Buying a home: every step from search to the notarial deed (rogito)
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The six steps, in orderHow do you search for and visit the home without being deceived?What do you sign first: the purchase offer?The preliminary contract: the step that really bindsHow much do you pay up front: deposit or down payment?The mortgage: how do you apply for it before the notarial deed?How much tax do you pay at the notarial deed?The notarial deed: what happens in front of the notary?What checks should you make before signing?Estate agent or going it alone?And if the home comes from an auction?In practiceFrequently asked questionsSourcesTo buy a home you go through six steps, always in the same order: you search for and visit the property, make a purchase offer, sign the preliminary contract (compromesso), apply for a mortgage if you need one, pay the taxes and sign the notarial deed (rogito) in front of a notary. Each step ties you in a little more, and it changes what you risk if you back out.
The six steps, in order
- Search and viewing: choose listings and go and see the home in person, preferably more than once.
- Purchase offer: put in writing the price you offer and the conditions, such as payment terms, what stays in the home and any guarantees.
- Preliminary contract (compromesso): the contract in which the two parties commit to sell and to buy, at a price and on a date written down.
- Mortgage: the bank lends you the money and, in return, obtains a mortgage lien (ipoteca) on the home. If you do not repay the loan, the bank can recover the money from the property.
- Taxes and costs: you pay them on the day of the notarial deed, together with the price.
- Notarial deed (rogito): the final deed signed in front of the notary, the public official who draws it up and records it in the property registers. From then on the home is yours.
How do you search for and visit the home without being deceived?
Start from the price and the area, then visit the home with a checklist in hand. Before the visit, ask for the list of documents the seller must have, so you can compare it with what is shown to you.
During the visit, look at damp on the walls, cracks, the condition of the systems and the common parts of the condominium (building owners' association), not just the kitchen. Every problem you notice becomes a question to ask before signing. If you have doubts, put them in writing in the offer.
What do you sign first: the purchase offer?
The purchase offer is the first document you sign. It states how much you offer, over what period you want to pay and which conditions you ask for. If the seller accepts it, a binding commitment arises between you and them.
The offer is often irrevocable for a certain number of days. This means that during that period you cannot withdraw it at will. Check how many days before you sign. If you also leave a sum of money with the offer, it is usually a deposit (caparra). Read how it works in the guide on purchase offer: what you sign and what you risk.
The preliminary contract: the step that really binds
The preliminary contract also comes before the notarial deed. It must take the same form as the notarial deed, that is, be in writing, otherwise it is void. In it you write the price, the date planned for the notarial deed, how payment is made and what happens if one of the parties does not sign.
The preliminary contract can be recorded in the property registers. That way, if the seller meanwhile sells to someone else or registers a mortgage lien, your right stays protected. The protection, however, lasts a limited time: it ceases one year after the date agreed for the notarial deed and in any case within three years of the recording.
The preliminary contract must be registered within 30 days of signing. The tax depends on the sums paid, so ask the notary before signing. For what it must contain, see the guide on preliminary contract (compromesso): what it is and what it must contain.
How much do you pay up front: deposit or down payment?
When you sign the preliminary contract you often pay a sum. It can be a deposit or a down payment, and the difference is large.
The confirmatory deposit (caparra confirmatoria) works like this. Example: price €200,000, deposit €10,000. If you are the one who backs out, you lose the €10,000. If the seller backs out, they must return double, that is €20,000. As an alternative, you can ask for the contract to be performed or cancelled with compensation for damages. The rule is article 1385 of the Civil Code.
A down payment (acconto), by contrast, is a simple advance on the price. If the sale falls through, it must be returned, except for any damage to be proved. Read the word written in the contract: that is what decides. The full comparison is in the guide on confirmatory deposit and penalty deposit (caparra penitenziale): the differences.
The mortgage: how do you apply for it before the notarial deed?
If you need a mortgage, ask the bank for a simulation before signing the preliminary contract. A fondiario mortgage generally covers up to 80% of the property's value. The bank values it on the lower of the price and its appraisal report (perizia), so the sum it lends you can be lower than the price you agree.
On the mortgage you pay a substitute tax (imposta sostitutiva). For a first home (prima casa) it is 0.25% of the amount disbursed. Example: mortgage of €80,000 on a first home, tax of €200. In other cases the rate is 2%.
The bank must give you the information sheet with the TAEG, that is the total annual cost of credit as a percentage. Compare offers on that figure, not just the instalment. For a first home there is also the Consap-managed guarantee fund (Fondo di garanzia), which guarantees part of the mortgage under certain conditions. Requirements and percentages change over time, so check them on the Consap website before deciding. The Bank of Italy explains the steps of the mortgage in its official guide to the mortgage.
How much tax do you pay at the notarial deed?
At the notarial deed you pay the registration tax (imposta di registro), the mortgage tax (ipotecaria) and the cadastral tax (catastale). The registration tax is 2% of the price if the home is your first home and you meet the requirements. In other cases it is 9%, with a minimum of €1,000.
If you buy from a private seller, the mortgage and cadastral taxes are fixed, €50 each. Example with a price of €100,000:
- first home: €2,000 of registration tax, plus €100 for mortgage and cadastral taxes, total €2,100;
- second home: €9,000 of registration tax, plus €100 for mortgage and cadastral taxes, total €9,100.
For a first home you must be resident in the municipality, or transfer your residence there within 18 months, and not own another home in the same municipality. If you are a natural person buying a dwelling, you can ask for the tax to be calculated on the cadastral value instead of the price, provided you are not acting as a business and the sale is not subject to VAT. You must request it expressly, and the notary explains how to do it in your case.
If the seller is a company, the calculation changes, because VAT usually applies. Ask before signing. The official rules are on the website of the Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate), tax guides.
The notarial deed: what happens in front of the notary?
The notarial deed is the public deed by which the home passes to you. You sign it in front of the notary, who checks the mortgages, the home's provenance (chain of ownership) and its cadastral and planning compliance. Then the notary records it in the property registers.
The notary is usually chosen by the buyer, and their fee is free: there is no mandatory tariff, so ask for a written estimate. The price is paid on the day of the notarial deed, or it is deposited with the notary if the parties request it. For what happens step by step, see the guide on notarial deed: what happens at the notary. The National Council of the Notariat has citizens' guides designed precisely for buyers.
What checks should you make before signing?
Before the notarial deed, check these points:
- Planning compliance: the deed must state the building permits for the home. If they are missing, the deed between private parties may be void.
- Cadastral compliance: the floor plan must match the actual home. If the cadastral details or the reference to the floor plan are missing, the deed may be void.
- Condominium charges: whoever takes over is jointly and severally liable with the previous owner for the charges of the current year and the previous one. Example: notarial deed in March 2026, you may be asked to pay the 2025 and 2026 charges. Ask the administrator for a certificate of payments.
- Energy performance certificate (APE): it must be handed over with the deed, and its class must be stated in the listings.
- Hidden defects: if you discover a defect the seller had not told you about, you must report it within 8 days of discovery. Court action must be started within one year of delivery of the home.
Estate agent or going it alone?
The estate agent is an intermediary. They are entitled to a commission from each party if the contract is concluded as a result of their intervention. The commission generally arises on signing the preliminary contract, not the notarial deed. If the agent is not registered in the REA with the Chamber of Commerce, they are not entitled to a commission. In the notarial deed the parties declare whether there was an intermediary and how much they paid.
If you choose not to use an agent, the checks in this guide remain the same. Only who accompanies you through the process changes.
And if the home comes from an auction?
The rules change. There is no offer or preliminary contract as in an ordinary sale. Instead of the notarial deed there is the judge's transfer decree (decreto di trasferimento), and the warranty for defects does not apply. Everything you read in this guide applies to sales between private parties and through an agency. For the court process, read how a property auction works, from the notice to the keys.
In practice
- Before visiting, ask in writing for the list of the home's documents and compare it with what is shown to you.
- Before signing the offer, check for how many days it is irrevocable and what happens if the sum paid is a deposit.
- Ask the bank for a mortgage simulation and compare the TAEG, not just the instalment.
- Work out the taxes for your case: first home or second, private seller or company.
- Ask the administrator, in writing, for a certificate of condominium charges and check the energy class before the notarial deed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change my mind after the purchase offer?
It depends on what is written in the offer. If it is irrevocable for a certain period, you cannot withdraw it before the deadline. Once the seller accepts, a contract is formed, and changing your mind has consequences. Read the text before signing and ask a notary for advice.
Do I need a mortgage before signing the preliminary contract?
It is not mandatory, but it is prudent. Ask the bank for a simulation and check how much it will lend you compared with the price. In the preliminary contract look for the mortgage clause, which says what happens if the bank does not grant the financing.
How long does it take from the offer to the notarial deed?
There is no fixed time. It depends on the documents, the bank and the checks. The planned date for the notarial deed you write in the preliminary contract, and it is best to keep it realistic.
Sources
In the same chapter
- Confirmatory deposit (caparra confirmatoria) and penitential deposit (caparra penitenziale): the differencesWith a confirmatory deposit, if you back out you lose the deposit; if the person who received it backs out, they return it doubled. Here are the differences, with examples.
- Who chooses the notary, who pays for themAs a rule, the buyer chooses and pays the notary, that is, the fee and the taxes: how to read the quote.
- Preliminary contract (compromesso): what it is and what it must containThe preliminary contract (compromesso) is the agreement through which you commit to buying a home. I explain what it is, what it must contain and how much you risk if the sale falls through.
- Right of habitation (diritto di abitazione): what it isThe right of habitation lets you live in someone else's home only with your family: it cannot be sold or rented out. Here is how it works.
- Pre-emption right: when it exists and how it worksPre-emption (prelazione) is the priority that gives you the right to buy first, at the same price and conditions: when it exists and how it works.
- Floor, orientation and lift: what they are worthFloor, orientation and lift change the price of a home. Here is how to assess them, with an example in euros and what to check before making an offer.
General information, not legal or tax advice: the law and the notice of sale prevail.
