Question 1

Can a non-resident foreigner buy property in Italy?

Accepted Answer

Yes. EU and EEA citizens buy on the same terms as Italians. Most other nationalities, including UK, US, Norwegian and Swiss citizens, buy under a reciprocity agreement that also poses no practical restriction. You need a codice fiscale and a valid passport.

Question 2

How long does a purchase take?

Accepted Answer

From accepted offer to notary deed, usually eight to twelve weeks. It can be compressed to four if there is no mortgage and the title is clean, or stretched to six months if the house needs cadastral corrections before it can be sold.

Question 3

Do I need to be in Italy to sign?

Accepted Answer

No. You can sign the deed by power of attorney, prepared by the notary and signed at an Italian consulate or before a notary at home with an apostille. Most of our clients come for the deed anyway — it is a nice morning.

Question 4

What is the difference between the proposta and the compromesso?

Accepted Answer

The proposta is your written offer with a small deposit; once the seller accepts it, it is already binding. The compromesso is the fuller preliminary contract, with the larger deposit and the completion date. Both need the due diligence done first.

Question 5

Should I get a survey?

Accepted Answer

Always. In Italy the crucial check is not only structural but cadastral: whether the built house matches the registered plans and permits. A geometra costs €800–2,000 and regularly saves multiples of that.

Question 6

What are the total buying costs?

Accepted Answer

Budget 10–12% on top of the price for a second home: 9% registration tax on the cadastral value, notary fees, our 3% plus VAT, and the survey. For a first home used as your residence, the tax drops to 2%.

Question 7

Can I get an Italian mortgage as a non-resident?

Accepted Answer

Yes, typically up to 50–60% of the valuation over 10–25 years, at rates a little above resident terms. Allow an extra four to eight weeks. We introduce you to two banks that regularly lend to Northern European buyers.

Question 8

What do I pay every year?

Accepted Answer

IMU second-home tax, waste tax (TARI), utilities, insurance, and either condominium charges or garden and pool upkeep. For a three-bedroom villa, expect roughly €4,000–9,000 a year before aftercare.

Question 9

Can I rent the house out when I'm not there?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Short lets require a CIN registration number and tourist tax collection; the flat-rate cedolare secca regime is 21% on gross rent for most owners. We manage the whole compliance side under our Affitto plan.

Question 10

How do I move money to Italy safely?

Accepted Answer

Through your own Italian or SEPA account, never in cash and never to an agent's personal account. Deposits go to the notary's escrow account or via traceable transfer. We give you the payment plan in writing before you sign.

Question 11

Is Versilia only a summer place?

Accepted Answer

July and August are busy and Forte dei Marmi is at its loudest. But September light, October in the Apuan hills and a March lunch on the beach are the reason many owners end up here longer each year.

Question 12

How do I get here from Northern Europe?

Accepted Answer

Pisa airport is 40 minutes away, Florence an hour, Milan two and a half. There are direct flights from Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and London for most of the year, and a high-speed train from Milan to Viareggio.

Question 13

Are there international schools nearby?

Accepted Answer

The International School of Florence and schools in Lucca and Pisa are within commuting distance; several families we work with use Lucca. Local Italian schools in Pietrasanta and Camaiore are good and take foreign children readily.

Question 14

Do I need to speak Italian?

Accepted Answer

Not to buy, and we handle every official appointment with you. To live here well, a hundred words go a long way — the builder, the pharmacist and the fish market are all friendlier in Italian.

The questions we are asked every week

Buying

Money & tax

Living here

Still wondering about something?