Costs of Buying Property (2026): The Complete Guide

Buying property is one of the biggest financial steps in life. Most buyers focus on the advertised price, the size of the down payment, and the loan amount. That’s understandable, since the purchase price is the largest part of the investment. Even so, the final cost of buying almost never matches the price in the listing. On top of the purchase price come costs for tax, legal and notary services, the appraisal, bank procedures, the land registry entry, and possibly a real estate agency. After taking possession, moving, insurance, minor repairs, and furnishing typically follow.

If you don’t factor these costs into your plan from the start, you may end up with enough for the down payment but not enough to close the deal and move in normally. Additional costs can reach several thousand, or even tens of thousands, of euros on a pricier property. For a quick calculation of your instalment, costs, and required own funds, use FinPortal.si’s Real estate financing calculator, which shows a complete financial plan for the purchase in a few seconds.

Real estate transfer tax and VAT

When buying a resale property, real estate transfer tax normally applies at 2 percent of the property’s value. The taxpayer is normally the seller, but the buyer and seller can agree in the contract that the buyer pays it instead. This detail matters a lot for the buyer’s budget - on a flat priced at €250,000, 2 percent comes to €5,000. Check clearly before signing who will actually cover this cost.

New builds are taxed differently. If the sale is subject to VAT, no transfer tax is due - VAT is normally already included in the advertised price, at 9.5% for residential new builds and 22% for business premises, garages, and parking spaces. Buyers should still check that the offer really shows the final price including VAT, and whether it covers extras such as a parking space, storage unit, or outdoor landscaping.

Don’t confuse real estate transfer tax with capital gains tax, which can arise on the seller’s side. For the buyer, what matters most is what the purchase contract actually states - it’s worth confirming the tax amount and who pays it before agreeing on a deposit, since changing that agreement later is much harder.

Real estate agency and legal help

If an agency is involved, check who their client is and who is contractually required to pay for the service. The commission isn’t automatically the buyer’s cost. In practice, percentage-based fees of around 1-2 percent of the price plus VAT are still common - on a €250,000 property that’s roughly €3,050-€6,100 combined. Since fees can vary a lot between agencies, don’t rely on a rule of thumb - ask for a concrete figure in euros, and check whether the fee covers reviewing documentation, drafting the contract, the handover record, and filing the land registry application.

A deposit, usually 5-10 percent of the price, is often paid when signing the preliminary contract. It isn’t a cost as such - it’s part of the purchase price - but it matters for the buyer’s liquidity, since it can be forfeited if the deal falls through through the buyer’s fault. Before paying a larger deposit, it’s worth getting at least an indicative creditworthiness estimate and checking the property’s paperwork.

Without an agency, you may need a lawyer or other legal professional to draft or review the contract. Legal help usually costs between €150 and €400; for a property with encumbrances, multiple owners, or an unclear land registry status, professional review is normally worth the extra cost.

Appraisal and loan costs

For a mortgage, the bank normally needs an estimate of the property’s market value. An appraisal usually costs between €150 and €350, depending on the property’s size, location and complexity and on the appraiser chosen. The buyer pays this cost, and it must be settled before the loan is approved.

The appraisal affects not just the cost but the loan amount itself. If the appraised value comes in below the agreed price, the bank normally calculates financing from the lower value, not the contract price - the buyer has to cover the difference with additional own funds. That’s exactly why it’s risky to spend all your savings on the deposit and initial down payment before you know the appraisal result.

When financing with a mortgage, which you can estimate with the Loan calculator, don’t compare only the interest rate and the monthly instalment. The bank may charge an approval fee (usually 0.5-1% of the loan, often capped at €300-€500) and a servicing fee or other related charges, which we compare across banks in hidden loan costs. The APR is a more useful figure for comparing offers, since besides interest it captures most of the loan’s direct costs.

Notary, mortgage and land registry

Notary costs depend on which documents need to be prepared or certified. For a standard purchase, certifying the signature on the land registry deed matters most (€20-€50). With a mortgage, the process is more extensive, since an agreement securing the claim and the mortgage registration are usually also arranged - a notarial deed, which banks usually require for a mortgage, costs about €200 to €450 including VAT under the notarial tariff, depending on the loan amount.

After the deal closes, ownership must be registered in the land registry, and for a financed purchase, the mortgage in the bank’s favour as well (the court fee for registering ownership depends on the property value and is €80 for a flat worth €70,000 to €300,000, and €50 for the mortgage). The land registry publicly records ownership, mortgages, easements and other legal facts, so it should be checked before the purchase, not just after. Poorly prepared documentation can delay the process, so professional help isn’t an unnecessary luxury for more complex cases.

Insurance, moving and the first costs after buying

Banks often require adequate property insurance for a mortgage. The annual premium (typically €150-€400) depends on the property’s value, size, coverage scope and the insurer chosen. Don’t pick a policy just to satisfy the bank’s condition - check the sums insured, exclusions, and the deductible.

After taking possession, costs for moving, cleaning, changing locks, and minor repairs typically follow. Older flats often need repainting (a few hundred to a few thousand euros), a bathroom renovation (€3,000-€7,000), a new kitchen (€2,000-€10,000), or replacing worn-out appliances. Furniture and appliances can also take up a large part of the budget - basic furnishing costs between €2,000 and €5,000, a mid-range setup between €5,000 and €12,000, and premium furnishing even more.

In a multi-apartment building, also check the monthly running costs (typically €150-€250 for a 60-70 m² flat, excluding the loan instalment), the state of the reserve fund, and any planned major works - renovating the roof, facade, or lift can raise your costs soon after buying.

How much of your own funds do you need?

Banks in Slovenia typically require between 20 and 30 percent in own funds, depending on the type of property, location, the buyer’s creditworthiness, and the loan-to-value ratio (LTV). On top of the down payment share, it’s sensible to add roughly 2 to 5 percent of the purchase price for process costs (appraisal, notary, land registry, bank) plus a separate safety reserve that shouldn’t drop to zero after the purchase. We cover this in more detail in how much down payment you need to buy a flat.

A worked example for a €250,000 flat

Say you’re buying a resale flat for €250,000 and have agreed in the contract to pay the 2% real estate transfer tax - that comes to €5,000. If you pay an agency fee of 2 percent of the price plus VAT, that cost is €6,100. Adding roughly €300 for the appraisal, €500 for notary services, and €800 for bank-related costs, additional expenses reach about €12,700 - and that still excludes court fees, insurance, legal review, moving, renovation, and furnishing.

This isn’t a universal price list, but a warning of how quickly smaller amounts add up. If the contract has the seller pay the tax and there’s no agency fee for the buyer, the final bill can be considerably lower. If the flat still needs furnishing or renovation, it can be €10,000 or more higher. For an exact calculation for your case, use FinPortal.si’s Real estate financing calculator, which works out the instalment, the costs, and the funds you’ll need. To see how these costs add up for typical flats in the capital, read how much savings you need to buy a flat in Ljubljana.

How much of a reserve is sensible to keep?

There’s no single percentage that fits every deal. As a practical starting point, alongside your own contribution, prepare a separate list of all known costs plus an additional safety reserve for unforeseen expenses. Owning a flat brings ongoing costs and responsibility for repairs, so it’s worth keeping at least a few months’ worth of expenses readily accessible even after the purchase.

Summary

Buying property isn’t just the price of the flat. Once you factor in tax, the agency, the appraisal, the notary, loan costs, insurance, furnishing, and renovation, the total investment quickly grows by several thousand euros. That’s why it’s essential to prepare a complete financial plan before signing, check who pays each cost, and keep part of your savings as a reserve. FinPortal.si’s Real estate financing calculator can help a great deal here, showing a complete financial plan for the purchase in a few seconds.

Table of property-purchase costs (2026)