I am American and a licensed real estate agent in Italy, so I beg to differ :-). You can naturally find my license number and VAT ID on my website home page.
Hi Annie, I'm the guy who wrote the document check list referenced above (thank you Steve for posting it). If you choose to work with an agent, find one who is licensed (not one of the impostors out there, and there are many). Commit to them and they will commit to you (choose the promiscuous agent model at your own peril: they will do the minimal necessary as it is likely they will never be paid). While I am a native English speaker and am currently working with buyers from Germany, the US, China and the Ukraine, the Marches is a bit to far from where I work (Tuscany, Liguria, Lombardia, Piemonte, Veneto, depending on the property). If you wish, I can provide you the name of an agent working in the Marches who is licensed and, as a native English speaker, also often works with foreigners. Drop me a note via email (my address is on my website). Regardless, good luck with selling your property!
It depends on your situation... if you are completely in the Italian system, a resident paying taxes in Italy, perhaps in part on income from elsewhere, you'll be entited to coverage under the Italian national health service which is very good to excellent. If you are coming as a tourist (90 days at a time) or using the Elective Residency Visa (you prove to the Italian government you have sufficient means to support yourself, be it royalties, pension etc), than you have to buy your own coverage. I'm not an expert in that area, I generally refer people to an American woman in Rome who is an Insurance broker.
When writing guides one tries to touch sufficiently on each pertainent area in order to be useful but not write so much the text becomes dense and overwhelming. It isn't easy... especially in the TL;DR era. More recent records are availabe in electronic format; older records are limited to paper versions. Sure, do feel free to share the checklist.
Hi Carolyn, You're right that you'll generally find prices to be lower in the south, however there are many small towns even throughout the country, including Tuscany, which are affordable as they are less well known. You'll also find the climate is generally better starting in Tuscany / Umbria / Le Marche and going further south. You might want to think about earthquake areas (perhaps not a big issue IF you choose a building is up to current spec) and public services such as, but not limited to, healthcare, which are generally, with all the exceptions possible, better north of Rome. If you work with a real estate agent, make sure they're licensed. I recently put together a guide on where to live in Italy for those thinking of relocating to Italy, it reflects my experience living in 3 regions over 20+ years. Hopeful you'll find it helpful. There is also a guide to buying property to Italy which may contain some information useful to you, for example, regarding the Elective Residence Visa. The more homework you do before you dive in, the better your experience will be. Good luck with your Italian adventure! - Sean Carlos
Introduced in Italy at the end of 2014, Rent to buy (a.k.a. rent to own, affitto con riscatto) is where a potential buyer initially rents a property with an option to purchase it at the end of the rental period, up to 10 years (after which they would lose important legal protections). Each payment is part rental fee and part installment payment toward the future purchase. At the end of the rental period the potential buyer will need to pay the outstanding balance to purchase the property. If they choose to walk away, they may or may not get their installment payments back, depending on the terms of their contract. For most buyers, Rent to buy only delays the need to come up with a significant part of the purchase price but could be useful in the case the buyer believes their situation would improve a few years after the initial commitment to the property. For most a traditional mortgage will remain a much more attractive option rather than a rent to buy solution. For sellers rent to buy may be worth considering for properties that would not sell otherwise. In either case the parties will need to closely scrutinize the terms of the rent to buy contract they choose to use. For most, buyers and sellers, rent to buy would not be their first choice. On a separate note, current Italian law requires real estate brokers to be trained in tax, legal and technical areas, certified (only 20% pass on average), licensed and insured. If a dentist, accountant or lawyer wishes to assist buyers and sellers of real estate, they too must undergo the training and licensing process and by law they must give up their current career. If someone practices without a license, not only are they breaking the law, but by law a client working with a fake agent does not have to pay the fee. Disclaimer: I am a licensed real estate agent in Italy.
Comments posted
I am American and a licensed real estate agent in Italy, so I beg to differ :-). You can naturally find my license number and VAT ID on my website home page.
Hi Rachel, as Ronco mentioned, I am American and a licensed real estate agent in Italy. Feel free to contact me if you'd like professional assistance.
Hi Annie, I'm the guy who wrote the document check list referenced above (thank you Steve for posting it). If you choose to work with an agent, find one who is licensed (not one of the impostors out there, and there are many). Commit to them and they will commit to you (choose the promiscuous agent model at your own peril: they will do the minimal necessary as it is likely they will never be paid). While I am a native English speaker and am currently working with buyers from Germany, the US, China and the Ukraine, the Marches is a bit to far from where I work (Tuscany, Liguria, Lombardia, Piemonte, Veneto, depending on the property). If you wish, I can provide you the name of an agent working in the Marches who is licensed and, as a native English speaker, also often works with foreigners. Drop me a note via email (my address is on my website). Regardless, good luck with selling your property!
It depends on your situation... if you are completely in the Italian system, a resident paying taxes in Italy, perhaps in part on income from elsewhere, you'll be entited to coverage under the Italian national health service which is very good to excellent. If you are coming as a tourist (90 days at a time) or using the Elective Residency Visa (you prove to the Italian government you have sufficient means to support yourself, be it royalties, pension etc), than you have to buy your own coverage. I'm not an expert in that area, I generally refer people to an American woman in Rome who is an Insurance broker.
When writing guides one tries to touch sufficiently on each pertainent area in order to be useful but not write so much the text becomes dense and overwhelming. It isn't easy... especially in the TL;DR era. More recent records are availabe in electronic format; older records are limited to paper versions. Sure, do feel free to share the checklist.
Thanks for the feedback Steve.
Hi Carolyn, You're right that you'll generally find prices to be lower in the south, however there are many small towns even throughout the country, including Tuscany, which are affordable as they are less well known. You'll also find the climate is generally better starting in Tuscany / Umbria / Le Marche and going further south. You might want to think about earthquake areas (perhaps not a big issue IF you choose a building is up to current spec) and public services such as, but not limited to, healthcare, which are generally, with all the exceptions possible, better north of Rome. If you work with a real estate agent, make sure they're licensed. I recently put together a guide on where to live in Italy for those thinking of relocating to Italy, it reflects my experience living in 3 regions over 20+ years. Hopeful you'll find it helpful. There is also a guide to buying property to Italy which may contain some information useful to you, for example, regarding the Elective Residence Visa. The more homework you do before you dive in, the better your experience will be. Good luck with your Italian adventure! - Sean Carlos
Introduced in Italy at the end of 2014, Rent to buy (a.k.a. rent to own, affitto con riscatto) is where a potential buyer initially rents a property with an option to purchase it at the end of the rental period, up to 10 years (after which they would lose important legal protections). Each payment is part rental fee and part installment payment toward the future purchase. At the end of the rental period the potential buyer will need to pay the outstanding balance to purchase the property. If they choose to walk away, they may or may not get their installment payments back, depending on the terms of their contract. For most buyers, Rent to buy only delays the need to come up with a significant part of the purchase price but could be useful in the case the buyer believes their situation would improve a few years after the initial commitment to the property. For most a traditional mortgage will remain a much more attractive option rather than a rent to buy solution. For sellers rent to buy may be worth considering for properties that would not sell otherwise. In either case the parties will need to closely scrutinize the terms of the rent to buy contract they choose to use. For most, buyers and sellers, rent to buy would not be their first choice. On a separate note, current Italian law requires real estate brokers to be trained in tax, legal and technical areas, certified (only 20% pass on average), licensed and insured. If a dentist, accountant or lawyer wishes to assist buyers and sellers of real estate, they too must undergo the training and licensing process and by law they must give up their current career. If someone practices without a license, not only are they breaking the law, but by law a client working with a fake agent does not have to pay the fee. Disclaimer: I am a licensed real estate agent in Italy.