Buyers Guide

Villas Italia have a wealth of information and experience and will provide personalised and confidential advice.  Contact our office and we will be happy to help you with pricing, regional advice, trends, mortgages and taxation advice, or indeed anything you need to know – just ask.  In the meantime, here are a few basic facts about buying property in Italy.

 

Purchase process:

 

We will act as your agent co-ordinating through to completion.  You will need to choose a legal representative in Italy to act on your behalf and take responsibility for the purchase process.  You are welcome to choose your own lawyer or Villas Italia can recommends one.

 

In Italy the purchase of a property is a regulated process. To ensure that the Italian property you wish to buy is free of debts and restrictive clauses, it is essential that you employ an English-speaking solicitor to protect your interests.

 

A Surveyor (“Geometra”) will be required to carry out a survey on the state of the property and all searches connected with the local planning and building regulations.

 

You will also need a Fiscal code (“codice fiscale”) in order to buy property, and to open bank accounts and pay bills.

 

In addition, to complete the transaction, a local Notary Public (“Notaio”) will also be necessary, because in most cases only Notaries can validly transfer title to property under Italian Law.

 

Surveys and Clean Title:

 

At Villas Italia we believe that one of the most important aspects of your property purchase is establishing that the property has a “clean title”. In other words, that the seller has legal authority to sell the property and there are no pending claims on the property before the courts. Your lawyer will perform a title check on the property for you and confirm whether the property has the necessary paperwork for clean purchase.

 

Stages in the Buying Process:

 

Normally, there are three main stages to buying property in Italy.

• Firstly, the buyer makes an offer to purchase, which commits him/her to buying the property at the price given (usually for a period of between 14 and 30 days).
• If this offer is accepted a deposit (usually 10%-30%) is paid to the seller.
• Secondly, the parties involved then sign a preliminary contract (“compromesso”) outlining the details of the transaction, which is legally binding as evidence of an offer to buy.
• Once this document has been signed, another deposit (ranging between 10% and 30%) is payable.
• Withdrawal at this point will result in the forfeiture of all deposits (if the seller withdraws, he/she must refund the deposits plus a penalty of the same value). 
• Thirdly, and having received an official tax code (codice fiscale), the buyer proceeds to the final contract (“rogito”), which is normally signed a couple of months after the compromesso. Both parties sign this in the presence of a Notary, who collects the outstanding taxes.

Taxes:

 

Taxes when buying from developers include VAT at between 4% and 10% (usually included in the price); when buying from individuals, purchase tax ranges from 3% to 10%. Local rates also apply.

 

Notary fees:

 

These vary, however the following provides a rough guide:

 

Value of Property	Fee for the Conveyance
<€50,000	€1,400
€50,000 < €250,000	€2,000
€250,000 < €300,000	€2,200
€300,000 < €500,000	€3,000
For each additional €25,000 in value	Increases by €100

 

In addition, The Notary will charge for the following:

• Accessory rights
• Indemnities
• SearchesAuthentications
• Expenses

If you choose to proceed to the next step, we will create a specific portfolio of properties which match your requirements for your consideration.  We search Italy for value investments.  We negotiate the initial selling price on your behalf ensuring that you are getting maximum value for your money. 

 

Contact us today: +44(0) 161 794 5141