Purchasing process

How do you purchase a house in Italy? Here are the phases of the purchasing process of a house. Our estate agency will give you support with its services to both potential purchasers and sellers.

CHOSING A PROPERTY

This is the fun part: find the right house, the one that gives you the shivers and makes you feel at home.

MAKE AN OFFER

If you are sure that the house you have found is it, then you need to make an offer. In the written offer the property will be described in detail with all its fiscal and town planning details, the payment conditions will be proposed and a deadline for the final purchase deed established. Also you will need to leave a deposit which you will get back if the offer is not accepted.

PRELIMINARY

If the offer is accepted in all its parts, the offer itself can be registered and is considered in all effects as a Preliminary deed. If some things need changing then a new contract is drawn up. Usually, when signing the preliminary contract, the purchaser will pay a security deposit. If the sellers pull out after the preliminary is signed they will have to pay you the double of your deposit. If you pull out, you'll lose your money. This protects the purchaser from the seller selling to another bidder

FINAL NOTARY DEED

The final sales deed is carried out by a notary of your choice, the professional authority to execute legal sale. The Notary guarantees the property clear title and takes care of any other problems pertinent to the property. The purchaser will have to pay all the expenses tied to this deed - both the notary fees and sale taxes. The amount of the latter will depend on the fiscal price of the house if you are buying from a physical person; from the declared price if you are buying from a building firm. Taxes are 3% of the fiscal value of the house if you are buying the property as a first house -4% of the declared price if you buy from a firm. It is 10% of the fiscal value if you buy as a holiday home from a physical person, 10% of the declared price if you buy from a firm. You need to be present to sign the documents in front of the notary and if you don't speak fluent Italian you'll be assisted by a qualified translator and the contract will be read out in both Italian and your own language. If you cannot be present you can always do a Power of Attorney, which the notary will prepare and you will need to get apostilled by a lawyer in the country you live in.