Tips for buying a cheap house in Italy from those who have done it

(DailyExpertNews) — Buying a cheap property in Italy is an attractive prospect for many travelers, especially with the ever-growing number of cities offering homes for next to nothing through renovation programs.

While some were brave enough to take the plunge and buy a house with a price ranging from one to a few thousand euros in a rural Italian village, others were probably put off by the fear that something might go wrong.

But are there any red flags potential buyers should be aware of when considering purchasing such a home? And how do you know when you are walking on a slippery surface?

When it comes to giving advice and valuable tips on this particular topic, no one is better placed than those who have done it themselves.

Mayor Gianfilippo Mignogna chose to list the houses in an effort to revive the ailing city, whose population has declined over the years as countless residents left to find work in Italy’s cities or in other countries. .

Here, three of those who bought or helped buy one of the turnkey properties share their experiences.

‘Inherited’ problems

Mariano Russo, an Argentine with Italian roots, bought a cozy 55-square-meter, two-story house in Biccari for €7,000 (about $7,800).

Russo’s house was renovated when it was sold – even the walls were freshly painted – and has a panoramic terrace, while the entrance is in a picturesque alley of the historic center of the city. In addition to the purchase price, the notary for the deed of sale cost him another €3,000 ($3,400).

“It’s already liveable. Maybe we’ll modernize the running water system and heating, maybe we’ll repair parts of floors,” said Russo, a manager of Argentina Per Il Mondo, an organization that unites Italian-Argentines around the world.

“The structure is solid, even though it is an old house, there is no mold on the walls and the roof is in perfect condition.”

According to Russo, the purchase process went very smoothly thanks to the support of the local surveyor responsible for the project.

“Having someone to help you out is crucial, we were lucky with this agent,” explains Russo, who plans to live in Biccari for much of the year with his wife and two daughters.

“He prepared the paperwork for us and helped us pay the property taxes. He made sure the house was free of previous debts, something you don’t want to find out after you buy it.”

However, Russo found himself almost stuck in the labyrinthine nightmare that others found themselves buying a multi-owner Italian property.

Russo’s 55-square-foot, two-story turnkey property cost him $7,000 (about $7,800).

Mariano Russo

This house had two owners — sisters who lived in different cities. Both had to agree to the sale first and then to the final price.

Fortunately, the couple was on good terms and ended well. But this is not always the case.

Under Italian law, even if a property has 1,000 different owners, every person must agree on the sale or it cannot go through. And let’s just say Italy has quite a few bickering relatives.

Therefore, with the help of the town hall, buyers must avert the risk that an unknown heir will pop up out of nowhere to reclaim the sold property.

Russo notes that it is also important to ensure there are no pending mortgages on the property and that any minor repairs or renovations completed by previous owners are legally licensed with fees already paid. Otherwise, the new owner will have to arrange it himself, or he will face legal consequences.

Buyers should also be aware of any third-party damage that may have been caused by the home’s former owners before signing the deed of sale.

For example, if a damaged water pipe has flooded a neighbor’s kitchen, or a fallen tile roof has cracked a building next to the property.

Even previous refurbishments can be a problem if not properly approved or authorized retrospectively through a so-called construction amnesty.

“One sister was unable to attend on the day of the deed, so she delegated the other to sign on her behalf,” Russo explains.

“We made sure everything was in order with the sale. The sisters had remodeled the house in the past, tearing down a wall to unite two rooms, but the amnesty for the building had been arranged.

“All of this has to appear in the papers, before sale. Nobody wants last minute problems.’

If such a renovation has not been communicated to the town hall, which is required by law, the new buyer may find themselves in a situation where the deed of sale – and the sale – are declared null and void.

The right intermediary

Rolf Bauer has bought a 150 square meter house in the rural Italian town.

municipality of Biccari

Finding an efficient real estate agent was an important factor for Rolf Bauer, a retired engineer from Germany, when choosing a bargain in Biccari.

“I love the village atmosphere, I believe fate sent me here. I drove to Puglia this summer to pick a house and it was the first town I stopped in. It was perfect,” says Bauer, who €30,000 ($34,000) paid. for his renovated house.

“I immediately found the surveyor’s office, he was great. Having the right person to help you choose the house that suits you best is very important.”

He chose to buy in Puglia rather than Sicily, where several towns sell houses for one euro.

“Sicily is too far south, and I’ve never wanted a one-euro house,” he explains. “It requires too much work.”

Bauer, who owns other properties in Europe, found that the broker’s fees – less than €500 ($560) – were much lower than those in other countries.

Because he’s going to live in Biccari, Bauer doesn’t have to pay property taxes, which was another selling point.

Bauer’s 50 square meters house is spread over three floors and offers panoramic views

municipality of Biccari

“I realized that you have to do something with money, use it to relax and enjoy life,” he says. “I am a collector of houses and in Biccari I have found a warm place where I can live for several months a year. I hate cold weather, I probably don’t even need to turn on the heating here.”

His 150 square meter house is spread over three floors, has panoramic views and has vaulted ceilings, an open kitchen, a large cellar and a stone staircase leading to the front entrance.

Bauer completed some of the minor work himself, such as re-tiling the floors, upgrading the electrical system and installing a new shower. He plans to turn the upstairs bedroom into a porch.

Unlike most buyers, Bauer didn’t source the furniture, appliances, or even light bulbs locally.

Instead, he brought them in from countries like Germany, where he says the prices, and sometimes the quality, could be better.

“It depends on what you want, and if you have contacts with suppliers in other places like me. It’s always good to look around and compare things,” he says.

Bauer, an avid squash player, has been living in his new home in Biccari for two months and really enjoys the experience.

While the language has been a bit of a barrier — Bauer doesn’t speak Italian — he has relied on translation apps so far and has found that locals often go to the trouble of trying to understand if they’re interested in talking with him. to talk.

notarial affairs

Aksana Klimavets with the mayor of Biccari, Gianfilippo Mignognai, helped a buyer get hold of one of the houses.

municipality of Biccari

The process of buying a cheap home in Biccari was a little more complicated for Aksana Klimavets, a Russian interpreter based in Italy who helped a Moscow businesswoman buy an old home here for €15,000 (about $16,800).

The three-storey house, tucked away in a narrow cobbled alley, had been completely renovated at the time of sale, with freshly painted white vaulted ceilings, marble staircases and a panoramic terrace overlooking a small square – the former owners even left a stroller behind .

But according to Klimavets, it was incredibly difficult to find an available notary to witness the signatures on the deed, while the sale process took several months.

“When we did manage to find a notary, we were told just before the deed that we had to transfer the money immediately, which is impossible given the strict Russian rules for outgoing international payments that take many days,” she explains. from. “The bank needs to check and authorize, and this has slowed down the sale.”

To speed up the process, Klimavets’ client decided to transfer the money to the notary well in advance of the new appointment to sign the agreement, meaning the house had to be bought undetected.

Once this was arranged, the client flew over from Moscow to sign the deed and discovered that the notary had accidentally added the wrong address.

“Fortunately, we double-checked, otherwise we would have bought someone else’s property,” adds Klimavets.

This completely renovated Biccari home sold for €15,000 (about $16,800).

municipality of Biccari

When she and the buyer finally met the owners, they found that the house not only had five heirs, but had also been inherited several times.

“That house has a very long history, during the deed meeting the notary read to us the list of previous owners and now we have contact with one heir to transfer the utility bills,” she explains.

After overcoming this hurdle, the new owner had to go through the process of opening a bank account in Italy, which can be particularly difficult for those from Russia, before she could pay bills or enjoy her vacation home.

But despite these many challenges, Klimavets says her client has fallen in love with Biccari’s clean streets and pristine environment.

“For Russians, Puglia is a top destination,” she adds. “There’s the [international] airport in Bari and the tomb of Saint Nicholas, a Russian Orthodox pilgrimage site.”

The buyer, an unnamed businesswoman, is looking forward to getting the most out of her new property and plans to add more windows and another fireplace.