The Italian property market offers various types of accommodation for purchase or sale. These include houses and apartments, new or secondhand (and in good condition), buildings under construction or due to be constructed in the future, as well as old buildings that can be transformed into houses or have already been renovated for residential use.

The prices are determined on the base of the commercial surface area which is calculated according to specific criteria established by current regulations. This includes the surface area of the property including all the walls, the surface of terraces and cellars, usually calculated at 25%, the surface areas of mansard roofs and attics, calculated at a percentage ranging from 25 to 70%, according to the quality of the fittings (floors, furnishings) and the presence of amenities (electricity in all cases, heating, plumbing for bathrooms) and, lastly, adjoining land of the property for exclusive use, calculated with a percentage ranging from 2% to 10% according to the quality of the layout of the garden.

Houses and apartments are generally sold unfurnished and without a fitted kitchen; if desired, modular or fitted kitchens can be requested via a special arrangement provided by sellers of the properties included in this site.

Each property for sale in this site is provided with details of the commercial surface area so that it is possible to compare prices with other properties. In some cases, the net surface area (therefore excluding walls) is also indicated.

Each inhabitable property must be registered with the Land Registry Office (Nuovo Catasto Edilizio Urbano – N.C.E.U.) which keeps a 1:200 scale plan of the property. At the request of the owner, the Land Registry Office issues a cadastral certificate (visura) which provides details of the size of the property and other information required for tax purposes. The deed of sale is drawn up a notary who ensures that:

  • the description of the house or apartment corresponds to the actual state of the property;
  • that the property does not have mortgages or easements;
  • that the cadastral documents are up-to-date;
  • that the property (houses or apartments), new or secondhand, is provided with the certificate of occupancy and Energy Performance Certificate (A.P.E.)
  • that the buyer has paid the sum agreed for the sale to the seller. Usually the payment is made at the same time as the notary deed with a bank draft delivered by the buyer to the seller.

The notary signs the deed together with the buyer and the seller (rogito) and subsequently:

  • calculates the taxes that have to be paid;
  • registers the deed in the register of the Land Registry Office (Conservatoria dei Registri Immobiliari);
  • informs the Land Registry Office of the change of ownership.

The notary’s fees must be paid by the buyer and this site includes details of the fees in the file of each property.

For the sale of houses under construction that still lack the certificate of occupancy and the Energy Performance Certificate, there is a reference in the deed to the authorisation of the municipality (comune) to carry out the work

Old buildings that are not inhabitable or may even be unsafe can be sold on the basis of the cadastral certificate. The buyer shall therefore have the responsibility to contact a qualified technician to carry out the renovation work. In our site we only mention buildings in this category that appear to be of special interest or quality and, following inspection, we provide information about the real possibility of transforming or reusing the property.

It is also possible to buy a future house or apartment; the term refers to a building that is yet to be constructed but which is the subject of a plan authorised by the Municipality (Comune) (sale “on paper”). In this case the property is identified in the plan and the notary deed is accompanied by a detailed description of all the features of the property (from the description of the amenities to the type of floors and furnishings). Payment is made according to a progress report and each single payment is guaranteed by the seller with a guaranty which is returned when the transfer of ownership is signed.

The economic advantage of buying future accommodation lies in organising the layout of interior spaces according to one’s own tastes and requirements, and in obtaining a discount on the final price.