A property budget should start with the agreed price and end with the cost of making the home usable and keeping it in good condition. The gap between those figures can be significant, so ask for a written cost sheet for the exact property before paying a reservation deposit.
Separate one-time and recurring costs
For the purchase, list the title deed transaction charges, valuation or translation requirements, legal review, agency terms and any project-specific fees. Confirm who pays each item and how the amount is calculated. Do not rely on a verbal estimate or assume that the same arrangement applies to every resale and new-build purchase.
Then add first-use expenses: furniture, appliances, utility connections, insurance and small repairs. For an apartment complex, request the current monthly site contribution, the approved budget and any planned major works. A pool or staffed reception may look attractive in a brochure; its ongoing cost belongs in the ownership budget.
Model the budget in the currency you earn
If your income or savings are in euros, pounds or dollars, record the exchange rate and transfer costs used in your estimate. Leave room for rate changes between reservation and title transfer. If you plan to rent the home, calculate a cautious scenario with vacant periods, cleaning, management, repairs and applicable taxes. Treat rent as uncertain income, not as a guaranteed offset.
Keep the seller’s documents, payment schedule and your own cost assumptions together. Revisit the numbers after an independent legal and technical review; a newly discovered repair or restriction can change the decision.
Continue with the title deed checks to make before buying and the guide to apartment-complex fees in Alanya.
