Want To Buy A Dream Home In Italy?
What I learned on a trip to find my own slice of la dolce vita
Do you ever imagine yourself living another life? Maybe spending part of each year at your little place in Italy? You could invest money in a property there that you could rent out, or use for longer-term stays with friends and family. Use it as a base to travel around Europe or spend the days immersed in a book, sunning yourself on the terrace. Idyllic!
This is the dream that has kept me going all through COVID and beyond. Frantically checking all the listing websites to see if anything new has come up since I last looked, scouring Google Maps to find the location of the properties I like the look of.
Compared to Canadian real estate, where a cabin with lake-frontage in the vacation spots can set you back millions of dollars for a fixer-upper, Italian property can be reasonably priced — at least on paper.
So while I was in Italy this summer I connected with some realtors in Italy who could help me check out some properties. Here’s what happened — I’ll also share some tips to help you realize your own dream of la dolce vita.
The camera never lies?
Searching from thousands of miles away, of course, one relies on the photos posted on the listing site. It’s pretty interesting the wide variation in presentation, and it seems to depend on the intended audience. If you’re looking for a place you need to bear this in mind.
The Italian websites (like Immobiliare or Idealista) often have really terrible photos. The photos are taken at weird angles, they don’t show many of the rooms, and in the ones they do show they may not have bothered to clean up before the photographer came. Like seriously, a toilet with the seat up and loo paper trailing across the floor! A kitchen where the detritus of a recently eaten meal is strewn around… You can’t tell a lot from these.
At the other end of the scale, websites targeting British and North American buyers have photos that are staged to within an inch of their lives. You can guarantee that any defect has been cleverly hidden behind a strategically placed towel rail. What’s that garbage can doing sitting there? You can bet there’s a reason.
A key question to keep in mind is — when were these photos taken? Prior to my trip, I short-listed properties that looked like they were loved and in excellent condition. But an in-person visit revealed that was in their heyday (1990??) By now many of the properties were long past their use-by dates.
We viewed a property with a huge but leaking swimming pool, surrounded by cracked paving that in the photos had looked pristine and was filled with happy children — those children are probably in their thirties now! Another had mold growing out of the walls and a floor that was clearly unsafe.
The lesson here is to tread carefully. Of course, that’s true with real estate listings anywhere but take that and multiply it by 100 for your Italian dream house. Manage your expectations.
The long and winding road
You know those movie scenes of hot guys in Lamborghinis driving along amazing Italian mountain roads with gorgeous views?
In real life, those roads can be pretty scary! Even ones that aren’t technically up a mountain but just on a hill — and there are a LOT of hills in Italy — can be narrow single tracks with nowhere to pass and a knuckle-clenching sheer drop at the side of the road.
Couple that with insane drivers who think that honking their horn (or not!) allows them to hurtle down towards you at breakneck speed, and this does not make for a relaxing trip to your dream home.
For some properties that we viewed, the road was just too nerve-wracking for me to manage to visit without being medicated, and in some cases, the property was just too remote. What looks like a short drive on Google maps can turn out to take quite a while with all the switchbacks.
Really think about what you are willing to accept to get to your holiday home, and what potential renters might be willing to accept too.
Speaking of roads — you’ll need a car. Cars can only be purchased by Italian residents, so if you need to drive to your dream home give some thought to how you will manage that before you get official residency.
This place is a ghost town…
For some Italian towns that might literally be so, or become that way within a few years. You’ve seen those ‘one Euro’ homes advertised? Many of those are in ghost towns, where all the residents have long since left (nonna died, the kids need to be in the city for work). Does the village still have a bar or two? Does the church still operate?
The village below does fortunately still have a vibrant community, and that was so lovely to see. Like a lot of villages now, the bar is operated on a volunteer, rota basis. I quite fancy the idea of pouring a few Aperol-spritz for the locals!
If you’re viewing a property in a spectacular hilltop town, find out who your neighbours will be!
Manana
Ok, I know, manana is Spanish…domani then… but same idea. We found that a lot of realtors don’t have much hustle in Italy. Especially if you are not in the country. And honestly — can you blame them? I mean how many requests must they get from starry-eyes Italophiles looking to escape to paradise?
I’d recommend finding some groups on social media where you can chat with people who’ve made the move and get some recommendations. Remember real estate processes differ from country to country and even locally so the more insights you can get the better.
We found an excellent English-speaking realtor through a Facebook group who managed all our viewing for us — and even showed us some properties not yet listed.
If you’re serious about finding that perfect Italian villa though, you’re going to have to do some of the legwork yourself.
Research, make a list of properties to see, and then go in person — and give yourself plenty of time, a week or two will not be enough.
Blinded by beauty
Look, if you were buying a property in your own country you’d be much more attuned to potential risks. It’s so easy to avert your eyes from those risks when you have a romantic vision of what your life could be like.
If a property has been on the market for a while — there is a reason. You just need to get your CSI hat on and find out what that reason is. And then decide if it’s something you can live with. Here are a few things I discovered that you need to watch out for:
Family issues: lots of Italian properties are passed down through the family and end up belonging to 10 cousins who can’t agree. You might be able to buy that property — but be prepared for the long haul. In my case, they wouldn’t even let the realtor show the property (though it was on the market).
Environmental factors: Italy might seem pretty benign when you visit in early July, but there are lots of environmental risks to bear in mind. Heavy rain, landslides, fire risks, extreme cold, even damage from wild animals. Use the internet effectively and you’ll be amazed at what you can find out.
Ancient ruins: We love Italy because it’s old. But it’s old — so some of these buildings may look pretty at first glance but require significant work. Always have your own building inspector go over the place with a fine-toothed comb. The repairs could cost as much as the property — if you can find a reliable builder.
Red tape: The Italians love bureaucracy. Well, I don’t know if they actually love it but they certainly have a lot of it. Especially when it comes to property. Check that the property is fully legal — many times someone has taken down a wall or moved a window without a permit; that outbuilding that you think will make a great Airbnb once you’ve renovated it might actually need to be razed to the ground and rebuilt stone by stone to meet seismic regulations; there could be a right of way across your property that is in daily use; there might be fine art constraints if your dream home has a fresco…you’re going to want to check all this yourself before you put down the non-returnable deposit.
Don’t give up!
The list of potential challenges sounds daunting. But don’t give up on your dream…you can find a property that checks all the boxes and is within your budget. But those ones sell fast. I haven’t managed to bag one yet — I guess I’ll just have to go back to Italy and keep trying!
Tips for buying in Italy:
- Set your expectations — the camera can lie.
- Understand the location — what areas will be practical for you?
- Know your neighbours.
- Research online and make connections.
- Visit in person.
- Don’t let your dream blind you to risk: be pragmatic.
Here’s a little eye candy to fuel your dreams (the house!)…
For more great travel writing check out writers like Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages and Michele Maize on Globetrotters.
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