This is not the usual article about buying house in Italy. Why? Because I am not here to sell anything. I work with companies investing in Italy, I don’t run a real estate agency, however in the years many of my clients felt in love with the country, or just decided to buy an Italian real estate to resell and make a profit. They usually try to purchase the house by themselves, and I get countless complains about the difficult process, dishonest sellers, expensive notaries, and so on.
After they hit the first obstacle (or the second, or the third) they tend to call the first lawyer they meet in Italy. Me. I don’t sell real estate but I had a chance to help in so many cases that I can make a list of the most common problems and how to solve them. Plus I have developed a couple of innovative solutions specifically aimed to non Italian buyers.
The most common mistake people make when buying a house in Italy
The most common mistake many people make when buying a real estate abroad is to assume that the rules are the same everywhere, and that they are quite simple: you pay for something, you get it. This is never true, and in Italy this is especially false for buyers coming from USA, England and other common law countries.
Bad news: the process to buy a house in Italy could be a bureaucratic nightmare.
Good news: once you understand the process, you can outsource the biggest part of it to locals, and manage part of the purchase online. Moreover, the extra bureaucracy makes your purchase safer than other countries, including – in my opinion – USA and UK.
Thus the first question you should ask to yourself is maybe obvious but usually undervalued:
“Do you really understand how the process to buy a house works IN ITALY?”
For instance, in many countries you sign a contract, pay and get the house. In Italy you will be required to sign a contract in front of a notary public, but you don’t get the house unless you sign AGAIN and in a different day a second contract in front of another notary public. If you are confused, you are in good company. I am a lawyer and I still don’t understand the reason behind that. But we are here to understand how it works – not why – so I have shared a Step By Step Guide To Purchase A House In Italy.(coming in the next days)
If you find it useful, please write a comment below the post. And feel free to ask your question – again – in the comments below. I will read them all, promise!
Usual disclaimer: I can’t stress enough that these posts are suggestions, not legal advices. A serious legal support cannot be general, in fact it should be provided on a case by case basis. Moreover law changes from time to time. In short, check with a local source before paying any money or signing any contract. And never rely on one source only, including … me
Image credits: Nursingtimes.net
8 Responses
I plan to be in Italy next month and I am looking for a small holiday house. I need a low cost no noise to relax and write my book. What region do you suggest?
What’s up colleagues, its impressive article regarding educationand completely explained, keep it up all the time.
Me and my brother, who live in Vancouver, Canada, are planning to sell a house in Molise, Italy.
I will be traveling there this August to see if I can sell it.
My question is, do I need a PROCURA drawn up by a notary here in Canada to give me authority from my brother to sell, – or can we just draw up a simple contract that states “I R. Minni (brother) give Nunzio Minni authority to sell property as described…”
Not a simple reply without checking the land registry. Anyway, I can provide the general rule: Selling a house in Italy is a public act. Thus a simple private contract is NOT enough.
Very Interesting! Thanks. It’s the third time that I write the same comment but I mean it
I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good.
I do not know who you are but definitely you’re going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already ;
) Cheers!
I am paying cash 1.3 Million for a home in italy. I also will go to notary soon. When is your article coming out? G. Farris @brandyfarris
I have landed on your website because I have a problem in Italy. I sold property in Italy and gave a Procura Generale to my cousin. He sold the estate but refuses to send any money from the sale.
What should be my next step? Thank you
By the way very nice written web site. Thank you from Brooklyn, NY Vito