Sabina's activity

Another point to bear in mind with an Italian mortgage - is that the notary's costs will also go up, as a mortgage deed also needs to be stipulated....Be aware too that the mortgage company also places a charge / lien on the mortgage that is registered at the same time as the house.  It is a bit confusing and not always clear (to us foreigners!) as they use the words mutuo and ipoteca in Italian to respectively describe mortgage and first charge / lien but most Italian - English dictionaries translate both words simply as mortgage. Having the charge / lien also means: 1) when the mortgage is finally paid off...the charge needs to be officially removed - and this has to be done by a notary (more cost) 2) if the mortgage is not fully paid when the house is put up for sale, either the buyer has to agree to take over the mortage and charge - or the seller has to pay it off before the sale is absolutely finalized.  This can usually be arranged so that everything takes place at the one time in front of the notary - but it is just a bit more complicated.   Hope this helps!  Much easier to get a mortgage / loan back home - and simply buy outright here!

Yum!  Have made nettle soup in the past, and to my surprise it was very good!  I've also picked rocket (rucola) from nearby fields - and sloes!  But....the problem with sloes here is that they appear so much earlier than in the UK - and ripen that much quicker, that you need to keep a tight eye on them to know when to pick - this year it was in July!  I find sloe gin is a great gift for italian friends (cheap gin from a discount supermarket), as is elderflower and elderberry cordial!  My italian friends were very cynical about my elderberry wine and "champagne", although had to admit it was "okay actually".  Different locals have seen me picking elder-whatever and sloes and ask why....not something they are used to - but then they have shown me what they pick in exchange! The rocket, wild oregano, wild mint, wild asparagus....

Thanks for asking! www.fionascottwilson.com I think she's got more stuff to add - but this will give an idea... I think she's got talent - but I suppose as a friend I'm biased!

many thanks for all the suggestions so far....much appreciated! Companies are understandably trying to cut costs these days...and it seems that many are now using automatic on-line translations even if not as good as having work done by a real live person!  Like many freelancers these days, it's also becoming harder to collect payment!  It's a catch 22 situation - asking for some or all of the money up front usually means the client just says thanks but no thanks...and holding the completed work back until payment is made doesn't work either!  I'm still waiting for money for a large job I did 3 years ago...the client just says, sorry can't pay, hopefully one day I'll be able to!  Its simply not worth getting a lawyer on to them (costs too much) which of course is what they are counting on! Other smaller jobs still have outstanding payments due - that I will probably get later rather than sooner - often 4-5 months later! As to my artist friend, yes, she has a website...and will be trying to sell through the local markets next summer too....perhaps also along the seafront if she can get a permit - but a few extra strings to her / my bow would always be welcome!      

I have used Foreign Currency Direct ....dealing with Leigh Smith, very easy and straightforward...you could call just for info and no obligation: 0800 328 5884 / +44 1494 725353

Although I'm not (sorry!) interested in the world cup - I have some friends who watched the England-US game on  a website called arabgoals.net...perhaps you could try that - or there may be others, google it!  

Agency fees should be around 3% plus vat - as already stated above, however there are MANY who charge (both parties remember) 10% plus vat and some won't budge / negotiate, others, particularly during this downturn are more flexible, but less than 3% is highly unlikely.  What you can do is negotiate on the total price by saying eg 3% including VAT...which at least saves you a little!

I suspect the reason you have had no anwers so far is that most users of this site are British, so we don't have the same problems as you re visas etc as we are (although many Italians find this hard to believe) EU citizens...the fact that the UK still uses sterling and not Euros causes confusion! My advice would be either to find a forum for US expats living in Italy - or contact the US embassy in Rome or the nearest Italian embassy to wherever you live in the US. Sorry not to be more help...I do have a few US friends who live in italy, but they have now been here so long that they got residency years ago, and the "system" is probably a lot different now...

I have acted as translator / interpretor several times.... I translate the conveyance (rogito) ....which essentially is just for buyer's own peace of mind - so that they know exactly what the original document says, and I usually, this comes about as I I tranlsated the compromesso, perhaps even the initial offer too.  I go along to the signing...(the notaries where this has happened know me - and based on my verbal italian and discussions we have had, they "trust" me to hve done the translation properly) and there is a clause inserted into the deed that says who I am and why I am there, and I also have to sign the deed along with everyone else.  It means that if anything crops up (which it often does - usually minor things, but still things that need to be sorted) I can translate there and then, make sure the buyers understand and agree (or otherwise) so that the final document as registered really is approved by all. It means that the translation itself is not actually notarized....so there is an element of trust on all sides....as the translation has no legal status (I could not be sued if I made a mistake as I swear that what  I have done is to the best of my ability....and the buyers accept this) I have once been asked to translate the mortgage deed too....but never again! Although I charge for the rogito and any other formal translations I do, as well as when I attend the  signing, I also "volunteer" to be another contact and go-between for the buyers so that they have a non-interested and mother tongue person to turn to for advice and information about the whole process (I have bought twice and sold once in Italy - and bought and sold twice in the UK so can compare the processes)....and can also help out with early days stuff when settling in etc. My only advice would be that before getting just any old person to translate the rogito for you, make sure that either that they will get the translation notarized / sworn which then makes it legally acceptable (and you can then just take along an Italian speaking friend / acquaintance to help out at the signing if needed)  or that the notary will accept someone that he / she may not know personally to provide a translation and attend the signing....otherwise ask the agent if they know someone - meet that person and use your own judgement as to whether you trust them  or not! Finally - I have noticed (and checked out with other people) that - unsurprisingly -  most notaries tend to have a "pattern" to the conveyances they stipulate... so you could perhaps ask if you could see one they have done in the past, with, for the sake of privacy laws,  names and other specifics deleted (they have the deeds  on computer so it is no big deal) so that you have even more time to read through and understand what an Italian conveyance deed is all about!  Although each deed is different - because the properties and people concerned are different, and there are often "odd" circumstances that also play a part, there are still many standard points that are made - each notary phrases them differently, but the essence is the same.  

My vet (who is also mayor of the village where he lives!) is part of what I think is one of, if not the largest practices in the area....I wish my GP (or any GP in the past come to that) had the facilities they have in their Rieti surgery.  Not great English unfortunately - but they manage with what they know, a lot of gesticulating and good will - and at a pinch they have several English mother tongue clients that could be contacted by phone to help translate anything.... see their web site: www.veterinaricentroitalia.it All the vets in the practice are very good....friendly and cheerful too (and they volunteer in the not so nice canile municipale). They are also experienced in all the PET passport stuff for taking animals back to UK etc - and there is an authorized / recognised lab in Rieti to do the tests, certificates etc showing that the Rabies jab has been effective.  And on that subject - I saw a poster in my vet's surgery last week - there has been a recent outbreak of Rabies in Lombardy.  Nothing to panic wildly about, but those in the area should be aware at least