Know the types of real estate in Italy

Cadastral categories: they are not just acronyms

In Italy, each property is classified with a cadastral category. It's not a technical detail: it affects taxes, mortgage and permitted use.

Some frequent examples in the residential sector:

A/2 – civil dwellings: the most common type for normal dwellings.

A/3 – affordable housing: generally simpler properties, often in popular contexts.

A/7 – villas: detached or semi-detached houses with a small garden.

A/10 – offices: intended for office use, they are not homes (change of intended use required).

A/1, A/8, A/9 – luxury or luxury properties: they may have less favourable tax regimes.

Knowing the category of the property helps you immediately understand what type of taxation to expect and whether the use you want to make of it is consistent with what is allowed.

Construction types and generations of buildings

Two properties of the same size can be completely different in terms of distribution, comfort and maintenance costs, depending on the construction period.

New constructions: high energy performance, recent installations, often more compact spaces, higher purchase costs and often VAT.

Buildings from the '60s and '70s: solid structures, generous sizes, significant internal heights; sometimes to be updated from an energy and plant engineering point of view.

Buildings from the 80s and 90s: compromise between surface, construction quality and more modern plant engineering.

Historic buildings: high charm, often in a central position, but with greater attention to maintenance, constraints and condominium costs.

Knowing which "family" the property falls into helps to interpret the price and correctly estimate future expenses.

Condominium, co-ownership and expenses

The house does not end at the front door: stairs, facades, roof, courtyard and common systems are part of the condominium co-ownership.

Condominium regulations: it may provide for limits on the use of spaces, pets, short-term rentals, professional activities.

Ordinary expenses: cleaning, stairwell, elevator, administration, routine maintenance.

Extraordinary expenses: renovation of facades, roof, balconies, systems; check if they have already been made or deliberated.

An apparently "cheap" house can become expensive if the condominium is energy-intensive or requires continuous overtime.