Property Foreclosure Auctions in Austria (Ediktsdatei): § 151 EO & 10% Vadium Guide
Executive Summary · Direct Answer
Complete investor guide to Austrian court property auctions (Ediktsdatei): how the 50% minimum bid (§ 151 EO), 10% Vadium savings-book deposit, and the 14-day § 195 EO overbid window work across all 9 federal states.
Key Verification Points at a Glance
- 01Under § 151 of the Austrian Enforcement Act (EO), the statutory minimum bid (Geringstes Gebot) equals 50% of the court-certified appraisal unless set higher in the auction conditions.
- 02Bidders must bring a 10% security deposit (Vadium, § 147 EO) in the form of an Austrian bank savings passbook (Sparurkunde) — cash is strictly prohibited in Austrian district courts.
- 03If the winning bid stays below 75% of appraised value, third parties have 14 days under § 195 EO to file a binding overbid (Überbot) at least 25% above the hammer price.
- 04Acquisition taxes in Austria total 4.6% (3.5% real estate transfer tax + 1.1% land register fee) with zero estate agent commission.
How the Austrian Ediktsdatei & District Courts Operate
All judicial real estate foreclosures across Austria's nine federal states (Vienna, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Styria, Tyrol, Carinthia, Salzburg, Vorarlberg, and Burgenland) are published in the federal Ministry of Justice Ediktsdatei and conducted in person at the local Bezirksgericht.
Each listing includes a court-commissioned valuation report (Langgutachten under § 140 EO) detailing floor areas, structural condition, tenancy agreements, and C-sheet encumbrances in the Austrian Grundbuch.
50% Minimum Bid, 10% Vadium & the 75% Overbid Shield
Bidding opens at 50% of the appraised value (§ 151 EO). To participate, bidders present photo ID and a 10% Vadium passbook (Sparurkunde). Non-EU buyers must also check state foreign-buyer rules (Grundverkehrsgesetze) in western states such as Tyrol, Salzburg, and Vorarlberg.
Strategically, reaching 75% of the appraised value eliminates the 14-day post-auction overbid risk (§ 195 EO), locking in immediate legal certainty.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is the minimum bid at an Austrian court property auction?
By statute (§ 151 EO), the minimum acceptable bid is 50% of the court-appraised value unless the court edict specifies a higher threshold.
2. How does the 10% Vadium deposit work in Austria?
Bidders must present a bank savings instrument (Sparurkunde) for 10% of the full appraised value at the hearing; cash is not accepted.