Have you ever wondered what buying a home in Italy as a foreigner is like? So did we. We bought an apartment in a larger city, not a house in the country. I thik this made this a more straightforward transaction, but the process should be similar even if you’re considering a property in a rural setting. If anything, I hope that our experience can help you make a more informed decision.
Once we moved to Italy, we knew that at some point, we wanted to buy our own place. However, so many confusing posts and articles online made us hesitant and nervous about the whole thing. We approached the search with caution and prepared for the worst. It turns out that it was easier than we had expected. If you’re also considering buying a house in Italy and are unsure about the process, this post is for you.
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Buying a home in Italy: location, location, location
When we set out to search for our new home in Italy, we had a lot to consider. While we eventually want to end up in Rome, at this time, we needed to find a more affordable place. As we live in Campania, we considered staying in the region or looking for alternatives. Our main choices were Puglia and Abruzzo.

Our new home needed to be close to an airport and train/bus terminal. We also wanted it to be in a more happening area than the one we live in now. Moving from Toronto to a small town in the Italian countryside proved to be a challenge. We wanted to be in a place big enough to offer city amenities we enjoy (bars, restaurants, theatre, shops, etc.) and close to the centre.
Deciding where to buy our home in Italy
We were initially leaning toward Puglia because we fell in love with it from the moment we visited. Abruzzo wasn’t really on our radar, but the more I researched, the more intrigued I became with it. I did a lot of research, covering everything from the different towns, weather and things to do to health care, resources for foreigners and potential hazards. My main concerns were recent earthquakes and active volcanos, which also factored into our decision.
My heart initially leaned toward Puglia, but the region is further away, and the towns we were considering were far from airports or train stations. Puglia also has many olive trees, which is not great for my allergies. And yes, olive tree flowers are small but highly irritating to anyone with pollen allergies.

After researching Abruzzo, we narrowed our choice to a town called Chieti. We decided to visit to see if we liked the place and were prepared for the worst. Chieti turned out perfect for us, and we felt good about our decision. In the end, this is where we bought our apartment.
Where to find homes to buy in Italy
Italy has two major websites, Immobiliare and Idealista, where you can find homes listed for sale or rent by different real estate agencies. There are also many well-known international real estate agencies, such as ReMax, Century21, Sotheby’s and Engel & Völkers with their listings.

Tecnocasa is the major Italian-based one and many regional ones that can be found online. In addition, there are agencies geared toward buyers in specific markets, like the UK, Australia or the US. As with any other country, you can find homes for sale in Italy listed by private individuals. However, if there is a language barrier, this option will be much harder to navigate.
What’s involved in buying a home in Italy
Much like we’ve done in Canada, we approached our search by looking online and saving the properties we liked. We found our home on Idealista, so I contacted the agency (in our case, Tecnocasa) through the site about setting an appointment to see several properties. They responded fairly quickly, and we ended up driving down to Chieti to meet up.
We saw several properties, including the one we ended up buying. We didn’t make any decisions that day and took our time to decide. The agent who worked with us was pleasant and easy to work with. To our surprise, he spoke English, which was a bonus. He answered our questions and assisted us with making the offer once we agreed on the price.
The process of buying a property
- The offer: You present the offer to the seller. Your agent will help you with that process, and they’ll likely represent you and the seller.
- Preliminary agreement: Once you agree on the price, you will sign a compromesso, or preliminary contract, to solidify the deal.
- Deposit: You should expect to pay a deposit of 10-30% with the offer or after the compressor is signed.
- Final contract: The atto di vendita is signed before a notary, at which point the balance is paid, and the property is officially transferred.
Do you need to hire a lawyer?
In Italy, hiring a lawyer when purchasing property is not mandatory, as the transaction is handled by a notary (notaio in Italian). We took the extra step of hiring a lawyer to do the due diligence before we made the offer. He checked all the paperwork to ensure all work on the apartment was done correctly, there were no outstanding issues or problems associated with the property and no leans or lawsuits.

This process is usually done by a real estate lawyer who handles real estate transitions in Canada. On the closing day, you just have to show up to sign the paperwork and get the key. Here, it’s not a required step, and the notary doesn’t have to do the due dilligence, they just handle the transaction.

We found an English-speaking lawyer through one of the expat groups on Facebook and a notary in Chieti recommended by our agent. We checked the notary’s quote for the closing transaction with the lawyer just to make sure we were not overpaying. It all seemed legit, so that’s what we went with.
Costs associated with purchasing property in Italy
Apart from the purchase price, there are several additional costs you have to consider in your transaction. These might affect the final price, not including any additional renovations or updates to the property once you own it.
- Notary fees: This fee can range between 2% and 4% of the property value plus VAT.
- Real estate agent fees: Expect to pay around 3% of the sale price. Sometimes, the agency might have a set fee if the property doesn’t meet a certain threshold (for example, under 100,000 euros).
- Legal fees: If you hire a lawyer to assist with the transaction, expect to pay about 1.5-2% of the sales price for the service.
- Additional fees: If you’re not fluent in Italian, you might need to hire a translator or pay an extra fee to the notary to have the paperwork in English.
Since I don’t speak Italian and the property was in my name (more on that later), I needed to designate Alex as my representative in the transaction. This meant he had to sign papers and translate them for me, which added about 500 euros to our closing costs.
What taxes do I need to pay as a property owner in Italy?
Italian property owners are subject to several taxes, such as registration, land registry and cadastral taxes. How much you’ll pay will depend on the property type and your residency status. The good news is that you don’t have to pay these on closing day.
Common Italian taxes for homeowners include IMU (Imposta Municipale Unica), a property tax for second homes or luxury properties. TARI is the waste collection tax, and TASI covers local services like road maintenance.
Can foreigners buy property in Italy?
You can buy property in Italy even if you’re not an Italian citizen or reside in Italy. Regulations depend on your nationality. Citizens from EU countries can purchase property without restrictions. If you’re a non-EU citizen, you need to check whether your country has a reciprocity agreement with Italy, which allows them to buy real estate under the same conditions as Italian citizens.
Currently, if you’re a Canadian or Australian citizen, you are not able to buy property in Italy. My EU citizenship let us circumvent that, and that’s why we had to put the property in my name. Always check with your country’s laws to ensure you can buy a home in Italy.
Can foreigners get a mortgage in Italy?
Yes, as a non-resident, you can apply for a mortgage in Italy, although the process may be more complex. Italian banks tend to offer mortgages covering up to 60-70% of the property value for foreign buyers, and the approval process will involve submitting documentation such as income statements and proof of residency in your home country.
How to tackle renovations in Italy
Our new apartment is in a building built in the 1960s. The kitchen and bathroom both have to be redone and updated. Another big project is updating the electricity. Since we are more than three hours away from the new house, it’s difficult for us to get there all the time to get quotes and deal with contractors. To solve this issue, an Italian friend who lives in a city near our new home recommended hiring a project manager or il direttore in Italian.
I must admit that, at first, I was very skeptical. It seemed like one of those things you tell foreigners to get them to pay more. However, another Italian friend also confirmed this and explained that this director is responsible for getting quotes from contractors, dealing with permits, ensuring the contractors have proper insurance and letting them in the apartment.
I have never encountered this suggestion in any Facebook groups or posts that I’ve seen in my search for buying a house in Italy. The more we thought about this, the more it made sense to hire someone to manage our project. Since the director we met with (the one recommended by our friend) is Italian and deals with renovations, he’ll likely have better luck getting quotes from contractors than we would have doing it alone.
Getting ripped off by contractors or not getting the work done is a common issue for foreigners in Italy. It’s even more likely to happen if you don’t speak Italian. If you’re considering buying a property in Italy, especially one that needs work, I highly recommend investing in a project manager to help you. I’ll make sure to update this post with our experience once the project is done.
Final thoughts on buying a home in Italy
Now that the process is complete, buying a home in Italy doesn’t seem as complicated as I imagined. There is a lot of information online about buying a property in Italy, and I found most of it confusing. Ultimately, it depends on the type of property you’re buying and where. Older homes, especially in rural areas, might have some issues stemming from the fact that they were built long ago. You don’t want to end up with a home with so many problems you can’t enjoy it.

Buying a home in Italy is relatively easy, you just need patience. I definitely recommend doing your due diligence and paying extra for this step. It might save you from an even bigger expense later on. The due diligence took a while as all the required papers had to be collected and analyzed. We saw the apartment in April, made the offer in June and got our keys at the beginning of September. I estimate another six months before we move in, so stay tuned for updates.