"But is this house really his?" - My first view in Italy

10/01/2025   Category:  Customer Experiences

Everything was new: the language, the rules, the documents--and land registry searches? Never heard of them before.

I was about to make an offer on a small apartment in downtown Bologna. It seemed perfect. Then, during a chat with an Italian friend, he told me:

. "But have you checked if everything is okay at the land register? Do a visura first!"

So I asked for help and received the cadastral view: a simple, clear document that opened my eyes. The property was listed in the name of a different person than the one who was selling me the house! There was a pending inheritance not yet registered.

Result? Offer suspended. Saved me months of legal trouble and a lot of frustration.

Now whenever I talk to other expats who want to buy in Italy, I tell them, "Do the visura, always!" It is the first step to buying with peace of mind.

- Theodore, Portland, Oregon