Author Topic: Have you ever closed on a property abroad?  (Read 1237 times)

SmileAllDay

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Have you ever closed on a property abroad?
« on: September 25, 2019, 01:32:44 PM »
Hey guys,

My wife and I are wiring the down payment for a US rental property from Lisbon tomorrow. But for the closing packet we have to sign, it needs to be notarized... By someone in the US Embassy in Lisbon, according to the title company.

This service is only available on Tuesdays, so we need to make an appointment and then wait for almost another week.

TL;DR: Is there a simpler/ more efficient way to do this from abroad that you know of? Can you elect someone on your behalf in the US? Long shot I know...

Thanks!

NonprofitER

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Re: Have you ever closed on a property abroad?
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2019, 09:29:13 AM »
Hmmm, does it have to be notarized by someone at the embassy, specifically? Or just someone the title company has approved as a notary, and they just happen to be having you do this at the Embassy (because that's where this person works/is)?

While it might not help you this time around, it might be beneficial to learn from the title company who they could accept in the future. Then see if you can find someone else who is qualified as a US notary who would be willing to come to you.  We're closing on a refi and due to my husband's weird work hours, we were able to talk our title company into sending a mobile notary to our house after 8pm (they're paying the extra fees too).

While obviously harder overseas, surely there is a qualified mobile US notary who could meet more than once per week?

sammybiker

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Re: Have you ever closed on a property abroad?
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2019, 07:26:32 PM »
@SmileAllDay I've closed on homes in Singapore and Prague - in Singapore, I was able to swap title companies to one that did not require a notary.  When in Prague, I wasn't able to swap and had to schedule an appointment at the US embassy.  Not ideal but not difficult. 

Side note, while in Singapore and buying a car, I also had to have forms notarized - same process, not difficult but time consuming.  Call it a half day activity for both.

sammybiker

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Re: Have you ever closed on a property abroad?
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2019, 01:36:56 PM »
Glad it worked out well @SmileAllDay

Kierun

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Re: Have you ever closed on a property abroad?
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2019, 06:38:44 PM »
Nice, luckily I was working on a military base at the time and had access to the legal folks there, they notarized for free.  $50/sig sounds a bit excessive!

AMandM

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Re: Have you ever closed on a property abroad?
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2019, 07:20:23 AM »
We closed on a US property while living in Canada. We arranged a limited POA for the closing ahead of time, while we were in the US househunting.