
Best Regions in Italy for Property Investment as a Foreigner
The best regions in Italy for foreign property investors: Tuscany, Puglia, Lake Como, Sicily and Milan compared on prices, rental demand and lifestyle.
18 March 2025Find out what you can afford, how much deposit Italian banks ask foreign buyers for, and what buying a home in Italy really costs.
See how buying in Italy works
A worked example: a second home bought from a private seller by a non-resident, with a 60% mortgage over 25 years at 4%.
| Purchase price | €250,000 |
|---|---|
| Mortgage (60%) | €150,000 |
| Deposit from your savings | €100,000 |
| Registration tax (9% of a €80,000 cadastral value) | €7,200 |
| Land registry and cadastral taxes | €100 |
| Notary, purchase deed | €3,000 |
| Agency fee (3% + VAT) | €9,150 |
| Mortgage tax (2% of the loan, second home) | €3,000 |
| Notary, mortgage deed | €2,000 |
| Bank arrangement fee and valuation | €1,300 |
| Purchase costs | €25,750 |
| Cash you need | €125,750 |
| Monthly mortgage payment | €792 |
Illustrative figures. The registration tax is calculated on the cadastral value, not the price, and drops to 2% for a main residence. Notary, agency and bank fees vary. Buying from a developer means VAT instead of registration tax.
Do the groundwork yourself, at your own pace, and arrive at the bank with clear numbers.
Use the calculator to see how your savings and income translate into a purchase price under Italian lending rules.
Open the calculatorCodice fiscale, proposal, preliminary contract, notary deed: what happens when, and what it costs.
Read how buying worksOur non-resident buyer's guide lists the documents banks ask for in each country and how to compare offers.
Get the guideRegional guides with prices, neighbourhoods and what foreign buyers should know.

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