Buying property in Austria as a foreigner

Yes, foreigners can buy property in Austria, but the rules depend on your citizenship. Any EU citizen has the same rights as Austrians when it comes to purchasing property, although there are strict regulations on how certain types of property can and cannot be used.

These restrictions apply equally to Austrians and EU nationals. For EU citizens, the process of buying a property is relatively straightforward, though the exact rules can vary slightly depending on the province.

Since Brexit, UK citizens are now treated as “third country nationals,” meaning they are classed as non-EU citizens. This makes it extremely difficult for British passport holders and other non-EU buyers to purchase property in many of Austria’s most popular alpine regions.

There are a few limited exceptions, such as properties in a designated second home region or zweitwohnsitzgebiet, but these are exceptionally rare.

Another possible route is through company ownership: for example, buying a property held in an EU-based company, or setting up a new company to purchase property. However, recent rule changes require that at least 50% of the shareholders must be EU citizens.

No, Austria does not offer residency or citizenship in exchange for buying property.

Owning property in Austria is an investment, not a residency permit. EU citizens can stay indefinitely, while non-EU buyers are generally limited to 90 days per 180 unless they successfully apply for longer-term residency.