In brief
In most of the countries we know, an orderly resale transaction takes between about one and about three months from the first contract to registration, and a transaction financed by a mortgage is usually longer. A purchase from a developer follows the construction schedule, and inheritance and land purchases are sometimes measured in many months. The timeframes here are typical and are not a commitment, and the most common delay comes from preparing the documents in Israel and from special permits for foreigners.
Key takeaways
- 1The timeframes in the table are accepted estimates from professional sources and market experience, not statutory deadlines and not a promise.
- 2The documents from Israel (apostille, translation, power of attorney, local tax number) are usually the first stage to be delayed, and they can be prepared even before you choose a property.
- 3In Cyprus and Greece, a special permit for a buyer who is not an EU citizen, in cases where it is required, can lengthen the transaction.
- 4When buying from a developer, the date of registration in your name depends on completion of construction and the approvals that follow, not on the contract you signed.
- 5In Ukraine, as of October 2026, there is no timeframe that can be set in advance: the transaction depends on the restrictions of martial law and on the notary’s access to the registry.
Why is it important to know in advance how long the transaction will take?
Because the timeline determines when the money needs to be available, when the power of attorney is signed, and when the reporting obligations in Israel begin. If you plan a transfer according to an unrealistic date, you may pay interest on a bridging loan, miss a deadline in the contract or arrive at the signing with a document missing.
The timeframes in this guide are based on professional sources in each country and on the detailed guides on the site. They describe an “ordinary” transaction, in which the property is clean, the parties agree and the documents are ready. Any departure from this description lengthens the time.
What usually determines the pace of the transaction?
Usually neither the price nor the seller, but four things: the documents from Israel, the tax identification number in the country of the property, the movement of funds and the mortgage, and special permits for foreigners. The first three depend mainly on you, so you can start on them even before a property is chosen.
- Documents from Israel: a notarial power of attorney, an apostille and a certified translation into the language of the country. When the English name in the passport differs from the spelling in another document, a round of corrections begins.
- Local tax number: NIF in Romania and Portugal, AFM in Greece, codice fiscale in Italy. Without the number there is no bank account and no signing.
- Money: a large international transfer triggers a source-of-funds check at the bank in Israel and at the receiving bank. A prepared document file shortens it.
- Permits for foreigners: in certain countries, and for certain types of property, prior approval is required for a buyer who is not an EU citizen.
How long does buying a resale apartment take in each country?
In most of the countries in the table, a resale transaction without a mortgage closes within one to three months of the preliminary contract or of an accepted offer. A mortgage usually adds a few weeks. The table summarises the typical timeframes and the main bottleneck in each country, as of October 2026.
| Country | Typical resale timeframe | Main bottleneck |
|---|---|---|
| Romania | About one to three months from the preliminary contract to registration, plus about two to four weeks of advance preparation (estimate) | Tax number (NIF), a notarial power of attorney with an apostille and translation, and a mortgage if there is one (about three to six weeks from a complete file, estimate) |
| Greece | About 8 to 12 weeks from locating the property to the final contract in an orderly transaction | AFM and a bank account, the property’s electronic identity certificate, and in border areas a prior permit for a buyer who is not an EU citizen |
| Cyprus | The contract itself is signed relatively quickly; the transfer in the registry depends on the existence of a separate title deed | Council of Ministers permit for a buyer who is not an EU citizen (according to professional guides, the Ministry of Interior estimates about two to three weeks, and in practice it varies), and properties without a separate title deed |
| Bulgaria | About 30 to 60 days from the preliminary agreement to registration | Due diligence, a power of attorney from Israel and certificates from the municipality and the property registry; when buying land through a company, also setting up the company |
| USA | Usually about one to two months from the contract to closing when there is financing; without financing sometimes faster (estimate) | Loan approval, the title search, and opening an American bank account from Israel. The lender must deliver the Closing Disclosure three business days before closing |
| Italy | According to a professional guide: compromesso about two to six weeks after the offer is accepted, and rogito about one to three months after it | Codice fiscale, and the notary’s requirement for a translation or a power of attorney when the buyer is not fluent in Italian |
| Portugal | According to professional sources: about 4 to 6 weeks from the CPCV to the escritura without a mortgage, and 8 to 12 weeks with a mortgage | NIF, and in some cases a tax representative, and the bank’s approval in a financed transaction |
| Ukraine | We have not found a source that allows a timeframe to be set, as of October 2026 | The restrictions of martial law, the notary’s access to the State Register of Rights, and a list of approved notaries for certain transactions |
The table describes orderly transactions. A charge that needs to be removed, an heir who has not signed, a building irregularity or a change in legislation can lengthen any of the timeframes, so do not book a flight or schedule a transfer of funds according to the short end of the range.
And what about a purchase from a developer, an inheritance or land?
In these three types of transaction, the time is determined mainly by an external factor: the construction schedule, the inheritance procedure or an authority that must give approval. The following table summarises what determines the time in each of them.
| Type of transaction | What determines the time | Examples from the countries |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase from a developer (off-plan) | The construction schedule in the contract, followed by acceptance of the building, the final contract and registration | In Romania, a reservation agreement is limited to 60 days, and the preliminary contract is signed only after the building permit has been registered; in Bulgaria ownership of the unit is tied to the Act 14 and Act 16 stages; in Cyprus a separate title deed for the unit may be delayed for years |
| Inheritance | The statutory deadlines for declarations and for accepting the inheritance, and a local procedure before a notary or in court | In Romania, one year to accept the inheritance when Romanian law applies; in the USA a probate procedure can take a year or more; in Portugal the tax declaration is filed by the end of the third month after the death |
| Land | Pre-emption rights, permits for foreigners and planning checks | In Romania, agricultural land outside the built-up area goes through a pre-emption procedure: 45 working days of public display plus further approval stages; in Bulgaria a buyer who is not an EU citizen usually acquires land through a local company; in Greece and Cyprus a permit is sometimes required |
When buying from a developer, it is advisable to distinguish between two dates: the handover date, when you receive the keys, and the registration date, when the property is registered in your name. Your real protection is linked to the second date, and that is also the date to which it is advisable to link the balance of the payment. On inheritance, see also the guide for heirs on the first 90 days.
What delays transactions by buyers from Israel?
Most delays in transactions by buyers from abroad recur and are not related to the property itself. They stem from the distance, from the language and from the fact that every Israeli document needs preparation in order to be accepted in another country.
- A power of attorney that does not fit the act. A general power of attorney that does not expressly authorise buying, selling or charging, or whose wording the local notary does not accept.
- Translation before the apostille. The reverse order requires a new translation.
- Name mismatch. A different spelling of the name in the passport, the identity card and the bank confirmation.
- A money transfer that is stopped. The bank asks for documents on the source of the money on the day the money should already have arrived.
- A mortgage started late. An approval in principle before signing a preliminary contract saves pressure at the end.
- A permit for foreigners that was not checked. In Cyprus, in Greece in border areas, and when buying land in other countries.
How can the timeline be shortened without skipping checks?
Prepare what you can before choosing a property, and check what must not be skipped before you pay. Checking ownership, charges and permits is not the place to save time, but most of the bureaucratic preparation can be carried out in parallel with the search.
- Obtain a tax number in the destination country and open a bank account while you are still searching.
- Sign a limited and precise power of attorney, drafted in advance with the local notary.
- Put together a source-of-funds file: payslips, sale confirmations, loan and gift agreements, with a translation where required.
- Request an approval in principle for the mortgage before the preliminary contract.
- Check in advance whether the property or the area requires a permit for a foreigner, and build the contract dates around the permit.
What to do before setting a signing date, and how we assist
Before committing to a date in the contract, it is advisable to build a reverse timeline: from the desired signing date backwards, with every document, approval and transfer that must be ready by then, and with a margin for delays. We help build this timeline, prepare the documents in Israel and coordinate with the local notary and lawyer in the country of the property, so that the dates in the contract match what can actually be met.
The timeframes here are general estimates as of October 2026, from professional sources and from the guides on the site. They are not binding deadlines and are not a commitment regarding any specific transaction, and every transaction should be checked with a professional in the country of the property.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to buy an apartment in Romania from Israel?
In an orderly resale transaction, usually one to three months from the preliminary contract to registration, plus a few weeks of advance preparation. A mortgage usually adds a few weeks. When buying from a developer, the date is set according to the construction schedule.
How long does a real estate transaction in Greece take?
According to professional sources, an orderly transaction usually takes 8 to 12 weeks from locating the property to the final contract. In border areas, a buyer who is not an EU citizen needs a prior permit, and this may lengthen the process.
How long does it take to close a transaction in Portugal?
According to professional sources, about 4 to 6 weeks from the CPCV to the escritura when there is no mortgage, and about 8 to 12 weeks with a mortgage. You need a Portuguese tax number (NIF) before signing.
Can a transaction abroad be closed without flying there?
In most countries yes, through a notarial power of attorney with an apostille and translation, or by signing at a consulate. Some acts, such as opening a bank account, may require attendance in person or remote identification according to the bank’s rules.
What usually delays buyers from Israel?
Usually the documents: a power of attorney that does not fit the act, a translation made before the apostille, and names that are not identical across documents. After these comes the source-of-funds check on the bank transfer.
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- Romania - Codul civil (Legea 287/2009), portal legislativ
- Romania - Legea 17/2014 privind vânzarea terenurilor agricole situate în extravilan, portal legislativ
- Cyprus - Immovable Property Acquisition (Aliens) Law, Cap. 109
- Greece - Law 3978/2011, article 114 (border areas)
- CMS Expert Guide - Commercial real estate in Bulgaria
- CFPB - Closing Disclosure
- idealista - Step-by-step overview of buying a home in Italy
- BPA Property - What happens after signing the CPCV
- University of Maryland Agriculture Law - What is ancillary probate
- Primerus - How can a foreign citizen purchase real estate in Ukraine (2026)
- HCCH - Apostille Convention status table