In brief
Buying real estate in Romania goes through five steps: an initial check in the land registry (Cartea Funciară), signing a binding Antecontract, due diligence, signing before a notary and registration of the property. The process differs from the Israeli one but is not more complicated, and from signing the Antecontract to closing it usually takes between one and three months.
Key takeaways
- 1The first step is checking the status of the property in the Cartea Funciară, not “I liked it - I'm buying”.
- 2The Antecontract is a binding document enforceable in a Romanian court, and for second-hand apartments a deposit of about 10% is customary.
- 3Every foreign buyer must obtain a NIF, which takes processing time, so it is worth handling early.
- 4Israelis cannot register land in their own name in Romania directly, and a legal solution should be planned in advance.
- 5There is no purchase tax in Romania, and transaction costs are usually about 2% to 4% of the property's value.
How does the process of buying real estate in Romania work, and how does it differ from Israel?
The process goes through five main steps, and it differs from what Israeli investors are used to: not problematic, simply different. Anyone who comes in with the expectations of the Israeli market may run into friction that should not exist. The table summarizes the steps, and each step is detailed below.
| Step | What happens | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Finding a property and initial check | Checking the property in the Cartea Funciară | Who the owner is, security interests and the property's history |
| 2. Antecontract | A binding document that defines the price, payment schedule and cancellation terms | A deposit of about 10% for second-hand apartments |
| 3. Due diligence | Ownership and security interests, permits, municipal debts, lease agreements, insurance | Checking the building's earthquake classification |
| 4. Notary and costs | Signing before a public notary | A contract not signed before a notary does not transfer ownership |
| 5. Registration and completion | Registration in the buyer's name at the registry office | One to three months from the Antecontract |
The Antecontract is a binding document enforceable in a Romanian court, and for second-hand apartments a deposit of about 10% is customary.
What do you do in the first step, before falling in love with a property?
You check the status of the property at the land registry office (Cartea Funciară). This is the document that shows who the owner is, whether there are security interests and what the property's history is. In Romania the registration status of properties can be more complex than it seems at first glance, and there are historical reasons for this: some properties carry a legal history from the communist era - nationalizations, ownership claims and partial registrations.
What is the Antecontract, and what should you make sure of before signing it?
The Antecontract is a binding document for all purposes, enforceable in a Romanian court - not a “memorandum of understanding” in the Israeli sense. It takes the property off the market and defines the transaction price, the payment schedule and the cancellation terms.
For second-hand apartments the customary practice is a deposit of about 10% at this stage, and a significantly higher demand warrants an inquiry. It is recommended to sign it before a notary and register it in the land registry. This is not a legal requirement, but it marks the property as encumbered by your transaction, so that the seller cannot sell it to someone else behind your back.
A properly drafted Antecontract includes:
- An exact description of the property
- A clear price and payment schedule
- Conditions precedent
- Mutual exit terms
- A timetable for the final signing
In a foreign market, it is not advisable to sign it before a lawyer who knows the market has seen it.
Which two things are worth knowing in advance: the NIF and the land restriction?
The first is the NIF, the Romanian tax number. Every foreign buyer must obtain a Romanian tax identification number, and without it the purchase cannot be completed or the property registered in the buyer's name. It has a processing time, so it is worth handling early and not at the last minute.
The second is the land restriction: Israelis, as citizens of a country that is not a member of the European Union, cannot register land in their own name in Romania directly. There are recognized and regulated legal solutions for this, which must be planned in advance according to the circumstances of the transaction.
What is checked in due diligence in Romania?
You check ownership and security interests, building permits, municipal debts and existing lease agreements, and also the building's classification for insurance purposes.
- Ownership and security interests: a current document from the past week, not from a year ago.
- Building permits: alterations without a permit may block bank financing and complicate a future sale.
- Municipal debts: they pass to the buyer if they are not settled before the transaction.
- Existing lease agreements: they may require the buyer to continue them.
What is the connection between insurance, earthquakes and the building's classification?
Checking the building's classification is an integral part of due diligence, because Romanian insurance companies do not insure apartments in high-risk buildings at all. Bucharest includes old buildings built before the major earthquake of the 1970s, and some were marked as dangerous in an earthquake - with a red dot above the entrance door, in four degrees of severity.
Insurance companies do not insure apartments at risk levels 1 and 2, and the law currently does not allow such apartments to be rented out, only to be lived in. This is a subject that many forget.
What is the role of the notary, and how much does the transaction cost?
Every real estate transaction in Romania must be carried out before a public notary, and a contract not signed before a notary does not transfer ownership. A point that pleasantly surprises Israelis: there is no purchase tax in Romania.
The total costs of the transaction - the notary's fee (which includes checks and registration) and the land registry registration fee - are usually about 2% to 4% of the property's value. Most of the amount is the notary's fee (about 0.5% to 1.5%), and the remainder is a tiny registration fee of about 0.15%. The ranges are customary estimates as of July 2026, and it is worth verifying them with the specific notary.
What happens at the registration stage, and how long does the process take?
After signing before the notary, the property is registered in your name at the registry office - the official and final moment. From signing the Antecontract to closing, the process usually takes between one and three months, assuming you started with the right accompaniment from the first step.
When you come to a lawyer only after an Antecontract has already been signed, sometimes the damage has already been done.
What is worth doing before signing?
The Romanian process is not more complicated than the Israeli one, it is simply different. Anyone who understands the five steps in advance, prepares the NIF on time and signs an Antecontract only after a lawyer who knows the market has seen it, reaches registration in the land registry without surprises along the way.
The content of this article is general information only and does not constitute legal advice, tax advice or an investment recommendation. Laws and tax rates may change, and specific circumstances may affect their application to a given case. Before any investment decision or legal action, it is advisable to seek individual advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a purchase tax in Romania?
No. There is no purchase tax in Romania. The total costs of the transaction, the notary's fee and the land registry registration fee, are usually about 2% to 4% of the property's value, as a customary estimate that is worth verifying with the notary.
What is an Antecontract and what is the usual deposit?
It is a binding document, enforceable in a Romanian court, that defines the price, the payment schedule and the cancellation terms. For second-hand apartments a deposit of about 10% is customary, and a significantly higher demand warrants an inquiry.
What is a NIF and why is it needed?
The NIF is the Romanian tax identification number. Every foreign buyer must obtain it, and without it the purchase cannot be completed or the property registered in the buyer's name. It requires processing time, so it is worth starting early.
Can an Israeli register land in their own name in Romania?
Not directly. Israelis, as citizens of a country that is not a member of the European Union, cannot register land in their own name, but there are recognized and regulated legal solutions that should be planned in advance.
How long does the purchase process in Romania take?
From signing the Antecontract to closing, the process usually takes between one and three months, assuming the buyer started with the right legal accompaniment from the first step.
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