CAReAuctions guide

Buying property at auction in Italy

Judicial property auctions are a real way to buy a home in Italy: a public procedure, a court, a starting price and clear rules. This guide explains how it works, what it really costs and what to check before you bid.

What a judicial auction is

When a property is subject to enforcement, the court sells it on behalf of the debtor. The sale is public and runs through the Italian public sales portal (pvp.giustizia.it), where the sale notice, the court expert's appraisal and the case documents are published. No agent mediates: the buyer takes part in the procedure directly.

The four steps

• Documents. Read the sale notice and the appraisal: they contain everything — starting price, minimum bid, condition, occupancy, costs and irregularities.
• Viewing. Access is arranged with the custodian through the sales institute. A viewing is worth more than ten photographs.
• Bid. Sealed bid with a deposit: usually 10% of the offer unless the notice says otherwise, paid by bank transfer to the case account.
• Balance and transfer decree. After the award you pay the balance within the notice deadline (usually 60 or 120 days) and receive the transfer decree, which is your title of ownership. If the balance does not arrive, the deposit is lost.

What it really costs

The starting price is not the final cost. Add: the balance, registration tax (2% with first-home conditions, 9% otherwise) plus mortgage and cadastral taxes, transfer costs and professional fees, any overdue condominium charges stated in the notice, remediation of irregularities, and renovation. The practical rule is to calculate a maximum offer that includes everything and never exceed it.

The risks to check

• Occupancy. An occupied property means time and cost to vacate: the sale notice always states whether it is vacant.
• Irregularities. Building and cadastral irregularities are the buyer's responsibility: the appraisal lists them, and they must be read before bidding.
• Condominium charges. Arrears can be significant: check them with the administrator or in the notice.
• Timeline. From deposit to decree, months can pass: plan on real timelines, not ideal ones.

Who walks with you

CAReAuctions brings every Italian court auction into one place, with public documents, numbers and prices. iCARe, the digital adviser, helps read the appraisal, calculate the maximum offer and understand whether the deal is real. When needed, a human adviser steps in: viewings, bids, paperwork. The success fee is paid only if the property becomes yours.

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