FAQ - Buying Real Estate and property, Sicily, Italy
Note: The rules are constantly changing and you are best off to consult with your appointed agent or a solicitor. The information below is subject to change and just a guide rather than the present factual information.
How do I arrange a viewing for property in Sicily?
We will spend time talking with you before your trip to determine the best sort of real estate/property for you to see, so you make the best use of your time in the area. Before you leave we will agree with you the properties that you will see and make a firm appointment as to the time and place of meeting our agent. Once you have one or more properties you want to view we can advise on travel and accommodation in the area and arrange an appointment with a local agent.
Can you help me selling my property?
Yes. See our sales page.
How safe is the buying process in Italy?
Very! All registered property transactions in Italy must take place in front of a notaio (A Notary Public who represents the Italian government.) The notaio's job is to check that the sale documents are correct, to verify the identities of the parties involved, to collect the tax on the sale due to the Italian government and to ensure that the entries in the land registry are updated to show the new owner.
Before this can happen one needs to check the land registry to ensure that the property is correctly registered to the vendor, that the property is registered as either a residential property, or in the case of property that isn't at 
present a dwelling, for example a barn, that the required permissions are forthcoming, that essential services are available, that there are no undisclosed rights-of-way through the property, no outstanding mortgages, and to generally ensure that you are buying what you expect. We can offer you advice on the above mentioned matters, at an additional cost.
What additional costs will I have to face to buy a property in Sicily?
You will need to pay for the services of the notaio (see above), for a geometra (surveyor) to run the legal checks and searches listed above and required by the notaio, and pay purchase tax to the Italian government. In practise all of these will generally add somewhere between 9% and 13% to the sale price - of which the great majority is the tax.
Do I need to sign a pre-contract (Compromesso or similar)
Absolutely not, although we can arrange one if you wish. Italian property law allows a range of pre-contracts where the purchaser pays a deposit on a property that they wish to buy to stop the vendor selling elsewhere, perhaps while the purchaser raises the money, or runs checks on the property to ensure that it is sound.
Do I need to personally attend the sale?
Italian property sales are usually enacted in the office of the notaio overseeing the sale and in the presence of both the vendor and purchaser. If you can't, or don't want to, personally attend we can send you a "power-of-attorney" request and use a third party to represent you. You will need to get the request witnessed by an Italian government official or an authorised Notary Public or similar person in your own country and return it to us before the sale.
Go to Part 2 of the FAQ's or Part 3 of FAQ.
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