What the words in a listing actually mean
Every line here either costs money or means something other than it seems. A portal will not tell you, because the seller pays the portal. Sellers pay us nothing, so we can.
Italy
10 terms
IMU · costs money
The annual property tax.
IMU is always due on a second home and on property held by non-residents. The amount depends on the cadastral value and the commune, roughly 0.4-1.06% a year.
classe energetica G · costs money
The worst band: heating bills will be large.
The Italian scale runs from A4 down to G. Class G means almost no insulation. In mountain and northern regions that is thousands of euros a year, and only a renovation removes it.
spese condominiali · costs money
A monthly charge for the shared parts of the building.
Cleaning, lift, security, facade repairs. In a coastal building with a pool this is easily €150-300 a month, payable even when you are not there. Ask for the figure before you visit.
casa a 1 euro · means something else
One euro is the entry ticket, not the price.
The one-euro house schemes require a deposit (usually €2,000-5,000) and a finished renovation within a set term, often three years. Such renovations rarely come under €40,000-60,000. The deposit is forfeited if you miss the deadline.
da ristrutturare · means something else
Not cosmetic. A bare shell needing a full rebuild.
Literally 'to be restructured'. In practice it is walls and a roof, often with no floor, no wiring and no plumbing. Renovating one in Italy rarely costs less than €1,000 per square metre, so on 80 m² that is a second house on top of the first.
rustico · means something else
A rural building, often with no water and no power.
A rustico is not a 'cosy country home' but a farm outbuilding or an old peasant house. Bringing water and electricity deep into the countryside can cost tens of thousands and may need a neighbour's consent to lay the lines.
agibilita · a legal restriction
The certificate that the building is fit to live in.
Without it the house is not formally habitable: you cannot connect utilities or register your residence. Getting it may require bringing the building up to code first.
nuda proprieta · a legal restriction
You buy the walls; the seller stays for life.
Nuda proprietà means you get the title while the seller keeps the right to live there until death. That is why the price looks impossibly low. You can neither move in nor let it.
usufrutto · a legal restriction
A third party holds the right of use.
Someone else has the right to live in the house or draw income from it. Check who, and for how long, before any deposit.
vincolo paesaggistico · a legal restriction
A landscape restriction: works only with permission.
The house sits in a protected-landscape zone. Any change to the facade, windows, roof or even the wall colour needs approval, which can take months or never arrive.
France
10 terms
DPE classe F ou G · costs money
Energy class F or G: letting is being banned.
France is phasing out the letting of the worst-rated homes. Class G is already barred for new leases and F follows. If you are buying to let, this decides everything.
assainissement individuel · costs money
A private sewage system, often needing replacement.
A rural house may have its own septic system. If it is not up to standard, bringing it into compliance costs €6,000-12,000, and you must do it within a year of buying.
charges de copropriete · costs money
Monthly charges paid by co-owners.
Lift, heating, caretaker, repairs. In a city building €100-400 a month. On top of that come 'travaux', one-off levies for major works that can run into thousands.
frais de notaire · costs money
Notary costs: 7-8% on top of the price.
About 7-8% of the price for an existing home, 2-3% for a new build. It is not the notary's fee but mostly taxes they collect. Budget for it from the start.
taxe d'habitation · costs money
The occupier's tax, still alive for second homes.
Abolished for a main residence, but it still applies to second homes and holiday houses, and tourist communes often raise it further.
taxe fonciere · costs money
The annual tax paid by the owner.
Due whether you live there or not. It varies a lot by commune, roughly €500 to €2,500 a year for an ordinary house.
a renover · means something else
To renovate. Usually far more than the photos suggest.
The phrase 'à rénover' covers everything from a new kitchen to replacing the roof and the floor structure. Ask for a survey and for separate photos of the roof and the cellar.
Spain
9 terms
IBI · costs money
The annual municipal property tax.
Paid by the owner. The amount depends on the cadastral value and the municipality, roughly 0.4-1.1% a year. In resort areas the sum is noticeable.
comunidad · costs money
A monthly charge for shared facilities.
Pool, garden, lift, security. In coastal complexes €60-250 a month. Ask about the 'derrama' too, the one-off levy for major works.
plusvalia · costs money
The municipal tax on the rise in land value.
Formally the seller pays, but contracts often shift it onto the buyer. Settle who pays before signing.
a reformar · means something else
To renovate, and usually from the ground up.
The same as the Italian 'da ristrutturare'. Ask for separate photos of the wiring, the plumbing and the roof, because the listing will not show them.
VPO · a legal restriction
Subsidised housing with resale restrictions.
Vivienda de Protección Oficial caps the resale price and sets conditions on the buyer. It is normally out of reach for a non-resident foreigner.
cedula de habitabilidad · a legal restriction
The certificate that the home is fit to live in.
Without it you cannot connect water and power or let the place legally. Old rural houses frequently simply do not have one.
suelo rustico · a legal restriction
Agricultural land: you may not build on it.
A house on such land can turn out to be an illegal build. This is the commonest trap behind cheap houses inland in Andalusia and Valencia.
nota simple
Portugal
5 terms
IMI · costs money
The annual property tax.
Roughly 0.3-0.45% of the taxable value a year for urban housing. Above a certain value an extra tax, AIMI, is added.
IMT · costs money
The transfer tax paid on purchase.
A progressive rate up to 7.5% plus 0.8% stamp duty. Budget for it alongside the notary.
condominio · costs money
The monthly charge paid by co-owners.
The same thing as the Spanish comunidad. Ask about planned major works as well.
licenca de utilizacao · a legal restriction
The permit stating what the building may be used for.
The Portuguese habitability certificate. Without it legal letting is impossible and a bank will not lend against the property.
predio rustico · a legal restriction
A rural title: building is restricted.
Registered as agricultural rather than urban. Converting it to housing requires a change of status, and that change may not be granted.
Everywhere
3 terms
reservation deposit · costs money
A reservation is not always refundable.
The advance that takes a property off the market is non-refundable in many countries if the buyer changes their mind. Read the terms before you transfer.
usable area versus built area · means something else
A listing usually quotes the larger of the two.
Usable floor area, built area and plot area are three different numbers. Agencies gladly print the biggest one. Ask which one it is.
price per square metre · worth knowing
Compare the price per square metre in the same zone, not the price.
A house at €90,000 among €60,000 neighbours is dearer than a house at €180,000 among €240,000 ones. That is exactly why we show the gap from the zone median rather than the absolute price.
General explanations gathered from open sources, not legal advice. Rules change and so do tax rates. Check with a notary in the country where you buy.