Investment Property in Austria
In considering an overview of real estate in Austria, the most striking fact associated with real property in that country is the fact that overall the costs associated with real estate in Austria is higher than any other country in Europe. In addition, the cost of living in Austria generally is higher than any other country in Europe at the present time.
With this in mind, it is also important to note that the tax rate in Austria when it comes to the buying and selling of real estate in that country also runs rather high. For example, any capital gains that are experienced on the sale of real estate is taxed in Austria as regular income at the significant rate of 34%. There are exceptions to this taxation. First of all, a piece of real estate that is used as a primary residence is exempt from this tax. Additionally, all real estate that is held for ten yours or more is exempt from this taxation as well. Therefore, many people, including foreign nationals, hold on to investment real estate for at least ten years before turning around and selling the property for a profit.
As will be discussed in greater detail later, foreign nationals have a history of investing in real estate in Austria. In recent years, significant steps have been taken and made to streamline and simplify the manner in which foreign nationals can invest in real estate in Austria. This particular is true when it comes to foreign nationals from the countries that make up the European Union.
A foreign national that is interested in investing in real estate in Austria needs to keep in mind that the cost of real estate in that country is higher than in any other country in Europe. Thus, for the most part, individuals who find themselves investing in real estate in Austria tend to be a bit better heeled and tend to have a higher amount of disposable income.
The tax implications of buying and selling real estate in Austria also need to be kept in mind when it comes to a foreign national making an investment in real estate in that country. These implications are set forth and discussed previously .
Residential Real Estate in Austria – Single Family Properties
Foreign nationals do make the purchase of single family residences and dwellings in Austria with some regularity. Far and above, the greatest number of foreign nationals who are purchasing single family residences in Austria are Germans. Italians are coming in at second place with citizens from other EU nations coming in rather far behind. Of course, there are some people from other nations that are also making the purchase of single family residences in Austria.
Most people who are foreign nationals who are purchasing real estate in Austria are doing to to establish second homes. For the most part, these homes are being used as retreats and for holiday purposes .
A Look at the Austrian Property Market
Austria has been among the leading lights for the European unity and is largely due to its efforts that the European Union, in the modern times, has seen the light of day.
As highlighted earlier, Austria is the costliest place to live in the whole of Europe. This means that unfortunately, the property scenario in Austria is not too encouraging for the investors of present times. The higher cost of living has, indeed, played a spoilsport for the potential investors. European Union membership notwithstanding, Austria has not seen any surge of investor interest, primarily because of high property prices within the country.
Austria has done well by relaxing the laws in terms of foreign ownership of property, but still buyers want the Austrian government to address the issue of high property prices of every commodity before even thinking of investing in Austrian real estate. Rough estimates indicate that a Studio Apartment is not available in Austria below £50,000 and a 2-bedroom apartment starts from a whopping £70,000 and if you are planning an independent house in Austria, be prepared to shell out at least £180,000 to realize your property. It’s not only the price, but also the tax structure that is quite stringent in Austria. Any capital gains on the sale of real estate are taxed as regular income at the exorbitant rate of 34%.
Being a tourist spot, vacation and holiday property around the Alps is your best bet for investment in Austria. A year-round influx of tourists means you have regular rental income from the holiday properties in and around the ski resorts. The majority of the population in Austria live in and around cities like Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna, resultantly; these places are the ones to look out for in terms of real estate investment.
The country comprises Germans and Italians as the primary groups of foreigners who have either settled down here or made Austria their second home destination.
The restrictions for non-EU foreign investors are more stringent than the EU ones. Thus, the Brits will find the going easier as far as the legalities and administrative procedure pertaining to owning a property in Austria is concerned.
The countries peculiar real estate laws means that all foreign investors should seriously consider hiring an expert real estate agent or a local attorney to take care of all the official formalities entailing the registration of property. The expert help will also come in handy if you decide to finance your property purchase through a local Austrian bank.
Tags : Austrian Business, Austrian Real Estate, Austrian Tourism