Italy house Renovation project

5 bedrooms house, 300 m² Salice Salentino, Lecce (province) Salento

Salice Salentino, Puglia, Italy

€210,000

5 bedrooms house, 300 m² Salice Salentino, Lecce (province) Salento

Key facts

Bedrooms
5
Bathrooms
5
Interior
300 m²
Land
35 m²
Type
house

Features

  • Renovation project

About this property

Set within the sunlit countryside of Salice Salentino, one of southern Italy’s most established wine regions, Villa Emilia is a rare agricultural estate where heritage architecture, productive vineyards and a compelling future vision come together. The property extends across approximately 3.53 hectares of private land, including around 2.72 hectares of Negroamaro DOC vineyard . The cultivated rows create a beautiful, ordered landscape that opens onto olive groves, mature trees and the broad, luminous horizons that define this part of Salento. It is a setting of authentic rural beauty: peaceful, deeply rooted in the land and rich with the atmosphere of traditional Puglia. At the heart of the estate stands the former Villa Emilia , accompanied by a second historic rural building. The principal structure measures approximately 219 sqm , with a further 16 sqm ancillary space , while the former farmhouse offers approximately 65 sqm . Together, the existing volumes provide an extraordinary canvas for restoration and reinterpretation. Although awaiting complete renovation, Villa Emilia retains the quiet presence of a once-proud country residence. Its weathered façades, original proportions, distinctive architectural details and elevated terrace evoke an era when estates such as this were designed not only around cultivation, but around family life, hospitality and a close relationship with the surrounding landscape. The building’s patina is part of its appeal: a tangible sense of history that can be preserved and brought back to life through a sensitive architectural project. The estate’s combination of established vineyard land and historic buildings makes it particularly suited to a range of considered uses, subject to the relevant planning permissions: a private country residence immersed in the vines; an intimate boutique hospitality retreat; a wine-focused guest experience; or a refined agritourism project celebrating the traditions, flavours and lifestyle of

Location

Approximate location based on the listing's town. Confirm the exact address with the agent.

How to buy this property

Typical process in Italy — 2–4 months from accepted offer to keys. Tell us where you're buying from:

What's different for you

  • If this will be your main home (and you’ll be resident in that comune within 18 months), the “prima casa” rate cuts registration tax from 9% to 2% of the cadastral value.
  • A main home is also exempt from the annual IMU property tax.

What's different for you

  • No restrictions. You need a codice fiscale (tax code), which is free and quick to get from a consulate or the Agenzia delle Entrate.
  • As a second home you’ll pay 9% registration tax on the cadastral value and annual IMU (around 0.86–1.06% of the revalued cadastral value).
  • If you move here and become resident within 18 months, you can claim the 2% prima casa rate.

What's different for you

  • Italy applies “reciprocity”: you can buy if Italians can buy in your country. UK, US, Canada and Australia all qualify, and the notary confirms this.
  • Owning property doesn’t give you a visa. Living here needs an elective residence visa or similar, otherwise you are limited to 90 days in any 180.
  • Italian mortgages for non-EU non-residents are rare and capped at about 50–60% loan-to-value. Most buyers pay cash or borrow at home.
  • The notary must be sure you understand the deed. If you don’t speak Italian, a sworn translator and an English version are required (budget about €500–€1,000).

Next steps

  1. 1

    Get a codice fiscale

    1 day – 2 weeks

    Every buyer needs an Italian tax code before signing anything. It’s free from an Agenzia delle Entrate office or an Italian consulate.

    For you: You already have one — skip ahead.

  2. 2

    Written offer (proposta d’acquisto)

    1–2 weeks

    A written offer, usually with a deposit cheque. Once the seller accepts it, it becomes binding on both sides, so get the survey checks underway first or make it conditional.

  3. 3

    Survey and compliance checks

    2–6 weeks

    A geometra (surveyor) checks that the building matches the cadastral plans and the planning permits (conformità urbanistica e catastale). Your lawyer checks title and debts.

  4. 4

    Preliminary contract (compromesso)

    2–6 weeks after the offer

    You pay a deposit of 10–30% (caparra confirmatoria). If you pull out you lose it; if the seller pulls out they pay double. The contract must be registered within 20 days.

  5. 5

    Rogito at the notary and keys

    1–3 months after the compromesso

    You sign the final deed before the notary, pay the balance and the taxes, and get the keys. The notary then registers the transfer.

    For you: You can sign through a power of attorney (procura) made at an Italian consulate abroad.

    For you: You can sign through a power of attorney (procura) made at an Italian consulate abroad.

Buying costs on €210,000

Registration tax (imposta di registro)

9% of the cadastral value (2% for a main home)

The cadastral value is usually well below the market price (often 10–60% of it), so the real cost is typically 1–5.5% of the price. Buying from a developer means 10% VAT on the price instead.

 €2,100–€11,550

Estate agent fee (buyer’s share)

2–4% + 22% VAT

In Italy both the buyer and the seller usually pay the agent.

 €5,040–€10,290

Notary

≈ €2,000–€5,000

Plus about €100 in fixed mortgage and cadastral taxes.

 €2,000–€5,000

Geometra survey and lawyer (recommended)

≈ €1,500–€4,000

A sworn translator for non-Italian speakers adds about €500–€1,000.

 €1,500–€4,000
Estimated total on top of the price €10,640–€30,840

Pitfalls to watch

  • Unregistered works (abusivismo): extensions, pools or converted outbuildings that don’t match the cadastral plans can stop the sale or need a costly amnesty. Get the geometra report before the compromesso.
  • The proposta becomes binding once accepted. Don’t sign one “to hold the house” unless you’re prepared to go through with it.
  • Rural houses: check road access (servitù di passaggio), the water source (mains or a well) and the septic system. Many cheap farmhouses have none of these sorted.
  • “€1 houses” come with a binding renovation commitment (often 1–3 years) and a guarantee deposit. Budget for the full renovation, not the €1.
  • Seismic risk: much of central and southern Italy is in high-risk earthquake zones. Check the zone, and whether the building has been seismically improved.
  • Declare the full price in the deed and never pay part in cash — it’s illegal and voids your protections.

General guidance, last reviewed October 2026 — not legal or tax advice. Rules change and every purchase is different, so confirm with an independent local lawyer or notary before you sign anything.

Buying property in Italy

Read our complete guide — fees, visas, taxes, and everything overseas buyers should know before making an offer in Italy.

Read the Italy buying guide