• French Riviera
• French Chateaux
• Algarve, Portugal
• Monaco
• Lake Como, Italy

The breathtakingly beautiful city of Venice, which has a great variety of Venice property for sale, lies in the Veneto region of Italy, and is bordered by the superb mountain ranges of the Dolomites and Alps which offer a wide range of hiking and skiing. To the south lay the serene waters of the Adriatic, famous for its beaches and water pursuits. There is also much Venice property for sale to be found throughout the area.

Venice itself spans 117 islands and the world famous canals are still the most popular method of getting around the city, whether by romantic gondolas or the many water taxis and buses (vaporetti). The canals provide a romantic setting for the numerous bars and restaurants that line the streets of this cosmopolitan city, selling, as you would expect, fare from all around the world, as well as the local specialities of pasta and seafood. Venice property for sale offers the best of both worlds; modern facilities and connections with the rest of Europe and a breathtakingly setting.

The countryside surrounding the City is often a great surprise to the few tourists that venture away from the fabulous facilities, shops and historic buildings in the town, where there is much Venice property for sale. Often tranquil and retaining its old-world charm in the many ancient and enchanting fortified towns that are characteristic of the region, it offers much to locals and tourists alike, including hiking, fishing, skiing, or simply an opportunity to enjoy the unspoilt landscapes.

There is a great range of Venice property for sale such as fabulous town houses steeped in history, including a great number of ‘ville venete’, the traditional 15th-19th century villas – ideal Venice property for sale for those with a larger budget. There are good links to the rest of Europe by road, rail and air, and the region boasts three airports; Venice Marco Polo, Venice-Treviso and Verona connecting with all major London and UK airports. Venice property for sale offers a unique opportunity to invest in a buoyant market, with opportunities for excellent rental income from the numerous tourists that flock to the city.

The six districts of Venice each offer unique Venice property for sale. These districts are (Sestieri): Cannaregio, San Polo, Dorsoduro (including Giudecca), Santa Croce, San Marco (including San Giorgio Maggiore) and Castello (including San Pietro di Castello and Sant Elena).

Nearby Venice, property for sale can be found all over the beautiful region of Veneto, including in ‘Fair Verona’, immortalised in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and Padua (Padova), 30 kilometres from Venice, which attracts pilgrims to the majestic Basilica houses and art lovers alike, and is located near to the thermal resorts of the Colle Euganei hills.

When buying Venice property for sale, the initial step is the proposal of purchase (proposta), where a 1% deposit is customary to enter a binding contract if the offer is accepted. Next is the preliminare, the preliminary purchase contract, which involves a 10-20% deposit of the contract price, and is used to prepare the paperwork needed for the final purchase contract (rogito natarile). The house must then be registered, which involves a 3% imposta di registro.

Venice is a seller’s market due to the high demand for Venice property for sale and the limited numbers of properties that are available. As such, prices remain high and represent a very good investment – there has been a typical rise of around 11% per annum in recent years. Venice will always be a hotspot for property buyers who wish to enjoy the delights of this romantic city, which means finding a buyer should you decide to put your Venice property up for sale will not be hard.

As a buyer you will find only a very few Venice properties for sale under 500,000 EUR that do not require major renovation. Up to around 800,000 EUR you will need to do some renovation if you are looking in the most popular and expensive areas, but outside these you should find many Venice properties for sale that are ready to move into.

When you have bought your Venice property for sale, there are numerous attractions for you or your tenants to enjoy. The ten-day Carnival in February is highly popular, meaning hotel space is at a premium and rental prices rise. There are also the many cultural exhibits such as the Accademia art museum, the Jewish Ghetto, the campi (the open spaces or piazzas), the Basilica (with its famous altar screen inlaid with precious stones) and, of course, the historic canals and bridges that are the very essence of the popular understanding of Venice. Buying a Venice property for sale allows you the time to soak up what Venice has to offer, including the quiet backstreet shops, the little known restaurants that offer high quality local cuisine and to get to know the locals.

The up and coming area of Venice is Giudecca, the long island to the south of Venice itself which is just a two minute boat ride away. It is a mix of old and new, and offers much fine Venice property for sale, both old and new build.

Buying Real Estate in Italy

1. Making the Offer to Purchase (Offerta)

Once you have found the property you wish to purchase you will start the process by making a formal offer to the vendor, the estate agent will act on your behalf and put forward the offer, a deposit will be made available, generally around (10,000 - 20,000 EUR). Once the vendor has accepted the offer it will be formalised in writing to the vendor in both English and Italian. If this is accepted the deposit (Caparra Confirmatoria) will be paid to the vendor. This will form a legally binding contract. Neither party may withdraw at this point, the sale can be forced by either party or a claim for damages can be made. If the purchaser withdraws their deposit will be lost, if the vendor withdraws the purchaser can claim twice the deposit in compensation.

2. Signing the Preliminary Contract (Compromesso or Contratto preliminare)

The next step will take place between 1 and 3 months after the offer has been accepted, this is a formal agreement between the vendor and purchaser to sell and buy the property, this agreement is the Preliminary Contract and will contain the conditions and terms of the sale. It is important at this stage that you have a full understanding of all the details contained in the contract. We would strongly recommend that you appoint a Notary who is fluent in English. This document will include the purchase price, a detailed description of the property including completion date and will cover any obligations placed upon the buyer and the vendor. All information relating to the property including any planning permissions for the property and the cadastral details (a public record, survey, or map of the value, extent, and ownership of land as a basis of taxation). Once the Preliminary Contract (Contratto preliminare) has been signed a further deposit (Caparra Confirmatoria) will be paid, this will generally be 10% - 20% of the purchase price. There will also be an estate agents Commission Fee (Provvigione) which will need to be paid at this point.

3. Signing the Final Deed of Sale (Rogito or Atto Notarile)

The purchaser must have a bank account in order to make the purchase on completion. The signing of the final deed of sale which will authorise the transfer of the property must be overseen by a Notary (Notaio). The buyer will select and hire the Notary, but they are members of an independent body of public/professionals who will draft the purchase deed, they will oversee the passing of the title legally from the vendor to the purchaser. The Notary will also verify the legality of the documentation and registration with the Conservatoria dei Registri Immobiliari and the Local Land Register.

4. Formalities to be observed after Completion

Foreign buyers should obtain a certified copy of the Purchase Deed (Rogito), which the Notary will have lodged with the authorities. Generally this will be available to collect around 2 – 3 weeks after completion. The Notary will also give you a form to complete for the the local authority (Questura) who will have been given formal notice of the purchase. Your Notary will help you to complete this form. You will need to contact the utilities companies to set up new contracts (power, water, telephone, gas etc.). If the property is a flat, the condominium manager (Amministratore del condominio) should be informed of change of ownership of the property.