You are the owner not from signing but from the land-register entry — and between them sits the transfer tax, without which the transfer does not proceed. In parallel re-register insurance, property tax and contracts: gaps here become uncovered risk at the worst moment.
Buying: After the Sale
Signing is not the end: the transfer tax arrives (paying it is a condition for re-registration), then the notary transfers the land register — only then are you the owner.
✓ Verified: 18/07/2026
WHAT TO DO
COSTS
- €Transfer tax 3.5–6.5% (by state)
› Details and tips
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Max recommends:
I paid the transfer-tax assessment in week one — the clearance certificate went to the notary and the transfer did not stall. Delaying the tax would have cost months.
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Lea recommends:
I took out building insurance exactly on the handover day: from then the buyer bears the risk, and the seller old policy does not protect you. Even a week gap is an uninsured house.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When do I officially become the owner? ▾
Not on signing day but after the register transfer — usually weeks to months later, once the transfer tax is paid. Keys often change hands earlier per the contract.
Is building insurance mandatory? ▾
For a house effectively yes, and the financing bank requires it: building insurance covers fire, water, storm. Take it out by the handover date — with it the risk passes to you.
What about property tax after buying? ▾
The annual property tax is now yours; the tax office sends the assessment to the new owner. After the 2025 reform amounts changed — budget the current figure.