So You Want to Buy a House in Italy
Italian real estate attorney Giandomenico De Tullio on what you need to know
Since purchasing property and starting the renovation process of a small Trullo1 in Italy, I hear from people all the time who are interested in doing something similar, whether in Italy or another country.
I’ve learned a lot in the last year, and I want to share some tips so people can avoid my mistakes.
Before I jump into today’s topic (hire a local real estate attorney!) here are a few topline issues I want to highlight:
You don’t need to be a citizen or resident of Italy to purchase property in Italy.
It is possible to get a mortgage in Italy as a non-Italian, and the mortgage rate is lower here than in the US.
Property is less expensive in many places in Italy than in the US, so don’t assume you can’t afford it. For example, you could buy a nice one-bedroom apartment in Ostuni, Italy (the Puglia region) for around $100,000. This is a stunning historic town that overlooks the Adriatic and is a fifteen-minute drive to world-class beaches. There is an international airport (Brindisi) 30 minutes away. You can also find affordable (compared to the US) property to buy in other parts of Italy, but I’m not familiar enough with current prices to post about it.
My biggest misstep (so far) was not hiring a local real estate attorney to be involved in the renovation process. We did use an attorney for the purchase of the property but didn’t use one to make sure everything was in order regarding the renovation.
This has led to delays and unexpected costs that could have been avoided.
So, today, I’m sharing a conversation with Italian real-estate attorney Giandomenico De Tullio to go through some of the basics of purchasing property in Italy.
My husband and I met Giandomenico—a fluent speaker of English, Italian and French—at a cocktail party on our first visit to Puglia, and he has become a friend and an invaluable resource.
The De Tullio Law Firm, founded by Giandomenico’s father, has been serving international and local clients for six decades, so when we ran into issues regarding our renovation that required help from someone who was knowledgeable about the law, real estate matters and local customs, he was the first person we called.
Even if you are looking at a different country than Italy, I think what Giandomenico shares is helpful in terms of the kinds of issues you should be thinking about before you start your process.
If after listening to this interview you decide you would like to take the next step, feel free to reach out to the De Tullio law firm through their website or send an email to info at detulliolawfirm dot com. The firm can assist with every step of the process, including helping you secure a mortgage through an Italian bank.
For a full list of my main Italy resources, click on this note:
I hope you enjoy the conversation, which I’ve provided in both audio and video.
Related
Trullo: A trullo (plural, trulli) is a traditional Apulian dry stone hut with a conical roof. Their style of construction is specific to the Itria Valley, in the Murge area of the Italian region of Apulia. (Wikipedia)
Thank you for all your generosity in sharing your experience and resources!🙏
Hope you are enjoying the dolce vita🥰