Italian Property Law Insights for Foreign Buyers

Buying a Luxury Villa in Costa Smeralda Through a Company? The Italian Tax Authority May Already Be Watching

8 May 2026

•

Avv. Govoni

The €1 Billion Question Nobody in Porto Cervo Is Talking About In the summer of 2024, the Guardia di Finanza — Italy’s financial police — completed one of the most significant anti-money-laundering operations ever conducted in the real estate sector of northern Sardinia. The target: approximately 150 property transactions in Costa Smeralda, representing nearly…
Italian Notary and Closing Process When Buying Property in Sardinia

4 May 2026

•

Avv. Govoni

When foreign buyers first hear that a notary will “take care of the legal side” of their Sardinian purchase, they often assume the notary acts like a personal lawyer. In reality, the Italian notary is a neutral public official who must protect the integrity of the legal system and the registry, not the interests…
Fiscal and Legal Isolation: How Multi-Layer Ownership Structures Look Under Italian Tax Enforcement

1 May 2026

•

Avv. Govoni

International buyers of high-value property in Sardinia and elsewhere in Italy rarely hold assets in their own name. A multi-layered ownership architecture — combining Italian companies, European holding entities, offshore vehicles, and trust or foundation structures — has been a standard feature of luxury real estate transactions for decades. This is not inherently unlawful.…
The Sardinia Paradox: Record Tourism, Fewer Residents and What It Means for Property Buyers

11 April 2026

•

Avv. Govoni

Sardinia is attracting more visitors than ever while facing a long-term demographic challenge. For property buyers, this is neither a simple reason to buy nor a reason to avoid the island. It is a reason to choose the property, location and legal structure carefully. Sardinia has become one of the most visible Mediterranean destinations…
Alghero for Retirees and Foreign Buyers

8 April 2026

•

Avv. Govoni

Alghero is one of the most attractive areas in Sardinia for international buyers, but it is also a place where the right choice depends very much on what you actually want to do with the property. Buying a home, retiring there, or living there on a long-term basis are related decisions, but they are…

Buying a Luxury Villa in Costa Smeralda Through a Company? The Italian Tax Authority May Already Be Watching

Italian Notary and Closing Process When Buying Property in Sardinia

Fiscal and Legal Isolation: How Multi-Layer Ownership Structures Look Under Italian Tax Enforcement

The Sardinia Paradox: Record Tourism, Fewer Residents and What It Means for Property Buyers

Alghero for Retirees and Foreign Buyers