BELLACASA — Buy, renovate and own a home in Italy
Buy, renovate and own a home in Italy, without the nightmare
What we do
Your trusted expert through the whole Journey
Find
We help you find the hidden potential where others can't see.
Assess
An architect looks at the property and tells you what stands in the way.
Buy
We handle all paperwork to make the transaction smooth for you
Renovate
We manage design, permits and the entire building phase
Moving in
We set up your utilities and insurance before you arrive.
Your property, translated into a clear plan.
Every free Property Plan is AI-generated from your answers and the available listing information. Here's a snapshot of what you receive.
Locorotondo, Puglia
View the full example planHide the full plan
The asking price sits inside the official range for this zone. Condition and renovation needs still decide whether it's good value — we assess that next.
A whitewashed trullo with a sea-breeze terrace, ten minutes from the coast. With a light refresh and the right permits for a guest room, this could become a home that pays for itself through the summer — and welcomes you back every autumn.
- 1Property PlanFree · ready nowThis document: potential, risks, permits and a first budget.
- 2Architect Review€490 · date confirmed before you payAn Italian architect assesses the documents you have and answers the open questions in writing.
- 3Pre-purchase checks1–3 weeksCadastral, land registry, mortgage liens and conformity checks.
- 4Offer & negotiation1–2 weeksOffer strategy, negotiation and the reservation contract (proposta).
- 5Preliminary contract2–4 weeksCompromesso reviewed clause by clause before you sign or pay a deposit.
- 6Notary & deed4–8 weeksNotary selection, taxes, powers of attorney, closing (rogito).
- 7Design & permits1–4 monthsArchitectural design and the permit filing (CILA or SCIA).
- 8Renovation3–9 monthsBuilder tender, contracts, site supervision, quality control, payments.
- 9Moving in2–4 weeksUtilities, waste tax, insurance and local registrations set up before you arrive.
Each of these gets a written answer from an architect in the Architect Review.
Interior renovation plus a new bathroom is normally a CILA. Converting the annex into a guest room changes the use of the space, which pushes the project into SCIA territory and requires a structural assessment of the roof.
- CILAInterior renovation & new bathroomFiled by your architect; work can start immediately after submission.
- SCIAAnnex converted to guest roomChange of use with structural work; requires a qualified technician's report.
- Permesso di costruireNew pool (optional)Full building permit, 60–120 days; landscape sign-off if the constraint applies.
- CILA + APEEnergy upgrade (windows, heat pump)New energy certificate issued once the work is complete.
- Registration tax (9% of cadastral value)€4,680Second home, private seller. Calculated on cadastral value, not price.
- Notary fee€1,800 – €3,000Set by the notary; we obtain quotes for you.
- Cadastral & mortgage fixed taxes€100Fixed amounts, €50 each.
- Estate agent commission€0 – €6,700Typically 3% + VAT, negotiable and payable at the deed.
- Translator / power of attorney€300 – €900Required if you don't sign in Italian in person.
- Technical & legal due diligence€500 – €2,500Cadastral conformity, liens, permit history.
- Architect & design€2,000 – €10,000Typically 6–10% of the construction value.
- Permit filing & municipal fees€500 – €5,000CILA is cheap; a full building permit costs more.
- Building work (light refresh)€25,000 – €70,000Roughly €400–650/m² for a refresh; a full renovation runs 2–3x higher.
- Electrical & plumbing upgrade€8,000 – €18,000New certified systems, required for rental use.
- Kitchen & bathroom€6,000 – €15,000Mid-range fittings, supplied and installed.
- Site supervision€2,000 – €6,000Weekly checks, payment milestones, quality control.
- IMU (second-home property tax)€480 – €900Based on cadastral value and the comune's rate.
- TARI (waste tax)€180 – €350Set by the comune, based on size and occupants.
- Utilities & standing charges€600 – €1,600Higher if the pool or heating runs year-round.
- Home insurance€250 – €600Buildings and contents; rental use costs more.
- Garden & maintenance€300 – €1,200Olive-grove upkeep and seasonal cleaning.
Architect Review — €490
An Italian architect assesses the documents you have and answers the open questions above in writing: permit feasibility, layout and renovation potential, an indicative cost range and a clear recommendation before you make an offer. You see the delivery date before you pay.
The work behind Bellacasa
Built by people who know the dream — and the chaos.
Bellacasa is new. The work behind it is not. All of it is the work of Dario Pompili, an Italian architect who has delivered projects across 14 regions and owns the architectural side of every Journey — from first assessment to finished renovation.
We built the Journey we wish had existed from day one. The words below are from Dario’s earlier clients, shared with permission.
107 projects delivered, across 14 Italian regions, with 200+ properties assessed.
Before buying
The house looked perfect in the photos and the agent was lovely. Dario's review found an unpermitted extension and a roof structure that would have cost us more than the house did. We walked away, and four months later we bought a better place two villages over.
Anneke, GermanyPermits
I had been going back and forth with the comune for five months and could not work out whether I needed a CILA or a SCIA. Dario scoped the right path in a week and filed it. It was approved without a single question.
James, UKRenovation
I speak maybe fifty words of Italian and I was trying to run a build from Stockholm. Dario handled the builders, the site meetings and every conversation I could not have had myself. We finished three weeks early and came in under the budget we set at the start.
Karin, SwedenWhy us
Everyone loves the dream. Most people fear the process.
The problem isn’t Italy — it’s not knowing who’s on your side. We are your independent buyer-side partner: we help you understand the property, weigh the risks, and manage the Journey from first listing to finished home.
Built for buyers, not sellers.
We're on your side.
Independent buyer-side support. We never take commissions from sellers or builders.
Architect-led from the start.
Understand renovation potential before you buy — not after.
Local experts, digital clarity.
Real humans do the work. You see everything in one simple place.
Fixed-price steps.
You always know the exact price before you order. Choose only the steps you want.
Built for foreign buyers.
Language, documents, calls and decisions — made simple.
PRICING
Found a property? Want to know what it takes to realize your dream?
Start free. Add an architect when you want a professional opinion — and the documents, when you want someone to go and get them.
Property Plan
Generated from your answers and the listing information, right after you finish the questions. AI-generated guidance — no architect work included.
- · Your personal project brief
- · Checklist and roadmap for this property
- · Documents to request
- · Questions to ask the seller
- · PDF export, yours to keep
Architect Review
An Italian architect assesses the documents, drawings and photos you already have.
- · Layout and fit for your plans
- · Renovation potential and visible problems
- · Preliminary permit assessment
- · Indicative cost range and strategies
- · Written report with a clear recommendation
- · 30-minute video walkthrough
The recommendation is based on the information supplied. It is not confirmation of legal or planning compliance.
Talk to us about an Architect Review →Architect Review Plus
Everything in the Architect Review, and we go out and obtain the documents you do not have — for one fixed price.
- · Document retrieval from the comune and land registry
- · Register checks, including landscape and heritage constraints
- · Legal review of what the documents say
- · Preliminary renovation cost assessment
- · Written report and 30-minute walkthrough
Fixed price per property. VAT is calculated at checkout.
Talk to us about Review Plus →If you start with the Architect Review
The full €490 you paid is credited towards Architect Review Plus for the same property, if you upgrade within 90 days of your report being delivered. You then pay the difference — €1,000. The credit belongs to that one property, is used once, and is never paid out in cash.
Hand any step to our teamMore fixed-price services+
Offer & negotiation support
We help you structure the offer, the conditions and the back-and-forth with the seller's agent — on your side of the table.
€390per propertyNotary, codice fiscale & utilities
We coordinate the notary, get your codice fiscale, and handle the utility, tax and residency paperwork around closing.
€590per closingPermits (CILA / SCIA / PdC)
We scope the right permit path with the architect and run the submission with the comune. Priced after the Architect Review.
From €890per projectBuilders, design & project management
We source vetted local builders, get comparable quotes, and run the project on the ground for you. Priced as a % of works after scoping.
From €290per step
Your Journey is simply your Property Plan turned into 9 steps you can act on. Prefer to do it yourself or bring your own expert? Every step in your Journey ships with the same checklists and guidance we'd use — the Journey stays valuable whether you hire us or not.
Bellacasa Journal
Our magazine on buying, restoring and living in Italy — published one issue at a time.
Vasto, Abruzzo
Palazzo Pampani
How Vigor Sörman turned a forgotten palazzo into a luxury home — with Bellacasa
Guide
Hidden gems
Fifteen places to buy a home in Italy — the finds, the balance, the dreams
Handbook
From dream to keys
The buyer's guide — costs, contracts, permits, taxes and visas
For owners
Already bought — or stuck mid-renovation?
Our help isn't only for the search. If you already own a place in Italy, or you're mid-process and something has stalled — a stuck build, permits that won't move, costs running away, a builder you don't trust — we can step in where you are.
Start with a free call — we'll tell you if a paid step is worth it.
Questions, answered.
Are you a real-estate agency?+
No — we are independent and buyer-side. We never sell properties or take seller commissions.
Which regions do you cover?+
We currently focus on selected regions where our local expert network is strongest. Enter your property and we'll tell you immediately if we can help.
Is the free Property Plan written by an architect?+
No. It is generated from your answers and the listing information as soon as you finish the questions, and it says so on the plan itself. It contains no architect work — the Architect Review is where an architect looks at your property.
What does the free Property Plan include?+
Your personal project brief for this property: a checklist, a roadmap, the documents to request, the questions to ask the seller, and a PDF you can keep.
How do I know where each fact comes from?+
Every fact on your plan carries one label: provided by you, from the listing, looked up (with the source and the date), or AI-generated guidance. We never claim an official record was consulted unless it actually was.
What's the difference between the Architect Review and Review Plus?+
The Architect Review assesses the documents you have. Architect Review Plus goes out and obtains the documents you do not have, checks the registers and has the paperwork reviewed.
What happens after I pay for an Architect Review?+
An Italian architect assesses your documents, drawings and photos, delivers a written report with a clear recommendation, and joins you on a 30-minute video walkthrough. The recommendation is based on the information supplied and is not confirmation of legal or planning compliance.
Can I upgrade from Review to Review Plus?+
Yes. The full €490 is credited towards Review Plus for the same property within 90 days of your report being delivered, so you pay the difference. The credit is used once and only for that property.
What's the difference between the Property Plan and the Journey?+
The Property Plan is the document we make for your specific property. The Journey is that same plan turned into practical steps inside your private dashboard, which you tick off one by one, alone or with us.
Can I do some steps myself?+
Yes. Every step in your Journey is optional. Do it yourself with our checklists, hire your own expert, or hand the step to us for a fixed price.
How does the fixed-price-per-step model work?+
Each step in your Journey has a clear, fixed price shown before you order. No subscriptions, no bundles, no surprise invoices — pay only for the steps you choose.
Do you take kickbacks from agents or builders?+
No. We are paid only by you, the buyer. No seller commissions, no builder markups, no hidden incentives.
I already own the property — is this for me?+
Yes. Tell us you own it and you get an owner's version: where your project actually stands, what's in the way, and what to do next. No buy-or-walk-away verdict, no questions for a seller.
I haven't found a property yet — can you still help?+
Yes — book a free call and we'll help you figure out where and what to look for.
Start with your free Property Plan.
Paste a listing link or enter an address. You get a clear plan for the property — costs, permits and next steps. No card required.