Buying a property in Italy

If you want to live in Italy, buying a home will be a big and possibly difficult decision to make.

  1. Know the area well before buying there
    2. .
  2. When you plan your buying trip, allow plenty of time for each visit. The agents might have other properties that you want to see and each visit can take some time.
  3. The two most common ways to buy a house are:
    • two-step contract, "compromesso" + "atto". where there is a preliminary agreement with some money exchanged and conditions established, followed by the main stage, still the signature of the atto
      • The "compromesso" is a pre-sale agreement; this "scrittura privata" or private contract between you and the seller is a legally binding document and if you change your mind you will loose the deposit you have paid and usually be liable to pay an additional penalty. The value of deposits varies but is often around 10 to 20% of the agreed price for the purchase.
      • The "atto", contract, or "contratto di compravendita", contract of sale, will be signed in front of a "notaio", notary, an official who witnesses public contracts. During this step you will normally have to pay the purchase price and any fees due to the notaio and estate agent, or "mediatore".
      • Notaries perform a public function, they are acting for none of the parties and their fees are set by the state (more about the role of the notary in this page of the Italian council of notaries). Thanks to notarys most of the contracts are exchanged without the need of a lawyer, however if you want, you can get a lawyer ("avvocato") either to check the contract or to act for you.
    • one-step contract, "atto" where everything is done at main stage, the signature of the atto

Useful readings

These are the five main books about buying a property in Italy:

Disclaimer

Whilst we do try and give information to the best of our knowledge, we decline any responsibility as to its accuracy or completeness. Relevant professional advice should be sought.

Property in Italy, Le Marche

We specialise in Italian property, particularly in properties for sale in Le Marche. In this region we select the most interesting properties for sale. You can see them in Marche property.

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