Job Discussion Forums

[elliot_spencer]

Hey guys, hope you are all ok wherever in this 'bel paese' you are!

Today I was talking with my colleagues and we were talking about buying houses, one of my colleagues has done so with daddy's money, and we were wondering, is there anyone out there on a S+***Y Italian contratto progetto who has bought a house?? If so - how?

Also, for those of you who haven't and don't have rich families or investments in the UK what are you planning to do.

I know if I stay in Italy, I will prob have to face a life of rentals until I inherit some money and buy a monovano!! Oh, least the food is good!

[Teacher in Rome]

It can be done!

I bought a small, rather dilapidated, and very cheap house for cash, on a mixture of savings and a small inheritance. I then got a loan to do some essential repairs, and this loan came off the back of a contratto a tempo determinato, due to expire in a few months time. I got the loan because the estate agent leaned on the bank, and we could show regular income going back three or so years.

A couple of years down the line, I needed to do yet more repairs (perils of buying a dilapidated house!) for which I needed a much more substantial mortgage. This time, I went to a different bank (introduced by a wealthy neighbour) and for which I needed to show my freelance accounts for the last three years.

Contratti a progetto aren't the best way to get a loan or a mortgage. I think you need to be freelance or in a more secure job; but also it helps if you know people (bank managers, estate agents etc) and are prepared for rejection. The first bank we went to practically laughed in our faces, for example. Then get all your paperwork in order - accounts, residency, partita iva etc etc and be prepared for a longish wait.

Good luck!