°µÍø½ûÇø

In my experience the purchase or leasing process is relatively benign but unfortunately the horror stories tend to be the ones that are heard. I  think a great deal of those horror stories are due to the differences in process between a real-estate transactions in the USA v Italy and just not knowing what to expect.  Case in point i bought a house in california paid the "property tax" only to find out the following year it was an annual tax not a sales tax! in retrospect i am sure it was mentioned but...

In answer to your question about a buyers agent, so long as both parties are clear on what they are representing then definately a good idea, however there is one caveat,  in the smaller Italian towns where realtors have dealt with each other for years, there may be some lack of objectivity, if you can find an agent outside the bubble, all the better. I have always found the buying costs in Italy to be clear and unambiguous. As ever, do not underestimate the language barrier and dont be affraid to retain a professional business language translator.They are not expensive and will ensure no linguistic surprises. Buying in Italy is not particularly fraught so don't be dissuaded. Depending on where you are planning to buy most people will have a recommendation .

Thank you for responding to quickly,  that’s very useful.

Regards

Mia, where are you planning to buy?

Happy to be in Tuscany, Umbria or maybe even Marche,  we’re very flexible - advantages and disadvantages to all three. 

Big area I know but it will depend on the property.  We have a trip planned so hoping to have a short list compiled and viewings planned by then.🤞

Sounds great  when the time comes i have a superb company that will take care of you in the buyers department, and depending where  you end up, renovations if needed. i have no affiliation but have worked with them since 2019

Good to know,  thank you.

An accredited agent is a legal agent - and they will act independently, legally and in the interests of the buyer and seller - and are paid by both.   There are lots of buyers agents, consulente, property finders, who act on your behalf and completely illegally.  Your agent, whoever it is, (Id say in your region look for a FIAIP agent who is guaranteed to be legal),  should be named in the act of sale as otherwise you have absolutely no legal protection.  A legally operating and qualified agent has legal responsibility for everything he says and does, (to the point of having to buy the property back),  but make sure you get everything in writing - whatsapp is fine.

You will pay usually between 3 and 4% of the price, sometimes with IVA on top - it depends on how the agent is taxed.  The foreign franchises tend to try it on the most for commission - Engels and Volkers, Coldwell Banker, Sothebys etc  and a small local agency will charge the least.  It doesnt mean you get what you pay for. 

Hi,

We understand your confusion regarding agents as like any profession there are some who are just out to take you for what they can get. It is quite common for the agent to get commission from bot seller and buyer, even when accredited but we are selling our home and found an agent, FIAIP approved, who will only charge the seller, the buyer has enough to pay  he says ''as they are responsible for paying the notary and land registration fees and that is enough''. He is based in Folignio (Umbria) but covers most of central Italy. He has also a translator available (she speaks German, Spanish, Italian and English) and many contacts.

We moved here from a place near Tenby, Pembrokeshire and have been very happy, the locals are kind, charming, helpful and there is always something to do, see or experience, we love it in Umbria, also known as Italy's secret green heart. We're downsizing after running a B&B  and retired, and frankly wouldn't return to the UK in the future.

If you want our agents details we're happy to pass them on Marco is a real gentleman and honest:)

Ciao Marguerite

Hello Marguerite, thank you, yes please.

Kindest regards

Nia

Here are his details:

***

Thank you, much appreciated

Nia

@nrlamler

This sounds very much like my goals. How have things moved forward?  Did you find a place to buy?  What has been your experience?  I am two years away from my retirement, but I'm trying to learn in advance!

@nrlamler

Hello

What areas are you interested in?

Working with an accredited buyer’s agent is a smart move. To find one, you could start with professional associations like FIAIP or even reach out to local °µÍø½ûÇø communities (Facebook groups is a start). They may have some good agent recommendations. Also, don’t be afraid to ask agents about their fees and services upfront. it's essential to clarify their fees and the scope of their services early on, as commissions can be higher than in other countries (typically from 3% to 8% of the purchase price from both buyer and seller). Exp realty teams can also help by connecting you with trusted agents in the region, through eXp's global network. Hope this helps, and good luck with your search!

@8bucksagallon

I didn't know that an Italian realtor would actually ever respond to an American inquiring on a home. I have contacted numerous agencies about homes that I woud pay full price for and it's just simply crickets. They seldom respond and when they do, it's only to tell you that the home is sold. One home I was looking to get has been advertised online for about 4 months but when I inquired to purchase it over 3 months ago, I was told it was sold. As of today, it's still for sale.  Italy Re/Max Platinum seems to be pretty much useless as well as Tecnocasa. Neither one answers emails, texts, or phone calls. Incredibly frustrated by the lack of willingness to actually sell properties they list. Really, what's the point??

There is no such thing as an accredited buyers agent.  There is an accredited agent or a buyers agent - an accredited agent by law works for both parties.  A buyers agent only works for you, but they will in all likelihood not be a legal estate agent - but if you pay them they must be written in to the atto. 

As a foreigner writing to agents, its worth telling them that you will be in Italy - give dates if you like, so the agent isnt just working with someone on the other side of the world who has no real plan to come and buy.   There are alot of timewasters out there, and agents will appreciate the fact that you will be here next week/month and want to see such and such a property

I totally agree, @nrlamler, that you should hire someone who is totally on your side. We hired someone (***) and it was the best thing we could have done. Saved us a fortune, but more importantly saved us from walking into a few traps over the few years we were exploring Italian properties. If you want an intro / contact details, ping me and I'll share them directly.

I have nothing but contempt for most agents in Italy (well Cosenza) that I have dealt with, there are obviously the exception who are good, we have met a few.  The worst experience by far was a British agent in the Amantea area.

@nrlamler hi this service is non existent

I cant find a single legally operating British agent in that area.  You should check whether the agent is legal before taking the plunge. 

Any recommendations for a reputable agent to work with in the Piedmonte region?

@nrlamler

Hi, Yes there are lots of conflicting thoughts on agents, tariffs, taxes etc

Primary are the estate agents, they do work for the seller but most will also charge the buyer commission too, so getting paid from both sides, the fees start from 1-6% plus Iva at 22% on top so ask first. Know if you view a property with 1 agent but buy through another you have an obligation to the first agent to pay commission. When ready a formal contract with intent to purchase (compromesso) will be drawn up, check the details as once this is signed you are committed and we the seller the down payment ( usually non refundable if you do not go ahead but if the seller pulls out you get double) most agents will ask for their commission at this point as well. The notary will start the process of checking and writing( the atto), final contract, they are on no-one's side they are legally obliged to get the land registry taxes, over see the final payment to the seller and get their fee which is usually a percentage of the value of the sale price plus iva on the day of signing.

Always chose a registered agency to deal with one that is a member of Fiaip as there are people out there who act as intermediaries and get a portion of the commission as an ''introductory'' fee but have no legal right to act as they do and you will have no recourse if things go wrong.

Estate agents here are unlike those of the USA or UK and seem to ignore your wants list showing you completely inappropriate properties , 3 beds instead of 4 as one might be possible to add later or a field where you could build a property instead of a renovation project and it gets maddening at times. We have a proactive agent, we want to down size, after most just listed us on the website and sat back expecting a buyer to walk through the door, ours also only charges the seller and not the buyer as he says ''the buyers have enough expense's to deal with'' for us a little more expensive but we like his attitude. We are based in central Umbria, where were you looking for a property, perhaps our agent could assist you? Let me know. Also we don't think ''buyers agents'' registered or not exist here, a relocating agent might do what you are asking...

Don't give up, there is a property out there for you just go with the flow, we nearly drove our 1st agent batty when we were looking for a house, we wanted somewhere we could walk to get a coffee, no pool, small garden and we bought a traditional Tuscan style farmhouse on a small hill with a pool and 1 ha of grounds, yes it is possible to walk to get a coffee but at our age the car is better.

A last word of advice, check there is mains water for out of town properties a well is normal instead. If there is anything specific you'd like to ask do and we'll do our best to help if we can.

Ciao Marguerite

@M Hunt

100%.  The Brit that I used near to Amantea, CS, showed us properties that were severely structurally unsound, she hadn't a clue.  And, on top of that not registered with the Chamber of Commerce, illegal as you say.  Promises of being able to build a house at X amount soon rose by over 200%.

@M Hunt

new to this forum and clearly made my first error by posting multiple public replies  when I actually meant to send a message. I am hoping the moderator will intervene.

@M Hunt

new to this forum and clearly made my first error by posting multiple public replies  when I actually meant to send a message. I am hoping the moderator will intervene.