Two of the things that you will probably need to do fairly soon after arriving in Italy is to find a place to live and figure out how to have transportation. Below are some tips on how you can do that. However, first, a general tip:
Within the church that you are connected with are people that will likely be very willing to help you, both in finding your home and in purchasing a car. Be sure to have a good idea of what you’re looking for, and don’t be afraid to say Yes or No definitively without feeling that you’re being pushed into something, but at the same time, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your new Italian friends can be very helpful as they know how things work in Italy and will likely steer you in a good direction based on what you are hoping to do.
Finding your home
- There are a few websites that we typically recommend in searching for a home:
- You will likely also find that there are real estate agents that will be happy to show you apartments. This can be helpful, although there will be a fee for their services, which is typically paid by the buyer, not by the seller. Generally, we have found this fee to be one month’s rent.
- You need to make sure that the rental of your home is based on a contract. They should also register this contract with the Agenzia Entrate and provide you a copy of the contract that has the official registration stamp. This will likely come up at other times and in other documents such as with your residency process.
- A longer-term contract of 3-4 years is typical, but not necessarily required. You may be able to negotiate the price and and the length of the contract.
- You may find this article helpful in things to consider when renting an apartment: http://www.expatsinitaly.com/articles/renting-in-italy.html
Purchasing a vehicle
- As with finding a home, Subito.it can be a helpful resource in finding a car, motorcycle, or scooter.
- You will need to have your permesso di soggiorno and residency established to complete the purchase of your vehicle.
- Once you have agreed upon a price for the vehicle, you should go with the owner to an Automobile Club of Italy office to transfer ownership of the car. Note that you will need to pay a fee for the transfer which could be as much as €500-600.
- You can see more information on purchasing a car here: https://www.justlanded.com/english/Italy/Articles/Travel-Leisure/Buying-a-car
