Is Italy right for your strategy?
Lifestyle, value-add and selective city or tourism strategies
Calculate with your own budget
Enter the planned property price to estimate acquisition costs, gross rent and recurring ownership costs.
Financing for foreign buyers
Foreign-buyer mortgages exist but vary by residence, income source and property.
Tax position
Rental regime, IMU, capital gains and purchase tax depend on buyer and property status.
Buyer costs at a €1m reference price: €70k–€150k
This common price is used only to compare countries consistently. It is not a minimum or recommended investment amount.
Second-home illustration; registration-tax base, buyer agency fee and professional costs can vary materially.
Markets to compare within Italy
Milan
Business demand and liquidity
Rome
Large but fragmented rental market
Florence
Constrained heritage and tourism market
Selected coastal markets
Lifestyle demand with seasonality
Selective opportunity
Opportunity
Renovated, compliant stock in supply-constrained locations.
Primary watchpoint
Cadastral conformity, building legality, heritage restrictions and local rental registration.
Sources and data status
Reference period: latest published 2025–2026 official and established market data available at review. Last editorial verification: 28 September 2026.
Transaction-specific figures must be confirmed with the relevant authority and an independent local adviser before commitment.
2026 snapshot
- Indicative gross long-term yield: 4–7%, with major local variation
- Typical buyer costs: approximately 7–15%
- Short-term rental position: permitted but registration, safety and local rules apply
- Property-linked residence: no; Italy’s investor visa does not include direct real-estate purchase
Main investment locations
- Milan: strongest institutional and professional rental demand
- Rome: large and diverse market with tourism exposure
- Florence and Venice: premium tourism with tight local regulation
- Lake Como and Tuscany: international lifestyle and luxury demand
- Puglia and Sicily: lower entry prices with higher management risk
Who can buy?
EU citizens can generally buy freely. For non-EU citizens, Italy may apply the reciprocity principle: the buyer’s home country must generally allow equivalent rights to Italians, unless a treaty or residence status provides an exception. Buyers require an Italian tax code (codice fiscale). Ownership does not grant residence.
Purchase and ownership costs
Costs depend on whether the seller is a private person or VAT-registered developer and whether the property is a primary or second home. Budget for registration tax or VAT, cadastral and mortgage taxes, notary, legal/technical review and agency commission. Agency fees are frequently charged to both buyer and seller, commonly around 2–5% each plus VAT. Second homes may be subject to IMU.
Renting and short-term letting
Short lets require the national CIN identification code and compliance with safety, tax and reporting duties. Cities and regions may add restrictions. Venice, Florence, Rome and other high-tourism locations require particularly careful local checks.
Key risks
Unregistered building alterations, cadastral mismatch, heritage protection, slow condominium decisions and reciprocity restrictions are central due-diligence issues.
Continue your research
Take the next step in Italy
Method: calculations assume an individual cash buyer acquiring a resale residential property, without mortgage, renovation or buyer-specific relief. Figures are indicative planning ranges, not quotations or promised returns. Read the methodology →