Buying property in Moldova can prove a frustrating experience, thanks to the near-archaic levels of bureaucracy and slow-moving official procedures. As is the norm with transactions of this type, a respected local lawyer should be employed to make sure all documents and land ownership deeds are legal, so the transaction can be carried out without any major hiccups.

Once a property is decided upon, the buyer and seller sign a pre-contract and the deposit is paid – usually around 10 percent of the total purchase price. Documentation is then notarised and sent to the local Land Registry, where the property is registered in the name of the buyer in the land book – though this process can be very slow to be carried out. Once this process is complete, the remainder of the fee can be paid to the buyer and any outstanding notary or lawyer fees can be settled, along with applicable taxes.