That's an interesting statistic published by Tecnocasa Group, showing just how much international interest in the Italian property market has grown.
We don't know exactly how many foreign nationals currently own property in Italy, as there isn't a complete national database that also includes owners living abroad.
But one thing is certain: sooner or later, many of these properties will be passed down to the next generation.
And that means more and more people may find themselves inheriting a home in a country they barely know, whose language they might not speak, and where they've never actually lived.
An inheritance can be a wonderful surprise. Or a huge headache.
I can imagine two completely different situations.
On one side, there's someone who gets a phone call and discovers they've inherited a little house in Sicily.
Maybe it's a home full of memories, in a beautiful village overlooking the sea.
They're happy. Excited. Already dreaming about holidays, Italian summers, and finally having a little place to call their own.
Then the questions start coming.
Who pays the property taxes? Who looks after the house? How do you get the utilities connected? What if the roof needs repairs?
On the other side, I imagine someone who never wanted that house in the first place.
Maybe they've just lost someone they loved. They live in the Netherlands, Germany, or the UK. They have a job, children, and a busy life.
And suddenly, they're responsible for managing a property 2,000 kilometres away.
They don't want to move. They don't want to renovate. They don't want to invest.
They just want to sell the house, preferably without spending the next two years of their life fighting Italian bureaucracy.
And you know what?
I understand both of them.
The first step isn't selling. It's finding someone who understands you.
If you inherit a property in Italy while living abroad, my advice is to contact a reliable real estate agency, ideally before making any big decisions about the property's future.
But I wouldn't choose an agency just because it knows the local market.
I'd look for professionals with international experience.
People who have lived, worked, or managed projects abroad themselves.
Because anyone who's ever tried to get things done in a foreign country knows how frustrating even the simplest tasks can become.
They know what it's like to receive an official letter from the local municipality and have no idea what it says.
Not knowing which document to sign.
Struggling to get an answer from a public office.
Or having to book a flight just to sort out something that should have been incredibly simple.
A good professional should never underestimate these challenges.
Telling an international client, "It's easy, that's just how things work in Italy," isn't always helpful.
Sometimes, all it takes is putting yourself in their shoes.
Think about it: what if you inherited a house in Brazil tomorrow? What would you do? How would you feel?
So, where do you actually start?
Here are the steps I'd recommend:
1. Understand the inheritance situation. Contact a notary or another qualified professional to check the will, identify the heirs, review any outstanding debts, and understand the legal requirements. In Italy, the inheritance tax return (dichiarazione di successione), when required, generally needs to be filed within 12 months of the date of death.
2. Check the property documentation. Work with your real estate agency and qualified technicians to review cadastral records, planning and building compliance, ownership details, and any potential irregularities.
3. Find out what the property is really worth. Not what it was worth twenty years ago. Not what the previous owner thought it was worth. What it's actually worth today, in the current market.
4. Understand the ongoing costs. Property taxes (IMU), utilities, condominium fees, maintenance, and possible urgent repairs. Even an empty house can cost money. A local Italian accountant (commercialista) can help you understand the financial and tax implications.
5. Decide what to do with it. Keep it, rent it out, renovate it, or sell it. No pressure. Just a realistic understanding of the costs, benefits, and opportunities.
6. Arrange everything from abroad. Find reliable local professionals, such as property managers, and speak with a notary about which tasks can be handled through a power of attorney.
Not everyone who owns a house in Italy actually chose to own one.
And perhaps this is the most important point of all.
In real estate, we're used to meeting excited people.
People who dream of owning a home in Sicily, who fall in love with the sunshine, the sea, the culture, and the idea of a completely different lifestyle.
But there's another group of international property owners.
People who weren't looking for a house in Italy.
They inherited one.
And along with the keys came responsibilities, deadlines, expenses, and some pretty difficult decisions.
We shouldn't automatically assume they're happy about it.
And we certainly shouldn't judge them if they simply want to sell.
Our job as professionals isn't to convince them to fall in love with that house. It's to help them make the best decision for their own lives.
With knowledge, patience, and above all, empathy.
Because sometimes, the real value of a real estate agent isn't finding a buyer.
It's making someone who lives thousands of kilometres away feel a little less alone while dealing with a situation they never asked for.
