The words you meet when buying a home in Italy
A short glossary of the words you meet when buying a home in Italy, with the legal reference where there is one.
The words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Proposta d’acquisto | the buyer’s written offer; once accepted by the seller, it can bind the parties. |
| Caparra confirmatoria | the sum paid with the offer or preliminary contract (art. 1385 Civil Code). |
| Compromesso | the preliminary contract: the parties commit to sell and buy. |
| Rogito | the final notarial deed, by which ownership passes. |
| Visura catastale | the cadastral extract with the property data and the registered holders. |
| Planimetria catastale | the plan of the unit filed with the cadastre. |
| Foglio e particella | the cadastral map numbers that identify the land. |
| Subalterno | the number of a single unit within a building. |
| Stato legittimo | the state of the property that results from its building titles (art. 9-bis D.P.R. 380/2001). |
| Titolo edilizio | the act that authorises works: CILA, SCIA or building permit. |
| CILA | the Comunicazione di inizio lavori asseverata (art. 6-bis D.P.R. 380/2001). |
| SCIA | the Segnalazione certificata di inizio attività (arts. 22 and 23 D.P.R. 380/2001). |
| Permesso di costruire | the title for major works. |
| Edilizia libera | works that need no title (art. 6 D.P.R. 380/2001). |
| Agibilità | the statement that the building is fit for use. |
| Condono | the extraordinary amnesties by law (1985, 1994, 2003). |
| APE | the energy performance certificate (art. 6 D.Lgs. 192/2005). |
| CDU | the zoning certificate (art. 30 D.P.R. 380/2001). |
| OMI | the Agenzia delle Entrate’s Real Estate Market Observatory. |
| PAI | the River Basin Authority’s hydrogeological plan. |
| P1, P2, P3, P4 | the landslide and flood hazard classes. |
| Zona sismica | the municipality’s seismic hazard class, 1 to 4. |
| SIN | site of national interest for remediation. |
| Vincolo paesaggistico | the protection of an area under arts. 136 and 142 D.Lgs. 42/2004. |
| Prelazione | someone’s right, for example the State’s, to buy first. |
| Usi civici | collective rights over land, often ancient, that restrict its use. |
| Superficie grafica | the area measured on the map, different from the cadastral area in the visura. |
| Salva Casa | D.L. 69/2024, converted by L. 105/2024, which changed tolerances and changes of use. |
A purchase involves other steps too, such as who provides which information on a property and the OMI price ranges. What a dossier on an address costs is on the Dossier Immobile pricing page. You can work out the taxes you would pay with the free purchase tax calculator.
Sources
- D.P.R. 380/2001 (Consolidated Building Act)
- Civil Code, art. 1385
- D.Lgs. 42/2004 (Cultural Heritage and Landscape Code)
- LavoriPubblici: Salva Casa, L. 105/2024
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