2026-05-03T11:25:45+02:00 Sean Michael Carlos https://www.seancarlos.org/en/sean-michael-carlos https://www.seancarlos.org https://www.seancarlos.org/i/sean-michael-carlos-logo-150.png https://www.seancarlos.org/i/sean-michael-carlos-logo-150.png Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. Articles about property & living in Italy https://www.seancarlos.org/en/agibilita

At the conclusion of construction or significant renovation in Italy, the builder will notify the town or city that the work has been completed as per issued permits and variances and will certify that the work meets health and safety requirements. This health and safety certification notification is called Segnalazione Certificata di Agibilità, SCA. Often translated as habitability certificate, the certificate will attest to the health, safety and energy efficiency of the building and systems installed in it and, where applicable, compliance with digital infrastructure requirements (e.g. fibre optic wiring), as per current regulations. A municipality has 180 days to send a health inspector to verify the veracity of the professional’s certi …

2023-05-15T08:04:16+02:00 2023-05-15T08:04:16+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/catasto-explained

The Catasto In Italy, the Catasto (Cadaster) is the land registry which contains graphical, census and administrative data on properties throughout most of the country^1. The Catasto is divided into two parts: one covers urban properties, the other covers rural land. The Catasto is used primarily for tax purposes. Over time most paper records have been converted to digital format and updates are now performed electronically. Historically, maintenance of Catasto records left a lot to be desired, a common problem elsewhere too. With the advent of digitization, various laws have been enacted with the goal of significantly improving both the quality and freshness of Catasto data.The deeds, rights and liens registry A separate deeds, rights and …

2023-05-21T11:04:26+02:00 2023-05-21T11:04:26+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/how-to-buy-a-home-in-italy

The almost definitive guide to buying a home in Italy. Oh, Italy is right enough. The best country in the world to live in. — Mark Twain, in the New York Times, 10 April 1904 So you're considering buying a home in Italy, congratulations! You'll want to understand how the process works. You'll want to avoid traps along the way. No doubt you have plenty of questions. On the surface the purchase process is fairly straightforward and in most cases the purchase process goes smoothly... with home ownership in Italy just shy of 80%, things cannot be too hard! Yet you're right not to just assume everything will fall into place by itself. By the end of this guide you should feel much more prepared. Buying a home in a foreign country is a major under …

2023-05-21T11:02:01+02:00 2023-05-21T11:02:01+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/applying-italian-citizenship

The lure of Italy is undeniable. So much so you're pondering if you should apply for Italian citizenship - but you might not be so sure about the process. Inspired by the BrExit referendum, the Scottish association Casa Scozia held a seminar on Italian citizenship for Brits and other English speakers in the Milan area. As a naturalised Italian I was invited to present what I learned about the citizenship application process.Multiple routes to Italian citizenship Passaporto italiano The first thing to know is there are multiple ways to qualify for Italian citizenship; consult the applicable law for the full details, but in a nutshell: 1. Marriage to an Italian citizen - at time of application & at swearing in! 2. Residency (naturalisation) - …

2023-05-21T11:02:49+02:00 2023-05-21T11:02:49+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/faq-001

Home owner's insurance is not required by law, and indeed few Italians buy insurance for their homes; about half who have insurance only have it as it was required by their bank for their mortgage. Policies tied to mortgages will likely be limited in what they cover and will likely be limited to the length of the mortgage; it is possible to stipulate a more extensive policy provided by a different company than that proposed by the bank – verify this with your bank. In the euphoria of purchasing a new home, it can be too easy to overlook the importance of protecting it, and you and your loved ones, from unfortunate future events. Formal condominiums with an administrator will generally have coverage for the overall building and for damage to …

2023-05-15T08:04:16+02:00 2023-05-15T08:04:16+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/faq-002

There are a series of requirements which a seller must fulfill; these are documented (but not verified) by the notaio. By law the seller is responsible for ensuring the property has a building permit and planning permission for subsequent changes where required (by obtaining, where necessary, and citing the pertinent documents in the transfer agreement or in some cases swearing to this effect) and is responsible for the correctness of the land registry (catasto) data used for tax purposes. This is often referred to as the conformità catastale, urbanistica ed edilizia. The name of a building permit, required nationally for buildings built since 1942, has changed over time: * Licenza edilizia: for buildings built between 17-10-1942 and 30-01- …

2023-05-30T19:08:03+02:00 2023-05-30T19:08:03+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/faq-003

When buying property in Italy, especially in the countryside, a buyer may encounter a professional figure called a geometra. They are able to perform multiple tasks, which sometimes makes it confusing to understand what they can and cannot do. A geometra is a cross between a land surveyor and a junior architect. Their primary focus is on buildings and building systems (utilities). Their training allows them to design "modest" buildings as well as to plan and oversee building works. A geometra does not have the full formal university training of an architect. A geometra often performs more "operational" tasks such as conducting a technical review of a property, checking to see if it complies with the building codes which were applicable when …

2023-05-15T08:04:16+02:00 2023-05-15T08:04:16+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/faq-004

In the Italian civil code legal system (differently from the common law legal system), the notaio, a legal notary or notary at law, not to be confused with a simple notary public who witnesses signatures in the Anglo-saxon common law system, is a public official and legal professional who guarantees the validity of documents such as contracts, deeds and wills. The notaio confers public trust, the status of legal proof, to the deeds and other documents he or she oversees. The notary must, by law, be independent and impartial: they must protect the interests of all parties equally, regardless of who has selected them. In the case of a property deed, a notaio will need to verify the identities of the buyer and seller or their representatives ( …

2023-05-21T11:02:24+02:00 2023-05-21T11:02:24+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/faq-005

One of the many nice, and probably under-appreciated, advantages of the European Union has been the introduction of the Euro, removing the need for those in the Euro zone to convert currency when moving funds from one country to another. For those with funds in pounds, dollars or crowns, it is unlikely the euro coins and bank notes sitting in a drawer at home from the last holiday in Italy will suffice to purchase a property in Italy. Fortunately there are multiple options available. A few will be highlighted here. The reader is encouraged to use this as a starting point for further research before making a decision. The author is not an expert on currency exchange and is not qualified to offer advice on this topic. Consultation with a trus …

2023-05-15T08:04:16+02:00 2023-05-15T08:04:16+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/faq-006

By law, as stated in civil code article 1477, a property: …must be handed over to the buyer in the state it was found at the time of the sale. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties [buyer and seller], the thing [property] must be delivered together with the accessories, pertinent things and fruits from the day of sale. Often contracts will have a rote clause specifying that the seller is under the obligation to hand the property over free of people and things, which means the property will not be occupied by people nor contain personal effects and furniture. Some owners will take a very literal interpretation of free of things, ignoring the together with accessories part, and strip a home of everything, including fixtures and internal door …

2023-05-17T10:49:58+02:00 2023-05-17T10:49:58+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/faq-007

Often yes, but it depends a lot on the specific property, the location and the seller's situation. A professional real estate agent should be able to provide you with general achieved price values for neighborhoods and property types so you don't have to negotiate blindly. In general, the average discount nationally is somewhere in the order of 10-15% from the ORIGINAL asking price, which may be different from the CURRENT asking price, i.e. if a property has already been discounted 10% from the original asking price, you might not get further than a 5% discount. A national average means in some cases there won't be a discount or a slight premium will be paid (not so common in Italy yet possible in hot markets like Rome and Milan). In other …

2023-05-21T11:03:09+02:00 2023-05-21T11:03:09+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/faq-008

In law it is possible to delegate the management of one's affairs, or part of one's affairs, to another, through a legal tool called a power of attorney. In the Italian legal system, this is called a procura. A limited power of attorney, limiting the scope in which someone can act on someone else's behalf, is called a procura speciale, special in the sense of limited.Why a procura speciale is useful When buying or selling property, a buyer or seller may find it impractical to complete certain formalities, such as attending the closing (completion, title transfer, conveyancing), in person. There may be other times when a property has multiple owners, such as often occurs when family members inherit a property together, and a decision is reac …

2023-05-15T08:04:16+02:00 2023-05-15T08:04:16+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/faq-009-italian-mortgage

Foreigners can obtain a home mortgage in Italy as long as they have sufficient and demonstrable regular income. Italian banks will generally prefer to lend to those who are resident in Italy, or will become resident in Italy. The conditions for non-residents will generally be less favorable, e.g. instead of the normal 80% of "loan to value, (ltv)" (the lessor of bank's appraised value and sale price), it would be more like 40 - 60%. Note that each bank determines their own lending policies and these policies may change from time to time: what is true for one bank is not necessarily true for another bank.Is there a minimum mortgage loan amount in Italy? Most Italian banks will not want to lend a small amount, as their costs to initiate and m …

2025-08-02T12:18:24+02:00 2025-08-02T12:18:24+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/faq-010-lawyer-buying-property-italy

In the civil code legal system used in Italy, it is the Notaio (notary at law), a public official, who is responsible for the legal work when real estate is sold, not a lawyer. The Notaio performs legal due diligence, such as the title search, and insures the integrity of a property's title and transfer. The civil code Notaio has nothing to do with the Notary Public found in the common law legal system used in English-speaking countries, a point of understandable confusion for English speakers. In the common law legal system a solicitor is normally used, if not required, to perform legal due diligence. Italians would rarely engage a lawyer when buying a residential property. As a result, few lawyers in Italy are well versed on the intricaci …

2023-06-06T09:37:00+02:00 2023-06-06T09:37:00+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/faq-011-building-permits-deed

Several formal and substantive requirements regarding building permits have to be met when buying a property in Italy to ensure the deed is legally correct, tax obligations have been met and to protect buyer and seller from "misunderstandings" which could arise after the sale.Building permits must be mentioned in title agreement To begin with, the sale deed must mention all significant building permits ("titoli abilitativi") which have been issued for the building, or unit in a building (e.g. apartment in a condominium). The recommendation is to cite all building permits, major and minor. Nationally building permits were introduced in 1942 (L. 1150 / 1942) ^1 for urban areas, extended to rural areas in 1967 (L. 765 / 1967) ^2. Some towns ma …

2023-12-05T15:48:12+01:00 2023-12-05T15:48:12+01:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/faq-012-imu

Nationally the annual property tax in Italy is called IMU, Imposta municipale propria. It was previously known as ICI, Imposta comunale sugli immobili. The name may be slightly different in some autonomous areas. Note: tax rules can change from time to time. Use the following information as a guide, keeping in mind it may not be current, or your situation may be different.Are there IMU exemptions? Owners of normal homes are exempt from paying IMU if the home is their primary residence. Agricultural land is also exempt in many mountainous and hilly towns. Owners of homes in luxury tax categories (e.g. A/1, A/8 and A/9) are not exempt.What are the IMU deadlines? The IMU tax is payable in two installments, normally mid-June and mid-December. I …

2024-02-21T11:03:39+01:00 2024-02-21T11:03:39+01:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/tour-guides-italy

Considering a move to Italy? Want to get to know the country better before making a commitment? There's no better way to discover the lure of Italy in the hands of an experienced tour guide. Some tour guides focus on a specific city; others focus on a specific area of interest. We've listed a few that of the more prominent tour guide services Before engaging a tour guide, do make sure they are certified and licensed as required by law.by city Florence * Christina Mifsud, art historian and authorized tour guide, is a native of San Francisco and has made Florence her home for nearly 25 years. Christina has worked as an adjunct professor for several US studies abroad programs and given tours for dignitaries in collaboration with the US Consula …

2023-05-26T16:59:21+02:00 2023-05-26T16:59:21+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/the-best-place-to-live-in-italy

The almost definitive guide to where to live in Italy The lure of Italy is indisputable. History, culture, culinary tradition, stunning landscapes… and naturally so many beautiful people. You're smitten, what's not to like? A great dilemma for many considering a move to Italy is finding the right answer to "where is the best place in Italy to live". Ask the question on Quora or Facebook and five people will provide five contradictory and incomplete answers. Truth be told there are many great places to live in Italy, each with many strengths… and like most things in life, a drawback or two. In what follows I'll tackle the primary considerations I've run across in my role as a "sounding board" to people looking to buy a home in Italy, based o …

2023-05-26T16:59:33+02:00 2023-05-26T16:59:33+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/rent-to-buy-in-italy

At a time when obtaining a home mortgage in Italy for non-residents can seem like mission impossible, the Rent to Buy (a.k.a. rent to own, affitto con riscatto, lease-purchase, rent-purchase) scheme may be just the solution for a few aspiring home buyers, but, after sober consideration, most will find it akin to a siren song.How Rent to Buy works Codified in Italian law at the end of 2014^1, Rent to Buy allows a potential home buyer to initially let / rent a property with an option to purchase it for a predetermined price at the end of the rental period. Each periodic payment consists of two parts: a rental fee and an installment payment toward the future purchase. The parties must negotiate both the frequency of payments as well as the amo …

2023-05-15T08:04:16+02:00 2023-05-15T08:04:16+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/download-italian-floor-plan-free

In order to put your home on the market in Italy, a professional real estate agent will ask you for a copy of the official floor plan (planimetria) filed with the property/land registry, catasto. Due to privacy laws, the agent must have written permission to request this document on your behalf. A quicker solution is for you to download it directly from the Agenzia delle Entrate website, free of charge. Tip: since this article was written, Italy has introduced a federated login system. The site username and password have been replaced by SPID credentials, by the use of the Tessera Sanitaria or Carta di Identità Elettronica (CIE) and a card reader. Once logged in, the rest of the article should still be relevant.Retrieving your planimetria i …

2023-05-21T11:04:24+02:00 2023-05-21T11:04:24+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/electrical-plugs-sockets-italy

While I normally focus on everything involving and selling property in italy , there is one renovation topic that merits greater attention: the humble electric outlet / socket. Historically in Italy there were two electric plug sizes, a 4 mm pin plug and a 5 mm pin plug for appliances drawing more current. Some have just 2 pins; some have a middle pin which serves as the ground. Some sockets accept one size, more recent outlets accept both. All was well and good while Italy remained in splendid isolation, protected by trade duties. [256px-Euro-Flachstecker_2.jpg] Europlug. SomnusDe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons The creation of a pan-European market has resulted in the de facto adaptation of two plug types. The first is the simple tw …

2023-05-16T16:07:14+02:00 2023-05-16T16:07:14+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved. https://www.seancarlos.org/en/selling-real-estate-in-italy-document-checklist

Planning to sell your home in Italy? Your first concerns are most likely related to its market value and time to sell. Rightly so. You'll find more than a few real estate agents (and their impostors) happy to give you a back of the napkin value appraisal in order to get your business. Yet a professional property appraisal should be more than a 2 minute exercise; notably it should include a review of all pertinent documentation. Documentation which should be available for consultation by potential buyers. In addition, certain documentation is required by law for the preliminary and/or closing/completion sales agreement. I heard that groan. True, the document gathering process can be a bit tedious, especially if you've owned your home for yea …

2023-05-26T16:59:46+02:00 2023-05-26T16:59:46+02:00 Copyright © 2017-2026 Sean Michael Carlos. All rights reserved.