Purchase price and escrow
Money and ownership should change hands step by step. This checklist shows how an escrow agent secures payment and when the purchase price may be paid out.
The riskiest moment in a property purchase is payment. Anyone who transfers without security risks paying the price before ownership is secured. Escrow settlement solves this: the buyer pays into an escrow account, and the money only goes to the seller once registration and release of encumbrances are secured.
This checklist is a guide and does not replace an assessment of the individual case. It helps you structure payment so that you do not pay in advance without receiving value.
Clarify the points with the escrow agent before any money flows. You can tick off each point; the status is stored on your device. Use the buttons to print or reset the list.
0 of 12 points done
01 Purchase price and payment plan
Clarify what is to be paid, when and to whom.
02 Set up the escrow settlement
The escrow agent is the central safeguard for both sides.
03 Release of encumbrances and securities
You should receive unencumbered ownership.
What matters legally
Ownership arises only upon registration in the land register (§ 431 Austrian Civil Code). Until then the buyer bears the risk of having paid the price without secured ownership. Escrow links payment and registration so that the money only flows once the agreed conditions are met.
Lawyer and notary escrows are settled via the electronic escrow registers of the respective chamber and are thereby additionally secured. The transfer tax can be self-assessed and paid by the party representative. How the escrow is structured in the individual case depends on the contract and the register status.
This checklist is a general guide to the Austrian legal position (as of June 2026) and makes no claim to completeness or legal certainty. It does not replace advice in the individual case and is not a finished legal document.
BRANDAUER Rechtsanwälte
Salzburg law firm for real estate, property and corporate law
Every matter is handled by a coordinated team of lawyers, legal staff and specialists. In property purchase matters we look at the contract, land register, escrow and tax consequences together.
Reviewing a contract, arranging escrow, securing handover?
When buying property, the contract and the land register decide. Call us directly or send an email, callback within one business day.
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BRANDAUER Rechtsanwälte GmbH Giselakai 51 5020 Salzburg
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