How to pay for a property abroad in 2026: the deposit, the balance and documents for the bank

In 2026 an apartment or house abroad is paid for in 2 payments: a deposit at the preliminary contract and the balance on the day of completion or on the developer's schedule. The money goes by bank transfer to the seller, developer or notary using the details in the contract, and the receiving bank asks where it came from.

In detail

Paying for a home abroad is not one transfer but a chain of payments: the deposit, the balance, taxes and fees. Below is who is paid at each stage, which papers about the money the bank asks for, and what to do before the deposit so the completion date does not slip.

Deposit and balance: when you pay for an apartment abroad

On the resale market the buyer pays twice. The deposit is paid when the preliminary contract is signed: it fixes the price and takes the apartment off the market. The balance is transferred on the day of the main contract at the notary, or before registration of title, by the date written in the preliminary contract.

In a new building the order is different: a reservation, a first instalment under the contract with the developer and payments on the construction schedule until the building is completed. In Dubai most deals in 2026 are apartments in buildings under construction, and developers offer instalments during construction and sometimes after completion.

The parties write the size of the deposit into the preliminary contract, together with what happens to the money if the deal falls through. In Spain and Portugal a buyer who changes their mind loses the deposit, and a seller who changes their mind returns it doubled. So the deposit is sent only after the apartment and the documents on the money have been checked.

Who receives the money: the seller, the developer or the notary

The contract sets the recipient and the bank details, and the payment follows it strictly.

• The seller: to their account at a bank in the country, if the apartment is on the resale market. The recipient's name in the payment matches the name in the contract.
• The developer: to the project account on the schedule. In Dubai payment goes through the project's escrow account.
• The notary: where the deal is settled through the notary. In France since 2015 any amount above $3,400 (3,000 euros) in a home purchase is paid to the notary only by bank transfer.

A seller's request to send the money to a relative's account or to a company that is not in the contract breaks the payment trail: the receiving bank will see the mismatch and delay the credit. Bank details are confirmed by voice with the notary or the developer, and an email with new details before completion is checked by phone: this is how fraudsters swap the recipient's account.

Documents on the source of the money: what the bank will check

The sending bank and the receiving bank check a large payment for a home against one question: where the money came from. The answer is a document matched to the source of the amount. What banks ask for in 2026:

The bank checks the whole purchase amount, not just the deposit, so the documents are collected at once for the price, taxes and fees. More on each paper is in the article on proof of source of funds, and if the home is bought with money from selling a previous one, in the article on how to move home sale proceeds abroad.

How to meet the completion date: documents before the deposit

The completion date is set in the preliminary contract, while the payment and the review of a large amount follow the banks' timelines, so you start with the papers, not the transfer.

1. Before the deposit, collect documents on the source of the whole amount: the bank will check the balance too.
2. Take the details from the contract: the recipient's name, the account number, the bank code and a payment purpose with the contract number and the apartment's address.
3. Tell the receiving bank about the amount and the arrival date, if you have an account there.
4. Send the deposit and keep the bank's confirmation: it will be asked for at registration of title and for a residence permit.
5. Send the balance 5-10 business days before signing: an international payment passes through banks along the way, and the bank reviews a large amount separately.

The bank controls the crediting time, and we name our part in advance: the route and the list of documents before the start, the stages in the chat until credit. A manager will draw up the list for your deal.

What reduces the amount in an ordinary bank transfer

The seller expects the exact price from the contract, but an ordinary bank transfer delivers less. 4 things reduce the amount:

• the bank's rate when it converts your currency into the currency of the deal;
• the sending bank's fee for an international payment;
• the fees of the correspondent banks the payment passes through;
• the receiving bank's charge for an incoming transfer.

If the payment does not state that the sender bears all charges, part of the fees is deducted from the amount, and the seller receives less than the contract price. The cost of each stage depends on the route and the amount, so it is calculated for your deal.

Work out the transfer cost

Buying in Turkey, Dubai or Spain? Payment in 10 countries

Each country has its own payment detail that is settled before the deposit:

• Turkey: foreign currency is credited to a Turkish account, the bank sells it to the central bank and issues a currency purchase document. In detail: buying an apartment in Turkey and how to send money to Turkey.
• Dubai: developers offer instalments during construction, and payment goes through the project's escrow account. In detail: buying an apartment in Dubai and how to send money to the UAE.
• Spain: the deposit is paid under a deposit contract, and the way the balance will be paid is agreed with the bank and the notary in advance. In detail: buying an apartment in Spain and how to send money to Spain.
• Portugal: a deposit of 10-30% of the price is paid under the preliminary contract. In detail: buying an apartment in Portugal and how to send money to Portugal.
• France: a deposit of 5-10% of the price, and for 10 days after the preliminary contract the buyer may withdraw from the deal with the deposit refunded. In detail: buying an apartment in France and how to send money to France.
• Cyprus: money goes from the buyer's foreign account to the seller's account at a Cypriot bank on the schedule in the contract. In detail: buying an apartment in Cyprus and how to send money to Cyprus.
• Greece: an engineer checks the structures on the plot before the deposit, otherwise an extension is legalised at the buyer's expense. In detail: buying an apartment in Greece and how to send money to Greece.
• Thailand: an apartment is registered to a foreigner on the bank's document confirming that the money came from abroad in foreign currency. In detail: buying an apartment in Thailand and how to send money to Thailand.
• Georgia: payment by bank transfer confirms the price for the valuer and the tax office. In detail: buying an apartment in Georgia and how to send money to Georgia.
• Armenia: without the buyer's public services number neither the notary, the bank nor the registry can proceed. In detail: buying an apartment in Armenia and how to send money to Armenia.

FAQ