How to buy property without seeing it in person
Buying remotely means the signing and the paperwork are resolved without you being present, normally through a power of attorney granted to a local professional. Everything else — document review, property verification, negotiation — happens the same way, only at a distance.
In short
- The key piece: a power of attorney granted before a notary in your country and apostilled.
- What does not change: due diligence: exactly the same checks as if you were there.
- What has to be compensated: not seeing the property. Replaced with a professional visit, video and document verification.
- When it is worth travelling: when the thesis depends on the immediate surroundings or the building is old.
- The real risk: not distance: delegating to someone whose interest does not match yours.
What buying remotely actually means
It does not mean buying blind. It means the formal acts — contract signature, deed, registration — are executed through representation. The buyer grants a power of attorney before a notary in their own country, it is apostilled and translated, and with it a professional in the destination country signs on their behalf.
The rest of the process is identical to an in-person purchase. The practical difference is that information about the property reaches you second hand, which is why the quality of whoever represents you matters more than in a local purchase.
How the visit is replaced
Three layers that together cover what your own eyes would see:
- Document verification: land registry extract, cadastral status, licences, plans and charges. This is what an eye cannot see even standing in the room.
- Professional technical visit: someone with judgement — in our case, architects on the team — assessing structural condition, finishes and renovation cost.
- Unedited footage: continuous video of the property and the entrance, not the listing’s curated photo selection.
The power of attorney, step by step
- The power is drafted with specific powers limited to that transaction.
- It is granted before a notary in your country of residence.
- It is apostilled, if both countries are party to the Hague Convention.
- It is translated by a sworn translator into the language of the destination country.
- The original is sent to the professional who will sign.
The power should be specific rather than general: that purchase, that property and those powers only.
When travelling is worth it
Three situations where we recommend going. When the property is old and the risk of a construction surprise is high. When the thesis depends on the immediate surroundings — noise, access, neighbourhood — that no document reflects. And when the amount is a significant part of your wealth and you need the reassurance of having seen it.
The risk that actually matters
It is not distance: it is the conflict of interest. If whoever represents you earns a percentage of the price, or works for the seller, the information asymmetry runs against you and you are thousands of kilometres away from checking. Before delegating, ask who pays each person involved and what they gain if you buy.
Frequently asked questions
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