FAQ for Home Sellers

Every owner knows that selling a home is a complex process. It includes technical assessment, advertising through various channels and, finally, the actual mediation between the parties. Each of these steps requires professionalism and great attention, in order to protect both those who sell and those who buy the property in question. Each property contains a unique story, and we can tell it in the best possible way.

The correct answer is “usually no”. The so-called “notary fees” of a real estate sale are the compensation that the Notary, as a Public Official, requires for the drafting of the deed and its subsequent transcription in the Registry. Article 1475 of the Civil Code establishes that these costs are to be paid by the buyer, unless the parties agree otherwise.

In most cases, the seller is not required to pay any taxes. However, we can report at least two conditions that involve the payment of a tax on the capital gain generated by the sale, or on the difference between the purchase value and the resale value. In fact, if the property is sold within 5 years of purchase, and in recent years it has not served as a main residence for any of the family members, the law provides that a tax equal to about 20% of the capital gain alone is applied.

First consideration: potential buyers first of all buy the way a house is told and the person who tells this story. Presenting the property in the best possible way and being professionally credible – that is, impartial and competent – is essential. We agree with what Oscar Wilde wrote, “There is no second chance to make a good first impression” and therefore, we take care of each property to enhance its potential while maintaining a realistic approach.

We believe that the best protection for the owner is to be able to develop critical and conscious thinking throughout the sales process. In order to do this, it is necessary that he has at his disposal information presented objectively supported by concrete explanations. We like to be direct and promise only what we can deliver: striving to protect our customers is undoubtedly at the top of our objectives.

When we consider adding a new property to our portfolio, we always take great care in creating the “document folder”. Once the identity of the owner has been verified, we then request everything that is likely to be necessary for the notarial deed. Even if the documentation varies according to the type of property (there is a lot of difference between the typical procedures for a building lot or for a nineteenth-century villa), they can never be missing: deed of ownership, cadastral documents, and energy performance certificate.

There are two types of certification that are often mentioned in real estate, and they are “usability” and “energy”, more correctly defined “energy performance certificate” or EPC. The first one replaces the former habitability certificate and is not always necessary to conclude the deed of sale. Since 2009, however, the ECP goes obligatorily attached to the notarial deed and, especially for older properties, it also involves the drafting of a floor plan updated to the current state of affairs.

From a commercial point of view, a property can be evaluated considering two macro-categories: the intrinsic aspects and the extrinsic ones. Among the first are the characteristics of the building, such as the type of property, the state of conservation, the square footage, the finishes. At the same time, it is necessary to evaluate external but essential aspects: area, accessibility, services and, not least, the market demand. In fact, the last word often belongs to the buyer: “Who asks, commands”.

Once the notarial deed has been signed, it will be transcribed in the Registry by the notary within a few days, in this way the purchase and sale process are completed. After about a month, the notary provides a certified copy to both parties. We continue to be available to our customers, even after this stage. And considering the situation, we would like to give you some advice: this is the time to celebrate!

In Italy, the seller is responsible for half of the brokerage commissions for the sale, which translates into 3% (or more) on the actual price paid by the buyer. This expense also includes all marketing operations and assistance at every stage of the sale. They are also paid by the seller any costs to produce the necessary documentation for the notary: ISTAT estimates that at least 70% of properties in Italy are over thirty years old, and this often implies the need for small cadastral adjustments.

Beyond the mere economic value, a house can be defined as luxury, or prestigious, when it satisfies two socio-economic principles: “scarcity” and “psychological reactance.” This means that it is the perception of the value of the property that makes the difference and not its appraisal value. In other words, the buyer must perceive the exclusivity of the experience, the scarcity of alternatives of the same level, and therefore, the limited temporal availability of the property on the market. Proposing the property with the right image is the first step to achieve this.

Addressing the foreign market, including the Russian market, is an established activity for us. Our website is accessible in several languages and our properties are also advertised abroad through various channels. Once the client’s request has been met, we are able to offer exclusive advice: thanks to our network of trustworthy consultants, we can also deal with any requirement concerning legislative and bureaucratic relations at an international level.

As we have seen, the concept of “luxury” revolves around the perception of the property’s value and its exclusivity. Therefore, it is very important to take care of every aspect of communication, starting with the visual channel. A home staging intervention and a professional photographic service are only the first step to create a credible image of both the property and the selling owner. Those who rely on professionals can, in fact, count on the impartiality of the mediator, which is synonymous with protection for the buyer.