It’s extremely important when purchasing a property in Italy, especially as an Expat, to employ the assistance of a highly trained lawyer who can offer you help, advice and guidance to ensure the sale is completed without any legal problems. It’s vital that your lawyers understand your needs as an Expat, are easy to communicate with and will have your back at all times, even when you’re out of the country.
Finding a trusted real estate law firm is not always easy, even at the best of times. This is certainly the case if you are making arrangements involved in the purchase of property in Italy from overseas, but it’s equally true even if you already live in Italy.
Before buying the flat in the historic town of Volterra (Tuscany), I did a lot of research on which law firm to hire. I came to the conclusion that the Italian Real Estate Lawyers was the best fit for me. They promptly responded to my initial request (many firms did not even respond to my online request), they gave a clear overview of the charges and the payment plan, they were willing to work with my small budget (I ended up buying the apartment for $65,000. Note that this law firm has done more than half a billion Euros worth of real estate transactions) and they even went to Florence and closed on the property on my behalf.
To my surprise, I also found out that they also have a real estate group. So I did not have to hire a separate real estate agent. They did the property research and contacted the sellers agents on my behalf. Once I had the final list, they even sent their real estate experts to visit the property and take photos and videos.
I ended up buying the property remotely without seeing it personally and the whole process went smoothly and on time. I was so happy with how things worked out for me, I decided to write the following unsolicited review of the law firm.
Why Do You Need A Real Estate Lawyer In Italy?
There are many important reasons why you need a real estate lawyer in Italy:
Italian Bureaucracy Is Complex And Often Confusing.
There’s a whole maze of national and local legislation to navigate when you’re buying a property in Italy. Not only are there tax regulations that you need to comply with but you’ll also have to make sure that you’re in full compliance with health and safety, environmental and other municipality legislation.
Having a lawyer in your corner is hugely helpful when you’re trying to understand the local bureaucracy in Italy. Your lawyer will be an expert in all aspects of Italian real estate law so they can explain the relevant documents and help to ensure that everything goes smoothly during the purchase of your property.
Failing To Comply With Local Legislation Can Lead To Serious Consequences.
If you try to manage the legal aspects of buying a property in Italy on your own and get something wrong you could face hefty fines and, in the worst-case scenario, serious legal consequences. You can even get in trouble if you make an innocent mistake – so it’s always worth paying a lawyer to manage the legal aspects of the property purchase on your behalf.
Your Lawyer Will Only Represent You In The Sale.
Your lawyer should only be representing your interests throughout the course of the sale. This is in contrast to many real estate agents who may be representing both parties in the sale which can inevitably cause conflicts of interest to arise.
Having personal legal representation will guarantee that your true interests are represented, something which is vital if you’re buying a property overseas and need to be able to trust your lawyer, even when you’re out of the country.
Your Lawyer Can Handle The Legal Due Diligence For You.
Completing the full legal due diligence can be very complicated in Italy so it’s extremely useful to have an experienced real estate lawyer to manage this for you. Crucially, this will avoid any potential problems with the ownership rights of the property but it could also allow you to benefit from discovered conditions in the transaction which could lead to a reduced sale price for the property.
Essentially, your real estate lawyer will know how to make use of any information that they discover during the due diligence process. This type of knowledge and local experience is indispensable for you when buying a property overseas.
Your Lawyer Can Help To Overcome The Language Barrier.
Legal documents in Italy are written in Italian and so if you don’t speak the language fluently then you won’t fully understand what you’re signing. Your real estate lawyer will be able to provide you with English translations of all documents and make sure that you fully understand all the paperwork involved in the transaction.
Your Lawyer Understands The Legal Process.
In Italy, there are 3 main stages of buying a property; the Proposta di Acquisto (reservation offer), the Contratto Preliminare di Vendita (the preliminary contract) and the Rogito (the deed of sale). Each phase of the process requires legally binding paperwork to be signed.
If you don’t fully understand the Italian legal system this can be a little confusing and difficult to manage on your own. Having a lawyer working for you will take away the stress of buying a new property and ensure that you know exactly what’s going on, every step of the way!
Your Lawyer Can Act On Your Behalf While You’re Overseas.
If you’re buying a property in Italy but don’t live in the country on a full-time basis there may be times when you’ll need your lawyer to sign certain documents or take action on your behalf. You can give your lawyer the power of attorney to manage events so you don’t miss out on the perfect property simply because you were out of the country at the time.
Italian Real Estate Lawyers – The Best Real Estate Law Firm In Italy.
Italian Real Estate Lawyers is made up of a team of experienced property lawyers, real estate experts and consultants who are there to guide you through the process of buying a new property in Italy. With offices in Italy and California, the team specializes in working with Expats and managing international cross-border transactions. This means that Italian Real Estate Lawyers understand the complex ins and outs of property law in both Italy and the United States.
Italian Real Estate Lawyers work with both residential and commercial properties; so whether you’re looking for a retirement home abroad, a family property in Tuscany or a commercial property to set up a business in Italy, the team have the expertise and experience to assist you through the entire process.
What Services Do Italian Real Estate Lawyers Provide?
The following are the key services this law firm provides:
Comprehensive Market Analysis And Property Searches.
Italian Real Estate Lawyers are situated in central Italy but they have wide-reaching contacts and connections throughout the entire country. The dedicated team is able to save you the time and effort of searching through numerous websites and scouring the country to find your dream property in Italy! They will also conduct inspections and attend any necessary meetings on your behalf to ensure that you don’t miss out on a property that ticks all the right boxes.
Italian Real Estate Lawyers will evaluate and assess any promising property in terms of its potential capital gains, rental returns and whether it will require any renovations before you move in. They will also conduct a survey to assess the quality of the location with respect to your requirements and advise on the feasibility of redevelopment and expansion.
Following the team’s inspections and evaluation, you will receive a detailed report, including photos and video footage, so you can decide whether to go forward with the negotiations. The research that Italian Real Estate Lawyers conduct on your behalf is an invaluable service which means that you don’t need to stop searching for a property while you’re out of the country.
Due Diligence And Property Assessment.
Once you have identified a property that meets your requirements the team at Italian Real Estate Lawyers will conduct a full review of its legal status. This includes collecting all the necessary records from the Chamber of Commerce, accessing information from the public registries and ensuring that the legal seller has the right to sell the property.
The Purchasing Process – Management And Oversight.
Italian Real Estate Lawyers will manage the entire purchasing process on your behalf while ensuring that you remain in full compliance with all local and national legislation. If it’s not convenient for you then you don’t even need to be in Italy while the sale goes through because their team can handle everything for you!
Throughout the purchasing process, you will be supplied with detailed translations of all the relevant documents so you fully understand them before you sign anything.
Property Management Services.
Whether you are purchasing a residential or investment property, the team at Italian Real Estate Lawyers can manage the property on an ongoing basis for you. This is an extremely useful service if you’re buying a holiday home or an investment property for your portfolio.
Rental Management Services.
As well as managing the purchase of properties, Italian Real Estate Lawyers also provide a range of ongoing management services. If you decide to rent out your property in Italy, even if you bought it through another company, Italian Real Estate Lawyers can help you to find new tenants, prepare and oversee bi-lingual rental agreements, collect rent for you, prepare your tax returns and ensure that your property remains in compliance with all relevant administrative requirements.
Tax And Financial Advice.
The team at Italian Real Estate Lawyers can provide you with ongoing advice on any financial, fiscal and tax matters. They can help you with tax benefits, income tax filings, national tax duties and regular municipal taxes. You will also be provided with comprehensive information about ongoing tax matters. If you need a mortgage or a loan the team can also give you advice on how to proceed.
Translations And The Preparation Of Legal Documents.
Italian Real Estate Lawyers can draft and prepare any documents related to the purchase, leasing or sale of your property. You can also ask for certified translations of legal documentation as well as technical reports, citizenship documents and other legal records.
The legal firm has secure procedures for delivering documents to you by courier if you’re overseas. This allows you to safely sign and return legal documents without having to worry about them getting lost in the post. The process is flexible and well thought out so you don’t even need to go to the consulate to sign and return the legal documents.
Italian Real Estate Lawyers Can Help You Get Your Codice Fiscale And A Local Bank Account.
In order to complete the purchase of a property in Italy, you will need to have a Codice Fiscale (local Italian tax code), however, the team can handle this for you. They can also get you set up with a local Italian bank account with full functionality, including online services, a cheque book and debit or credit cards.
Additional Services That Italian Real Estate Lawyers Can Provide For You.
Italian Real Estate Lawyers can also provide the following additional services:
- Constant, in-person advice and guidance throughout all negotiations, contracting and meetings that take place during the purchasing process.
- Conference calls and Skype meetings to answer any questions you have to ensure that you stay up to date with the progress in the purchasing process.
- The team can help you set up utilities, such as water and electricity, after you have purchased the property.
- Advice and help with setting up new security systems, insurance policies and any ongoing maintenance agreements with local contractors, including gardeners and cleaners.
Want To Find Out More? Book A Free Consultation.
Italian Real Estate Lawyers offer free consultations for any new clients. This gives you the opportunity to get to know the team and ask any questions that you may have about the services that they provide. During your consultation, you will be able to speak to a local real estate expert who is fluent in English and can explain how the firm can help you move forward.
You’ll find a form to book a free consultation at the bottom of the Italian Real Estate Lawyers homepage, here. Once you’ve submitted your request you should hear back from one of the team members within 24 hours.
The Italian Real Estate Podcast – Learning More About The Property Market.
The Italian Real Estate Lawyers run a successful Podcast that aims to help their clients understand more about the purchasing process as well as all aspects of the Italian property market. Hosted by Attorney Marco Permunian and Rafael Di Furia, every episode delves into a specific topic to help you learn about Italian citizenship, investing, purchasing, renting and managing a property in Italy.
Italian Real Estate Lawyers – The Help You Need When Buying In Italy.
With the help of the expert team at Italian Real Estate Lawyers, your property purchase will progress without problems or mishaps. Their team of fully qualified experts has the experience and local knowledge to ensure that you not only find the property of your dreams but that you stay in compliance with all local and national regulations before, during and after the purchase.
