Homes in Italy

Types of Properties Available

The homes in Italy can be generally categorised into several different types of property. Of course, you will often find that not every property will fit neatly into one of the groups. As with everything else, each type of property comes with its drawbacks and its advantages but these will, to a large degree, depend on the
reasons you are buying the property in the first place.

So make sure you are clear in your mind on the following key areas which will have a direct influence on the type of property you decide to commitment yourself to:

• Think about logistics and how easy it will be for you to visit your property if needed to.
• Consider how much time you can devote to supervising any repair or renovation work on the property?
• Are you prepared or able to carry out work on the property yourself?
• Ensure you can find professional and reliable agents to manage a restoration project in your absence.
• Be clear whether you have room in your budget for the inevitable ‘surprises’ a restoration project can present?
• Consider any timescale – is there a time limit for any work beyond which you are not prepared to tie up your money?
• If you need your new investment to generate a rental income, be clear on the outset how quickly you will need this to happen.

Homes in Italy: General Categories

So here we will review the kind of properties that are generally on offer in Italy.

• New Building - no more than 20 years old : One of the main advantages of this type of property is that it is a very low maintenance and it ideal if you do not want to be bothered with the inevitable work involved with an older property.
  
  If you are looking to buy a new build in a big city, it will almost always be part of a condominium, and you will almost certainly be buying an apartment. You should be aware that in Italy nearly all property is sold freehold. So, you will own a proportional part of the freehold of the condominium and be responsible for general maintenance, the roof, lifts, etc.
  
  New build houses are not uncommon in rural areas either, but because they are less common than older properties, they almost always find a ready market.


• Ready to Move in - restored/renovated property in excellent condition: This type of property is the one that the first-time, second-home buyer in Italy is most likely to go for. They are often very old properties in wonderful locations and if care and expense have been lavished on them, they will be at their most attractive as it fits perfectly into the dream of living in Italy.
  
  Unfortunately for the investor, these properties will probably be the most expensive type of all the homes in Italy. If you are looking for maximum investment profit, you should be trying to sell, not buy such type of property.


• Habitable - in need of cosmetic improvement: The investor that goes for this type of property is generally scared of major renovation work and does not want to deal with potential surprises and spiraling costs if the work is not managed properly. The trouble is that all this makes this type of property a very popular category and one, therefore that is in short supply.


• Habitable - in need of more extensive improvements: This type of homes in Italy is a far better bet as an investment. A property that needs work done the likes of new electrical wiring, plumbing, a new septic tank, etc. plus cosmetic improvement, can really transform the worth of a property. Bear in mind that this is true so long as two things are scrupulously adhered to:
  
  
• Factoring in the costs of the renovation work into the purchase price of the property.
• Whatever the property’s condition, making sure that it is excellently located.


• Shell - in need of extensive, mainly interior work: This type of property will require you committing investment capital on things like new doors, bathrooms, kitchen, re-designing partition walls, etc.
  
  Again, this is the kind of property that can yield profits on the initial investment but again the key to success for investment purposes, here is to make sure that you do not let the cost of restoration escalate unnecessarily.


• Ruin (Rudere) - exterior walls only: A property in this state will require a new roof and internal rebuild so to take it on is without doubt a major undertaking. We would recommend buying this type of property only to an investor who does understand the process of restoration as well as knows of a trusting person or company to appoint to manage the project. This type of investment can yield good results but only if conducted carefully, with an eye on both costs and preserving the unique character of a property.

The above types of homes in Italy obviously do not take account of scale, which is a different matter all together. And generally, apart from the first category, all the property types above could also fit into the following sub-categories:

• Rustic Building – called rustico
• Large historical property to be transformed into a business venture such as a hotel or agriturismo
• Villa
• Farmhouse – called casale

Homes in Italy : Common Italian Property Types

Here is a summary of the most common Italian property types you might come across in your property search:

• Appartamento – apartment
• Monolocale - studio flat
• Bilocale - two roomed flat
• Trilocale – three roomed flat
• Casa – house/home. This is not a specific type of property.
• Casa Canonica - an old house attached to a church, rectory
• Casa Gemella - semi-detached property
• Casa Padronale – country house
• Casale – farmhouse
• Casetta - a small house
• Castello - castle
• Palazzo – a mansion, like a palace. Used for any very large building.
• Rustico – a rural property that needs renovation
• Rovina - a ruin
• Villa - detached house with garden/land
• Villino – cottage/small house with garden

Thank you for visiting our guide… we look forward to welcoming you to Liguria and hope you will love it as much as we do !

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