Buying a home in Italy

The steps

You make a written offer (proposta) with a deposit. Once accepted, you usually sign a preliminary contract (compromesso) and pay a larger deposit. The sale completes at a notary (rogito), who also registers it.

The costs

For a second home or a non-resident buyer, registration tax is 9% of the cadastral value, which is usually well below the price. A main home (prima casa) is 2%. Registration tax has a minimum €1,000; it applies when the seller is a private person. New builds from a builder pay VAT instead (4% main home, 10% second home, 22% luxury). Add €50 mortgage tax and €50 cadastral tax. The notary's fee is agreed in advance; expect about €1,500 to €5,000 plus 22% VAT, depending on the price. There is often an agent fee too, usually 2% to 4% plus 22% VAT, paid by the buyer.

Calculate buying costs in Italy

Tax ID and bank account

You need a codice fiscale, the Italian tax code. You can get it from an Italian consulate or the Agenzia delle Entrate. An Italian bank account is not required to buy but helps with utilities and local taxes.

Visas and the 90-in-180 rule

A home in Italy does not give you the right to stay. Visitors from outside the EU can spend 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area. Longer stays need a visa, such as the elective residence visa. Since April 2026 the EU's Entry/Exit System records fingerprints and a photo at Schengen borders. ETIAS travel authorisation for visa-free visitors is expected from late 2026.

Check your 90/180 days

Running costs

Second homes pay IMU property tax every year, plus TARI for waste collection. Add utilities, insurance and condominium fees in shared buildings.

Calculate buying costs in Italy

What to check before you offer

Ask a surveyor (geometra) to check that the building matches the planning and cadastral records. Check for mortgages or charges on the title. Ask for the energy certificate (APE).