A Second Home Abroad: What to Consider Before You Buy
Many people choose a house by the sea or an apartment in a favourite city with their hearts. The decision will be a good one if it is joined by a sober assessment of how you will use the place, who will look after it and what buying in a foreign country involves. Here are the questions worth asking in advance.
The idea of a home of your own by the sea, where you can go at any time, is appealing. But a second home abroad is not just a place for holidays. It is a property in a different legal environment, in a different language, and often hundreds of kilometres from where you spend most of the year. Before you start looking at specific listings, it is worth getting a few things clear.
Start by asking how you will use the place
The most important decision is not made at the viewing, but much earlier. How many weeks a year will you actually spend there? Will you go only in summer, or also out of season? Will the house serve mainly your family, or do you expect to let it out from time to time?
Almost everything else depends on the answers:
- Size and layout. A house for regular visits from friends and extended family needs a different layout from an apartment for two.
- Type of location. A busy resort is lively in summer, but out of season it can feel deserted. A quieter place, on the other hand, means a longer journey to services.
- Maintenance demands. A garden, swimming pool or extensive terraces need care even when you are not there.
If you are considering letting the property, check in advance whether, and under what conditions, the local rules in the area allow it. These may differ by country, region and municipality.
Accessibility matters more than it seems
A second home that is difficult to reach gradually stops being used. When choosing a location, therefore, think about the whole journey "door to door": connections from Prague, the distance from the airport, whether you will need a car on site.
Everyday amenities are just as important. Where is the nearest shop, doctor, or a restaurant that is open out of season? What is life like there in November, not just in August? If possible, visit the location in different seasons before you decide.
Viewing on site and due diligence on the property
Good-quality photographs and video will help with initial orientation and save unnecessary trips. But they are no substitute for a personal visit. Only on site will you see how the house sits in its surroundings, how much street noise there is, where the sun falls during the day, or what the access road is like.
During the viewing, focus in particular on:
- technical condition – the roof, damp, the condition of the pool and technical systems, security,
- surroundings – neighbouring plots, planned construction, views that may not be preserved,
- running costs – energy, garden and pool maintenance, insurance, any charges associated with shared areas.
For properties with more extensive facilities, it is a good idea to ask an independent expert who knows local building practices to carry out a technical inspection.
Legal and tax matters: you cannot do without a local expert
A purchase abroad is governed by the law of the country where the property is located. The procedure, the roles of the individual parties, the documents required and the way ownership is registered may differ significantly from Czech practice. It is therefore sensible to work with an independent local lawyer who will protect your interests alone.
In particular, the following should be checked:
- who the actual owner is, and whether the property is subject to any debt or other encumbrance,
- whether the building and all its parts comply with the permits,
- what the conditions are for the use of the land and surrounding area under local planning rules.
Do not forget about taxes either. Owning property abroad usually has tax implications both in the country where the property is located and in the Czech Republic, whether on purchase, during ownership, when letting, or on a future sale or inheritance. The specific impact differs from case to case, so it is advisable to discuss it with a tax adviser before signing any contract.
Who will look after the house when you are not there
This question is often forgotten at the time of purchase, yet it affects day-to-day satisfaction with the property more than anything. A house that stands empty for most of the year needs regular checks, maintenance of the garden and technical systems, cleaning before your arrival, and someone who can react quickly when something goes wrong.
Before buying, therefore, find out:
- whether there are reliable property management companies in the area,
- how security and remote monitoring are handled,
- who your contact person on site will be, and in what language you will communicate with them.
How the property is equipped is also a useful guide. For example, a villa in Tossa de Mar on the Costa Brava with five bedrooms and four bathrooms offers an infinity pool, a hot tub, several sunny terraces, a home gym, a children's playground and a garage for three vehicles. Such facilities are comfortable for family stays, but they also mean that the pool, the technical systems and the security system need to be maintained on an ongoing basis. When thinking about a purchase, it is therefore good to factor in management, not just the price of the property itself.
Think about the future too
Life circumstances change. Children grow up, work commitments change, and travel may become more demanding. Before you decide, consider how easily the property could be sold in future or passed on to other family members. It also helps to ask whether the house would still suit you in ten years, or whether it is more of an answer to your current needs.
It is also sensible to think through in whose name the property will be registered and how it will be settled within the family in future. This too is a matter for a lawyer and a tax adviser, not for a last-minute decision.
Decide calmly and with enough information
A second home abroad can be a place your family enjoys returning to. To make it truly so, it pays to give the decision time, get to know the location, have the property properly checked, and know in advance who will look after it.
Besides Prague, we also work in Costa Brava and Dalmatia. You will find our current offer in the Properties section, and an overview of our services on the Services page. If you are considering a second home abroad and want to clarify first what would suit you, get in touch – we will gladly talk through your ideas with you.