Inherited property in Vienna – handled with care

First steps: (1) open the probate proceedings (Verlassenschaftsverfahren) with a notary, (2) gather the death certificate and any will, (3) wait for the Einantwortungsbeschluss (court decree) — only then are you officially registered in the Land Register. In parallel I clarify the market value for you free of charge, discuss options with the community of heirs (keep, buy out, sell) and coordinate notary, tax advisor and potential buyers. You'll have a clear roadmap from day one.

No. You can use it yourself, rent it out or keep it. People sell mostly for three reasons: several heirs can't agree, the property doesn't fit their lifestyle, or renovation and running costs outweigh the benefit. I'll walk you through all scenarios transparently — without pushing you to sell.

You can only legally sell after the Einantwortungsbeschluss (4–9 months of probate). Everything else can be prepared before: valuation, documents, buyer search. From the decree to the notary appointment usually takes only 6–12 more weeks.

Open the probate proceedings with a notary, obtain the death certificate, have the will reviewed. Only after the Einantwortungsbeschluss are you entered in the Land Register and able to sell. The process typically takes 4–9 months in Vienna. I'll guide you from the start, refer experienced notaries and explain each step in plain language.

No — inheritance tax was abolished in 2008. BUT: real estate transfer tax applies (tiered rate for the family circle: 0.5% up to €87,000, 2% up to €258,000, 3.5% above that). Plus notary and court fees (1.1% land register registration fee). When selling later, an additional 30% real-estate capital gains tax on the appreciation.

A community of heirs can only sell unanimously. That's the most common point of conflict: one heir wants to keep, one wants a fast sale, one wants to wait. I moderate family conversations neutrally, deliver a transparent valuation report as a shared factual basis and propose fair solution models (buy-out, sale, partition suit as last resort).

When selling an inherited property, the original purchase date by the deceased counts — not your inheritance date. Acquired after 31 March 2002 (new-stock): 30% ImmoESt on the profit. Before (old-stock): a flat 4.2% of the sale price. A main-residence exemption is possible if the deceased or you lived there for 2 continuous years.

Leases pass automatically to the heirs (§ 14 MRG). A sale does not break a lease — the buyer takes over the tenant. This lowers the sale price but is legally clean. I clarify rent level, MRG applicability and possible maintenance obligations up front.

Inherited apartments have often been lived in for decades and no longer meet today's standards. Three options: a) renovate and sell at a higher price (often not economical), b) sell as-is with honest condition disclosure, c) sell to a developer/renovator. I'll walk you through all three scenarios transparently.

Fully off-market on request: no sign, no online listing, no neighbours informed. I have a vetted buyer pool of about 200 people (private buyers, investors) — often 3–5 targeted approaches are enough to achieve a fair price without making the family matter public.

Probate with the notary: 4–9 months. Only afterwards can the property officially be sold. Sale phase: usually 6–12 weeks off-market, 8–16 weeks via classic marketing. In total roughly 6–14 months from death to payout to the heirs.