In order to get the most out of what may be a relatively short, but activity-packed trip to Italy, it is of vital importance that you do your homework before the tickets are even booked. Because between the initial thought that you might like to purchase a property in Italy and the first property viewing trip, you will have an awful lot to do and find out.

Fixing your objectives
How much can you afford to spend in total? This may include purchase price, agency fees, notary fees, taxes, solicitors fees, translation fees, renovation costs, removal fees – MAKE SURE YOU ARE AWARE HOW MUCH EACH WILL AMOUNT TO WHEN CONSIDERING YOUR PRICE RANGE.
To what ends are you purchasing the property? It could be: as a permanent home to relocate to, as a holiday/second home, as a holiday home that will also be rented out to tourists for extra income, as an investment property that is purely for tourist rental, as an investment property that is for long-term rental or as an investment property to be renovated then sold on.

Where would you like to purchase a property?
It is important that you spend some time in the areas that interest you, in order to get to know them and choose the right spot for you. Visit in all seasons, not just during the summer months to ensure that the climate is what you want and that the place does not change beyond all recognition out of season. If you want to rent the property out to holidaymakers, you may wish to ensure that the amenities, proximity to the airport and so on are suitable for this purpose. Use the many forums on expat websites to gain some in-depth knowledge of the area that interests you from people who already live there.

What sort of property are you interested in?
This could be: a rural property with some land, a village house, an apartment, a city pad, a new-build or land for a construction project.

What size of property do you require?
Things you’ll need to work out include: how many bedrooms and bathrooms/ WCs you’ll need, how large the kitchen needs to be, whether you’ll need space for entertaining, how much storage space and outside area you want and whether you want parking next to the property. Many village properties, even those out in the countryside, do not allow for vehicular access.

In order to make sure the viewing trip is not a waste of your time, nor the agency’s time, it is of great advantage to be able to present them with the answers to these questions before you even arrive, thus enabling them to put together a portfolio of the properties most suited to your needs. However, it is worth bearing in mind that despite all the very important preparatory work you have put in, things may change when you are faced with the reality.

The agency will be prepared for that eventuality, and you must be to in order to avoid frustration or disappointment. The most important thing is to take your time and not allow yourself to be rushed, neither by the agency nor by the temptations of a “dream property”. Purchasing a property anywhere is a huge undertaking, but purchasing in a country not your own, where you may be unfamiliar with the language and the laws, is an entirely different proposal altogether.

So, be well prepared, well informed and relaxed, and all will be fine!

Start your hunt for a home in Italy here…
If you’re searching for an Italian property, a good place to start is the Italy Buying Guide’s new property search facility. To start your search now visit
http://www.italybuyingguide.com/content/italy-properties