When choosing Italian estate agents with whom to view property, it is important that you ensure they are regulated by law, professionally qualified and licensed and hold indemnity insurance. They should be registered with the local chamber of commerce (camera di commercio), with a certificate issued by the local comune as proof of registration.

An agent should also be registered with the Italian association of estate agents (AICI), the Italian federation of mediators and agents (FIMAA) or the Italian federation of professional estate agents (FIAIP). British estate agents in Italy may be registered with the Association of International Property Professionals, a trade association, membership of which requires abiding by a strict and extensive code of conduct.

In Italy, unlike the UK, involving a solicitor in a property purchase is not usual practice for locals, but highly recommended if you are a foreigner. All paperwork involved in such a process is undertaken by the estate agent, with the notary rubber-stamping everything on behalf of the government.

Estate agents in Italy are hardly ever exclusive – a vendor will put their house on sale with as many agents as possible. Your only obligation as the client is to purchase through the agent that first introduced you to the property even if you then proceed to view the property again with another agent or the owner themselves.

Once you are ready to begin you property search, you can book viewing days with estate agents before determining how you get to Italy, where you stay and how you will get around once you are there. With some estate agents or agencies, you will even be able to book an inspection trip; with everything organised on your behalf – flights, transport, accommodation, viewing itinerary, meeting with notaries or banks etc.

An estate agent in Italy will do much more than just help you find your new Italian home; they are usually happy to assist you in opening a bank account, sorting out a mortgage, obtaining your codice fiscale (tax identification number), obtaining your residenza (residency) and indeed anything else of a bureaucratic nature that will enable you to become the owner of a property in the country.

They will also be happy to put you in touch with other professionals whose services you may require during the purchase process – solicitors, builders and other trades people, surveyors, notaries etc. Once you think you have found the property you are looking for, and before you put in an offer (proposta d’acquisito), an estate agent in Italy should be able to provide you with the following information on request:
Confirmation of the sum total of all fees.

The plans of the property and its land in relation to neighbouring properties in order to ascertain boundaries and rights of way, etc. (cadastral) and the plans of the property itself (planemetria) to ensure that no illegal changes have been made since they were last registered with the local town hall (comune).

New regulations now require an estate agent in Italy to officially register the preliminary contract within a month of signing if it was not signed in front of a notary (notaio). If you are unfamiliar with the language, it is advisable that you pick an estate agent who speaks both Italian as well as English – or take a trusted person (or professional interpreter) with you.

There may be UK based agencies that can provide that very service but it is important to make sure they can provide you with confirmation of past experience in the field and more especially, the area of Italy in which you are purchasing. Property laws vary greatly depending on where you are, so it is important to choose an estate agent who has extensive experience of how things work in the area in which you intend to purchase.

Speak to other foreigners who have purchased, and see if they have any recommendations for you. There are plenty of expat websites with forums that can provide you with an enormous pool of people who have been in similar positions to yours, and who can tell you about their own experiences as well as being able to offer you advice on which agency to approach for the best service.

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 property search facility. To start your search now visit http://www.italybuyingguide.com/content/italy-properties