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by Diana Strinati Baur (Author)
Buying a home in Italy is many people's dream-but foreign paperwork, unfamiliar professionals, and renovation surprises can feel overwhelming. Old Walls New Lives is a professional, step-by-step guide that walks you through every stage of the process, from first viewing to final signatures and move-in day. Written for expats, second-home buyers, and Italophiles who want more than a fantasy, it shows you how to make smart decisions in a system that works very differently from the US, UK, and most of Europe.
Drawing on more than twenty years of experience, Italian-American potter, artist, and serial restorer Diana Strinati Baur opens up the real world behind the romantic facades. You'll learn how to decode Italian listings, understand the roles of the geometra, notary, architect, and trades, and build a trustworthy local team. Clear explanations demystify IMU, TARI, and the cadastral system so you know what you are really buying and what it will cost you over time. You'll discover how to separate promising properties from money pits, plan realistic budgets and timelines, and avoid the most common-and expensive-mistakes foreign buyers make. Detailed chapters break down permits and regulations (CILA, SCIA, DIA, and more), structural and historic constraints, and what to expect when working with Italian bureaucracy at each step. Real numbers, sample questions to ask professionals, and practical checklists for viewings, due diligence, and renovation planning help you stay organized and in control.
Diana shares on-the-ground stories that show what can go wrong or beautifully right, and how to decide when to walk away. This is not a coffee-table daydream about "your Italian house someday," but a working manual you can keep beside you as you search, negotiate, sign, and renovate.Whether you are renovation-curious, actively house-hunting, or already in love with a rustico in the hills, Old Walls New Lives gives you the knowledge, language, and cultural context you need to turn a fragile dream into a solid, livable home in Italy-one you can sleep in with both eyes closed.
