Buying an apartment or house in Italy does not begin only when you sign the final deed at the notary’s office. An important part of the process starts much earlier, when you find a property you like and the estate agent prepares the Proposta d’Acquisto.
Before signing and paying a deposit, it is advisable to understand who owns the property, what is recorded in the land registry, whether the floor plan matches the actual condition of the property, and what building and planning documentation is available.
When buying property in Italy, knowing the asking price is therefore not enough. The documentation is just as important as the property itself.
What Does a Foreign Buyer Need?
A foreign buyer will primarily need a valid identification document and a Codice Fiscale, which is the Italian tax identification number.
For married buyers, marital status and the matrimonial property regime also become relevant. The notary needs to know who is acquiring the property and under which ownership regime.
The required documentation may therefore vary depending on the buyer’s individual circumstances
What Documents Should You Have for the Property?
When buying a house or apartment in Italy, you will come across a number of different documents. Each one tells you something different about the property, and only when they are reviewed together do you get a clear picture of what you are actually buying.
The Atto di Provenienza shows how the current owner acquired the property. The Visura Catastale contains the main cadastral information, while the Planimetria Catastale shows the floor plan registered with the Italian land registry.
You may also come across the APE, the property’s Energy Performance Certificate, as well as documents relating to Agibilità, building permits and any later alterations, depending on the age and type of property.
With older homes, the paperwork can naturally be more extensive. Over the years, a property may have been renovated, extended or internally reconfigured, and these changes need to be properly reflected in the documentation.
Simply receiving a few PDF files from the estate agent does not necessarily mean that everything is in order. What matters is whether the documents are consistent with one another, whether they match the property you actually see during the viewing, and whether anything needs to be clarified before the purchase.
That is the key difference between having the documents and having them professionally reviewed in the context of the specific property.
What You See May Not Match the Floor Plan.
Imagine an apartment advertised as including the apartment itself, a cellar and a garage. At first glance, nothing seems unusual. However, when the cadastral documents are reviewed, only the apartment and a storage unit appear in the records.
A similar situation can arise with the layout itself. During a viewing, you may be drawn to a beautiful enclosed veranda, only to discover that it does not appear on the registered cadastral floor plan.
Does this mean the property cannot be purchased? Not necessarily.
However, it is important to understand why the discrepancy exists, whether the relevant supporting documentation is available, and whether anything needs to be resolved before the purchase.
This is why looking at a single cadastral extract or floor plan is not enough. The documents need to be compared with one another, checked against the actual condition of the property, and assessed to understand what any discrepancy may mean for the buyer.
The History of Older Italian Properties Is Particularly Important
Italy is full of beautiful older properties. Over the decades, however, their layouts may have changed, additional rooms may have been added, terraces enclosed or renovations carried out.
This is why checking the cadastral records alone is not enough.
Depending on the property, it may be necessary to compare the cadastral information with the building and planning documentation held by the local Comune.
For example, a house may now have an actual floor area of around 120 sqm, while the original building documentation records only 95 sqm. That leaves a difference of 25 sqm.
This does not automatically mean there is a problem. The additional 25 sqm may have resulted from a legally authorised extension or a later renovation. The purpose of a professional review is to establish where the difference comes from, whether the relevant documentation exists, and whether the current condition of the property is properly documented.
Every Property Requires a Different Review
There is no single checklist for every property purchase in Italy.
An apartment in a condominium, an older house, a rural property with land or a new-build development all require a different type of review.
At Sole Consulting, we look not only at whether the documents are available, but also at what they mean for that specific property and whether anything else needs to be clarified before the purchase.
Buying Property in Italy?
Documentation is one of the most important parts of a safe property purchase.
At Sole Consulting, we help international buyers review property documentation, communicate with estate agents, surveyors and notaries, and identify any issues that should be clarified before moving forward.
Already found a house or apartment in Italy?
👉 Have the documentation reviewed before taking the next binding step. Contact us and buy with confidence.
