked facts, not a marketing calculator.
General information, not a property-specific professional opinion. Verify current requirements with an appropriately qualified independent adviser before committing.