Yes, US citizens can buy property in Italy, and in practice with no particular restrictions. The legal basis is the reciprocity principle (Article 16 of Royal Decree no. 262/1942): a foreign national can buy in Italy if an Italian citizen can do the same in their country. The United States meets this condition — the current list, for verifying it case by case, is published on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: List of Countries and Territories — MAECI.
Buying property doesn’t give you residency
A common misconception: owning property in Italy doesn’t automatically grant a visa or residency. Anyone wanting to live in Italy for extended periods still needs to apply for a separate visa — for example, the elective residency visa, designed for people with independent income who won’t be working in Italy. It’s also worth clarifying that buying property directly doesn’t qualify as an investment for Italy’s Investor Visa (the so-called Golden Visa): that route requires investing in shares, government bonds, or innovative startups, not a direct property purchase.
The practical steps
The process always follows the same structure: get an Italian tax code (codice fiscale) — essential for any legal transaction, requested through the Italian consulate in the US or directly in Italy — sign the preliminary contract (compromesso), usually with a deposit, complete technical and land registry checks on the property, and finally sign the deed (rogito) in front of a notary, a legal requirement for every property sale. A US citizen can manage the entire process remotely, through a power of attorney, without needing to be physically present at closing.
How Americans finance the purchase
Many American buyers pay in cash or finance the purchase in their home country, but getting a mortgage from an Italian bank is also possible. The main difference compared to a resident: a non-resident can typically borrow up to 60% of the property’s value (LTV), compared to 80% typically available to Italian residents — so a significantly larger down payment is needed.
Taxes to factor in
Beyond the purchase price, there’s the registration tax (or VAT if buying from a construction company), mortgage and cadastral taxes, and then annual IMU if it isn’t your primary residence — we cover this in detail in another blog article dedicated to property taxes in Italy.
How Dimora Realty supports American buyers
Our Real Estate Consulting & Investment team helps identify the right opportunity from the start, while Administrative & Legal Services coordinates the notary, tax code, and documentation — even remotely, without needing to be physically in Italy for every step. Once the purchase is complete, Property Management handles the property’s ongoing management.
This article is a general overview, not personalized legal or tax advice — every situation should be verified with a notary or a lawyer specialized in property purchases by foreign nationals.
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