Buying · 5 min read
How to buy safely in Italy
Why a licensed agency is the cheaper option, and the four steps of every Italian purchase.
Buying abroad rewards preparation. Private sales and unlicensed intermediaries look cheaper on paper and rarely are.
The risks of a private listing
- —Sellers who cannot fix problems with permits or incomplete registrations.
- —Costs for missing documents that land on the buyer.
- —Prices set by hope rather than comparable sales.
- —A hidden intermediary whose fee is inside the price anyway.
What a licensed agency does
- —Verifies ownership, encumbrances and compliance before you commit.
- —Deals with the seller, the notary and the authorities.
- —Negotiates at real market value.
- —Carries professional liability insurance, by law, of up to €500,000.
- —Is registered in the R.E.A. and the professional brokers' register, and appears in the deed.
The four steps
- —Purchase offer (proposta di acquisto) with a 5–10% deposit; the notary starts checking documents.
- —The seller has fifteen days to accept.
- —The notarial deed (atto notarile): the notary verifies everything and payment is made by bank cheque.
- —After the sale: utilities, tax code, bank account, and someone to call in February.