home | places index | accommodation | art | beach guide | events | food | geography
history | itineraries | living here | map | nature | resources | slide show
useful info | wine | site index | postcards | newsletter
| buy the book
 

marche voyager Moving to Le Marche | Buying a home

back up

restoring property

paperwork

money matters

If you decide to live here, buying a home will probably be the biggest and most difficult decision you will have to make.

The best way, if you can spare the time, is to get to know an area well before deciding to buy there. Negotiate a hotel room for a long stay or rent a place, and make friends in the local bar.

Remember that accommodation will cost a lot less out of season and you'll be seeing properties in a less romantic light than in high summer when everything  looks great.

When it comes to buying, it's surprising how rash and unbusiness-like many foreigners become when faced with a charming but tumbledown country cottage - remember to remain detached, ask the right questions (ie. does the water dry up for the whole summer?) and, if you don't speak good Italian, have someone with you who does.

As with negotions anywhere in the world, don't appear over-enthusiastic if you intend to drive a hard bargain.

Having decided that you like a property, the first stage is the signing of a compromesso. This scrittura privata or "private contract" between yourself and the seller is a legally binding document and if you change your mind you will loose whatever deposit you have paid and usually be liable to pay an additional penalty. Deposits vary but are often around 10 to 20% of the agreed purchase price.

The compromesso will give details of exactly what it is you are buying including the particulars as recorded in the local catasta, the long-established Italian "land registry". Make sure these details are correct and correspond to what it is you think you are buying before you sign the document.

At a time specified in the compromesso the final atto, or contract, will be signed in front of the local notaio, a public official who witnesses public contracts.

Remember the notaio is not acting for any one of the parties - if you want to be sure that there are no nasty surprises hidden in the contract, that might, for example, give rise to neighbour problems in the future, get a local lawyer, or avvocato, to act for you. At this stage you will normally have to hand over the balance of the purchase price and pay any fees due to the notaio and estate agent, or mediatore.

-->next


top

©le-marche.com

 

 

health