Renting, buying and the “rent first” rule
Renting, buying and the "rent first" rule
Almost every experienced expat gives the same advice, and almost every new arrival ignores it.
Rent for at least six to twelve months before buying anything. Neighbourhoods that look identical online differ enormously in noise, water pressure, internet reliability, walkability and how the light falls in winter. None of that is visible from a listing.
Property purchase by foreigners is unrestricted in most of Europe and much of Latin America, but there are meaningful exceptions. Some countries restrict coastal or border-zone land, some require a local trust structure, and some now restrict purchases tied to residence programs.
A purchase rarely buys you residence. Only a handful of programs grant residence for a property purchase, and several of the best-known ones have been narrowed or closed since 2023.
Local lease norms vary widely. Expect to be asked for a local guarantor in parts of Europe, several months of deposit in parts of Latin America, and a full-year prepayment in parts of Southeast Asia.
Registering your lease matters beyond housing. In Italy, Spain, Portugal and elsewhere the registered address is what lets you complete residence registration, get a tax number and access healthcare.
Questions about this
Should I buy before I move?
No. Rent for at least six to twelve months first. Neighbourhoods that look identical online differ enormously in noise, water pressure, internet reliability, walkability and winter light, and none of that is visible from a listing. This is the single most repeated piece of advice from people who have done it, and the most ignored.
Does buying property get me residence?
Usually not. Only a handful of programmes tie residence to a purchase, and several of the best known have closed or been narrowed since 2023, including Spain, which ended its investor route in April 2025. Verify the current status directly with that government before making a purchase decision around it.
Why does registering my lease matter?
Because in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and elsewhere the registered address is what unlocks the rest: residence registration, a tax number, healthcare enrolment and a driving licence exchange. An informal rental with no registered contract leaves you unable to complete the process you moved for.
Authoritative sources
Where anything here disagrees with one of these, the official source is right. Tell us and we will correct it.
- SSA: Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States
- SSA: Payments Abroad Screening Tool
- SSA: Totalization agreements
- Medicare: coverage outside the United States
- IRS: U.S. citizens and resident aliens abroad
- IRS: Foreign Earned Income Exclusion
- IRS: Foreign Tax Credit
- FinCEN: Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts
- IRS: United States income tax treaties A to Z
- Federal Voting Assistance Program
- Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
- U.S. embassies and consulates directory
- European Commission: Entry/Exit System
- European Commission: ETIAS official site
- HCCH: Apostille Convention status table Which countries accept an apostille, and from what date.
- U.S. Department of State: Records and Authentications Federal document authentication, including the Office of Authentications.
- U.S. Department of State: country information Entry, exit, safety and local law, country by country.
Verified Sep 7, 2026 Primary sources: travel.state.gov, www.hcch.net
This resource is provided free by Federal Apostille as an educational tool. It is not legal, tax, immigration or financial advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using it. Immigration rules, income thresholds, fees and processing times change frequently and often without notice, and consulates apply them differently. Always confirm current requirements with the official government source and the specific consulate that has jurisdiction over your U.S. state of residence before you act. Every figure on this site carries the date we last verified it and a link to the primary source.
