Buying property in Tuscany: the back story

About Buying property in Tuscany: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Tuscany Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Foreigners can buy property in Italy, and in Tuscany many do, from a flat in Florence to a farmhouse in Chianti. The process is national; the notary is at its centre.

The steps

You will need a codice fiscale, the Italian tax code, from the Agenzia delle Entrate or an Italian consulate. A reservation offer is usually followed by a preliminary contract (compromesso) with a deposit, and the sale is completed by deed (rogito) before a notary, who registers it.

Taxes

The purchase taxes depend on who sells (a private owner or a company) and on whether the property becomes your main home; the Agenzia delle Entrate publishes the current rates. Owners then pay the local property tax (IMU) on second homes.

In Italy the notary (notaio) is a public official who checks the title and records the sale; he or she acts for neither side.

Farmhouses

Rural buildings bring their own checks: planning permission for past alterations, the land registry (catasto) record, rights of way and water. A surveyor (geometra) is part of most country purchases.

Holiday lets

Short lets are regulated: each property needs a national identification code (CIN), and Florence has restricted new short-term lets inside its UNESCO centre. Check the Comune’s current rules before you buy to let.

Advice

Use your own lawyer and surveyor, independent of the seller and the agent. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Our advice: spend time in the area in winter as well as summer before you choose a village.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Buying property in Tuscany: the back story before you go.