Tips for acquiring a cheap home in Italy from those who already did

(CNN) – Buying a cheap home in Italy is an attractive possibility for many travelers, especially with the increasing number of cities offering houses for next to nothing through repossession plans.

While some have been brave enough to jump in and buy a house priced from one to a few thousand euros in a rural Italian town, others have likely been put off by fear that something might go wrong.

But are there any red flags potential buyers should heed when thinking about buying from such a home? And how do you know if they are treading on unreliable ground?

When it comes to offering valuable advice and tips on this particular topic, no one is better prepared than those who have already done so.

In January, the Italian town of Biccari made headlines when it started selling both poorly maintained one-euro homes and ready-to-occupy homes that needed minimal repairs, the latter being the most successful.

Mayor Gianfilippo Mignogna chose to offer the houses in an attempt to revive the battered town, whose population has declined over the years as many residents leave to seek work in Italian cities or abroad.

Below, three of those who bought, or helped to buy, one of the turnkey homes share their experience.

“Legacy” problems

Mariano Russo, an Argentine with Italian roots, bought a cozy 55-square-meter, two-story house in Biccari for 7,000 euros (about $ 7,800).

Russo’s house was renovated when it was sold, even the walls were freshly painted, and it has a panoramic terrace, while the entrance is located in a picturesque alley in the historic center of the town. In addition to the purchase price, the notary for the purchase deed cost him 3,000 euros (US $ 3,400) more.

“It is already habitable. Spolo you have to modernize the running water and heating system, and maybe fix some parts of the floor,” says Russo, director of Argentina Per Il Mondo, an organization that unites Italian-Argentines from all over the world. world.

“The structure is solid, although it is an old house there is no mold on the walls and the ceiling is in perfect condition.”

According to Russo, the purchasing process was very smooth thanks to the support of the local surveyor in charge of the project.

“It is essential to have someone to guide you along the way, we were lucky to have this agent,” explains Russo, who plans to live in Biccari with his wife and two daughters for much of the year.

“He did the paperwork for us and helped us pay our property taxes. He made sure the house was free of any previous debt, something you don’t want to find out after you bought it.”

Yet Russo came close to being caught up in the labyrinthine nightmare others have found themselves in when purchasing an Italian property with multiple owners.

This house had two owners, sisters who lived in different cities. Both had to agree first on the sale and then on the final price.

Fortunately, the sisters were on good terms and things worked out well. But it’s not always like this.

According to Italian law, even if a property has 1,000 different owners, each must agree to the sale, otherwise it cannot take place. And let’s say that in Italy there are quite a few quarrelsome relatives.

Therefore, buyers, with the help of the forum, should avoid the risk of an unknown heir appearing out of nowhere to claim the sold property.

Russo notes that it is also important to ensure that there are no outstanding mortgages on the property and that all minor repairs or renovations made by the previous owners have a legal permit that has been paid for. Otherwise, the new owner will have to fix it or face legal consequences.

Buyers should also be aware of any damage to third parties that former homeowners may have caused before signing the deed of purchase.

For example, if a damaged water pipe flooded a neighbor’s kitchen, or if a sagging roof cracked a building adjacent to the property.
Even earlier renovations could be a problem if they were not properly approved or later authorized through the so-called construction amnesty.

“One of the sisters could not be present on the day of writing, so she delegated the other to sign on her behalf,” explains Russo.

“We made sure everything was fine with the sale. The sisters had remodeled the house in the past, they had knocked down a wall to join two rooms, but the construction amnesty was resolved.”

“All this must appear on the papers, before the sale. Nobody wants last minute problems.”

If that remodeling has not been communicated to the forum, which is a legal requirement, the new buyer could find themselves in a situation where the deed of purchase, and the sale, are canceled.

The right broker

Finding an effective agent was a key factor for Rolf Bauer, a retired engineer from Germany, in choosing a bargain house in Biccari.

“I like the atmosphere of the town, I think destiny sent me here. This summer I traveled to Apulia to choose a house and it was the first town I stopped in. It was perfect,” says Bauer, who paid 30,000 euros (US $ 34,000) for his renovated house.

“I quickly found the surveyor’s office, which was great. Having the right person to help you choose the right home for you is very important.”

Bauer chose to buy in Apulia rather than Sicily, where houses are sold for one euro in several cities.

“Sicily is too far south, and I never wanted a one-euro house,” he explains. “It takes too much work.”

Bauer, who has other properties in Europe, found the agent’s expenses – less than 500 euros ($ 560) – to be far less than what he has had to pay in other countries.

Having chosen Biccari for his residence, Bauer does not have to pay property taxes, which is another point in his favor.

“I realized that you have to do something with money, use it to relax and enjoy life,” he says. “I am a home collector, and in Biccari I found a warm place where I can live for several months a year. I hate the cold, here I probably don’t even need to put the heat on.”

His 150-square-meter house is spread over three floors, with panoramic views, and features vaulted ceilings, an open kitchen, a large wine cellar and a stone staircase that leads to the main entrance.

Bauer did some of the minor work himself, such as putting in new tile, upgrading the electrical system, and installing a new shower head. She plans to convert the upper floor bedroom into a porch.

Unlike most buyers, Bauer did not buy any furniture, no appliances, not even light bulbs. Instead, he shipped them from countries like Germany, where he says the prices, and sometimes the quality, may be better.

“It depends on what you want, and if you have supplier contacts elsewhere like me. It’s always good to take a look and compare,” he says.

Bauer, who is a great squash player, has been living in his new home in Biccari for two months now, and he is really enjoying the experience.

Although the language has been something of a barrier since Bauer does not speak Italian, so far he has turned to translation applications, and has found that locals often make the effort to try to understand if they are interested in talking to him.

Notary problems

The process of buying a cheap house in Biccari was a bit more complicated for Aksana Klimavets, a Russian interpreter living in Italy who helped a Moscow businesswoman buy an old house here for 15,000 euros (about $ 16,800).

Tucked away in a narrow cobbled alley, the three-story house was fully renovated at the time of sale, with freshly painted white vaulted ceilings, marble stairs, and a panoramic terrace overlooking a small square; the former owners even left a forgotten baby carriage.

But, according to Klimavets, finding an available notary to attest to the signatures on the deed was incredibly difficult and the sale process took several months.

“When we managed to find a notary, they told us that we had to transfer the money immediately before the deed, which is impossible given the strict Russian rules on international payments that take many days,” he explains. “The bank has to verify and authorize, and this delayed the sale.”

To speed up the process, the Klimavets client decided to transfer the money to the notary well in advance of the rescheduled meeting to sign the agreement, which meant buying the house without seeing it.

Once this was agreed, the client flew from Moscow to sign the deed and discovered that the notary had the wrong address.

“Luckily, we double-checked or we would have ended up buying someone else’s property,” Klimavets adds.

When she and the buyer met with the owners, they discovered that the house not only had five heirs, but that it had been inherited multiple times.

“That house has a very long history, during the deed meeting, the notary read us the list of the previous owners and now we are in contact with an heir to transfer the utility bills,” he explains.

After overcoming this hurdle, the new owner had to go through the process of opening a bank account in Italy, which can be especially difficult for those from Russia, before being able to pay any bills or enjoy her vacation retreat.

But despite these difficulties, Klimavets says his client has fallen in love with the clean streets of Biccari and its pristine surroundings.

“For Russians, Apulia is a prime destination,” he adds. “There is the airport [internacional] from Bari and the tomb of St. Nicholas, which is a Russian-Orthodox pilgrimage site. “

The buyer, a businesswoman, can’t wait to get the most out of her new property, and plans to add more windows and another fireplace.