The Whos Who in Italian Real Estate

Italy is a land of rolling hills that are covered with alluring vineyards and sprinkled with picturesque stone villages situated on adjoining ridges, with solitary houses amongst the fertile fields, a unique vision that everyone with a love of Italy has neatly implanted in their mind. It is also a land where the “old boys” network continues unabated. In other words, a lot of transactions –including real estate – depend upon who you might know.

So, just who is involved in Italian real estate transactions, anyway? The process of searching for, inspecting, financing, restoring and completing the purchase of your property can be a bit confusing even in your home country. It can be even more so in a country with an unfamiliar language, customs and laws governing the purchase process. The parties involved in a similar transaction in your home country may not apply in the “bel paese”. The old adage, buyers beware, is still good advice.

If you’re searching for a vacation apartment, a country villa, or a rustico to restore, it’s important to become familiar with the parties involved in this transaction before you make the leap.

Here’s a run-down of some of the key players…a who’s who of an Italian real estate transaction.

Agente Immobilare: This is the real estate agent who may be working for you or solely for the seller of the property. There are numerous agente in all regions of Italy and many have websites which provide information in English (which can be a good starting point in your property search). Agents usually work on a 3-6% commission of the sale price. You should verify that the agente is a member of the Federazione Italiana Agenti Immobiliari Professionali (FIAIP) and registered with the local Camera di Commercio or Chamber of Commerce.

Acquirente: That would be you…the buyer, the one acquiring the property. Many words in Italian are similar to English, whether in spelling or actual pronunciation, so do not be afraid to try pronouncing words that you see.

Venditore: The seller of the property. Naturally, as in any country, they want to make money in this transaction. The venditore may have their property listed with more than one Agente Immobilare, sometimes at different prices.

Geometra: A combined architect, general contractor, “gopher” and problem solver all rolled into one job description. This term is usually translated as ‘surveyor,’ but the duties they perform go beyond that. They are not builders and they are not architects, but have background knowledge in these fields and they work with both if you are doing a restoration project. If you are rebuilding a rustico you are wise to hire a geometra, who works for a fee. When you pick a good geometra, you’ve found the person who knows the right people to make the project progress, whether that is dealing with subcontractors or officials at the comune office.

In the United States, when you purchase a house a detailed home inspection is always a part of the process; often, a seller will have this done before the house is offered for sale. In Italy an independent home inspection is not a part of the process. If you want this important information, you must locate and hire the person to do this for you.

Notaio: This is the Italian government’s representative attorney and the person responsible for making sure all of the documents are correct for the sale transaction. He will perform the necessary searches to insure that the property has the correct right of ways and to verify that the home and land are free of restrictions relating to title and claims by family members. He collects the required taxes and registers the transfer of the property. The notaio must pass a grueling testing process that can span a period of years to acquire this designation and many smaller cities may have only one notaio. The notaio does not work specifically on behalf of either the buyer or seller but you can not complete a home purchase without them.

Impresa Edile: If you are rebuilding a property you will need a building contractor to price the project and carry out the work.

As with any location, you would be wise to obtain more than one bid for your project and, in working with your geometra, insure that the bids are reviewed to verify that they include everything required. The lowest bid may not always be the best if it is not comprehensive. Your geometra will work with the impresa edile throughout the course of your project.

Some other potential participants in your real estate transactions that you may require depending on your particular circumstances.

They are not builders and they are not architects, but have background knowledge in these fields and they work with both if you are doing a restoration project. If you are rebuilding a rustico you are wise to hire a geometra, who works for a fee. When you pick a good geometra, you’ve found the person who knows the right people to make the project progress, whether that is dealing with subcontractors or officials at the comune office.

Architetto: An architect, who might be required if you are undertaking a rustico project or doing some major addition work.

Ingegnere: An engineer may be useful if you have a renovation project with parts of the structure that are questionable as to their soundness.

Avvocato: A lawyer - who would be a different person than the notaio - someone you might hire to assist you in the process to represent your interests. There are avvocati in most regions that speak English as well as Italian.

Banca: A bank where you may need to obtain un mutuo, which is a mortgage, to finance your home purchase. The offering of mortgages in Italy has been historically limited, but this has changed in recent years as banks become even more international, and those operating in Italy see the financial rewards of offering a wider range of mortgages. At a minimum, you will likely need a bank account for transferring funds from your home accounts to make down payments and to complete the sale.

Commercialista: An accountant who may be able to help you in financing you purchase project and making sure you are paying the correct fees. They may also be able to assist you in setting up your bank account if necessary.

Comune: The governmental body for the town or city where your property is located, there will be various departments in the comune that will have a bearing on your real estate purchase that your geometra will work with during the course of your project.

Success in doing business in Italy can often depend on who you know, so it is always a good idea to ask around for referrals from other people in the area where you are buying. Friends or family, or friends and acquaintances of friends and family are often the key to opening doors and finding the right source of information.