Buying a House Anonymously: Options and Costs

Questioner

We would like to buy a house but if the seller knows that we want to buy it, he will not sell it to us. Is there a way to buy the house anonymously? and how does that work? are there any additional costs involved?

Lawyer

You cannot buy the house anonymously. However, you can try to buy the house through a 'straw man'. This third party buys the house and then sells it to you. That works fine unless this third party is ordered not to sell the house to you. With this construction you do have to take into account extra notary costs and extra financing costs. The double transfer tax can possibly be avoided if the transfer takes place within six months; however, you will have to contact a tax specialist for this. They know the details.

Lawyer

It could be done through a straw man construction. Another option, and this is very dubious, is to do it through the establishment of a legal entity. This involves a lot of effort. Unless it is a forced sale, the seller has the right to decide for himself to whom he sells the house.