by 
Published · 5 min read
Buying a home in Italy as a foreigner is more straightforward than many people expect. The process is run by a notary, and the main steps are the same whether you are buying a village house or a country villa. This guide walks through it in order, from who can buy to the day you collect the keys, with the costs to budget for along the way.
Can foreigners buy property in Italy?
Yes. Citizens of the EU and EEA can buy on the same terms as Italians, and so can foreigners legally resident in Italy. For other nationalities it depends on reciprocity: you can buy if Italians can buy in your country. This covers most buyers, including British, American, Canadian and Australian citizens. If you are unsure, the notary can confirm it for your nationality.
Owning a home does not give you the right to live in Italy. Non-EU visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area. To live in Italy for longer you need a visa and a residence permit, for example the Elective Residency visa for people with independent income. You do not need Italian citizenship to buy or to live in your Italian home.
What you need before you start
- A valid passport (or EU identity card).
- An Italian tax code (codice fiscale). It’s free and needed for any contract. See how to get your codice fiscale.
- A way to pay traceably. Payments must go by bank transfer or banker’s draft, not cash. An Italian bank account is not compulsory, but it makes paying deposits and later bills (IMU, TARI, utilities) much easier.
- A clear budget, including the purchase costs below and the yearly running costs.
Step by step: how a purchase works
1. Find the property
Decide on the area first: coast or hills, town or countryside, and how you will get there. Our region buying guides (for example Tuscany and Umbria) cover prices and what to check region by region. To search, describe what you want in plain words in our AI property search, such as “stone farmhouse with a pool near a town, under €400,000”.
Most homes in Italy are sold through estate agents. In Italy agents must be registered with the Chamber of Commerce, and you can ask for their registration number. Agree the agent’s commission in writing before you make an offer.
2. Check the property before you commit
This is the step that protects you most. Ask for the documents early and have a local surveyor (geometra) or architect check them against the property:
- Planning and land registry match the building (conformità urbanistica e catastale). Extensions, outbuildings or a pool that were never approved can block or delay the sale, and fixing them costs money.
- No mortgages, liens or claims on the property. The notary checks this too, but it’s better to know before you pay a deposit.
- The energy certificate (APE), which the seller must provide.
- Access, water and drains for country properties: a right of way over a neighbour’s land, a well or spring, a septic tank.
- The condition of the building, with builders’ quotes if it needs work.
3. Make a written offer (proposta d’acquisto)
Offers are made in writing, usually on a form provided by the agent, often with a small deposit or a cheque. Once the seller signs to accept it, the offer becomes binding on both of you. Read it carefully, and include any conditions you need (for example, a satisfactory survey or a mortgage offer) before you sign.
4. Sign the preliminary contract (compromesso)
The compromesso (or contratto preliminare) fixes the price, the completion date and the conditions. You pay a larger deposit at this point, agreed between you and the seller. Usually it is a caparra confirmatoria: if you pull out without good reason you lose it, and if the seller pulls out they must pay you double. The compromesso is registered with the tax office. Many buyers have it drafted or reviewed by the notary or their own lawyer.
5. Completion at the notary (rogito)
The final deed, the rogito, is signed in front of a notary. The notary is a public official, not the seller’s adviser. They check the title and the documents, read the deed aloud, collect the purchase taxes and register the sale. The buyer usually chooses and pays the notary. If you don’t understand Italian well, an interpreter must attend, and the deed can include a translation. If you can’t be there, you can sign a power of attorney (procura) so someone signs for you. You pay the balance, and you get the keys.
6. After you buy
- Transfer the utilities (electricity, gas, water) into your name.
- Register with the comune for the waste tax (TARI).
- Note the IMU property tax dates if it is a second home (June and December). See our guide to Italian property taxes.
- Insure the property.
Purchase costs to budget for
Buying from a private seller (the most common case):
- Registration tax: 9% for a second home, or 2% if it becomes your main home and you take up residence in the comune within 18 months (prima casa). The minimum is €1,000. For homes bought by individuals, the tax is normally worked out on the property’s cadastral value, not the price paid. The cadastral value is usually well below the market price.
- Cadastral and mortgage taxes: €50 each.
Buying from a builder or company that charges VAT: VAT (usually 10%, 4% for a main home, 22% for luxury categories) plus fixed taxes.
On top of the taxes:
- the notary’s fee;
- the agent’s commission, usually a percentage of the price plus VAT, agreed in writing;
- surveyor and translator fees;
- any mortgage costs.
Ask the notary for a written estimate of all taxes and fees before you sign the compromesso.
Paying for it: cash or mortgage
Many foreign buyers pay in cash or borrow against property in their home country. Italian banks do lend to non-residents, but they usually lend a smaller share of the value than to residents and ask for detailed proof of income, so allow extra time. If you need a mortgage, make the offer and the compromesso conditional on getting it.
Before you start
Most problems for foreign buyers come from skipping the checks in step 2 or not understanding what they sign. Our 7 mistakes foreign buyers make covers the common ones. When you are ready, browse property for sale in Italy or try the AI property search.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and rates change, so confirm the details with a notary, lawyer or commercialista before you buy.
Homes for sale in Italy
- €1,200,000
- €1,900,000
- €1,300,000
- €1,200,000
- €1,100,000
- €1,290,000
- €2,150,000
- €2,325,000
