Do you want to buy a home in Italy but do not know where to start? Whether your desire to purchase a property in Italy has been with you for as long as you can remember or is a recent urge, turning that dream into a reality can seem daunting. The last thing you want is to feel so overwhelmed by all the things that you have to do that you don’t end up making your purchase.

So, here the first steps:

1. Location

Italy is beautiful through and through. You may have had a romantic weekend in Venice, an insightful tour of Rome, relaxing in Tuscany and a lovely lazy time in Sicily or Sardinia, and why not enjoying the glamour in Lake Como. and Milan; But which location would you like to buy a property in? Remember, a location being a fantastic holiday destination doesn’t necessarily translate to it being a great place to own a property. You are going to be spending considerably more time here than you would on a fleeting trip.

2. Reason of the purchase

Are you looking to move to Italy as a family? Are you retiring there? Or is your Italian property only intended for holidays? It may well be that you are looking for somewhere to visit on holidays that you eventually move into full time. This is a really crucial question to answer, as it will have a direct impact on the property that you are looking for. For example, say that you are a two-parent, two-child family looking to spend the long summer holidays in Italy. You envision days of the kids learning to swim in the sea while Mum and Dad take it turns to read and look out for the kids. Followed by ice cream, pizza, maybe even more ice cream, bed, and repeat. Perhaps your budget is not as expansive as you would like it to be. Maybe, instead of both children having their own bedrooms in Italy, you find look for a two-bedroom property, but one that is only a five-minute walk away from the beach.

3. Property Key features

What features are you looking for in your Italian property?

Would you like a property with its own swimming pool? If the property is close to the beach, does this become less important? What else is important to you in terms of outside space: a garden, a barbeque? Or does an outside space not matter so much, as long as you have a large window to catch those Italian rays?

If you are planning on using your property as a holiday home, then perhaps you would like it to be near to the airport, since you will be going back and forth a few times a year.

Not only is imagining the key features of your property an exciting thing to do, but it is also a chance to really zone in on what you are looking for. It is a chance to ask which key features are non-negotiable and which would be lovely to have but aren’t essential. This will help you later when you are searching for properties within a budget, as you will feel more confident when crossing homes out that sound great but are not quite the one for you.

If you are buying with a partner or family, then ironing out these potential differences of opinion early on will mean that you aren’t faced with them later on.

4. Budget

Before you properly start looking for a property, and this can very much be at the dreamer stage of home-buying, it is a great idea to just browse through property portals and see what is out there. This will help to manage your expectations when you do come to define your budget. After that, you should contact an Italian estate agent who lives locally to the area you are interested in. They will be able to accurately tell you what recent house prices are. And, if your ideal property is a little out of budget, they’ll be able to advise on where else you should look.

Also, don’t forget to make sure about the real value of the property by carrying on the analysis of the “comparables” as well as checking the registered “most probable market value” on the Property portals.

5. Book a viewing trip!

Drooling over a property portal is one thing, actually seeing an Italian property in-person is another entirely. It may be that the sweet Italian cottage looked charming on the property portal, but up close, you can see that it needs far more work than you have the energy for. Fair enough. But the modern apartment that your partner dismissed as being too flashy actually has a warm feel to it. Furthermore, a walk outside shows you that the beach really is in easy walking distance. It really is possible to find your ideal property on your first viewing trip, so, if the modern/newly built apartment has caught your heart, go for it.

6. Have the backing of experts

Nothing will help the making the first steps to purchasing an Italian property feel less overwhelming than turning to experts. Estate agents can find you properties that suit your heart and your budget. Lawyers can help you navigate Italian law, starting from the buying process + property tax to inheritance and estate planning. Finally, when you buy a property abroad, you are at risk of losing money due to fluctuations in the currency markets, so having a reliable currency specialist helping containing costs would certainly be an advantage.

If you are looking to buy home in Italy in 2023 you can contact the leading Italian Real Estate Law Firm