Investment Advisory · Roma
Independent Italian Lawyer for International Investors
Buying a home, moving to Italy or investing: an independent Italian lawyer in Rome who acts only for you, from the first checks to the notarial deed.
Avv. Francesco L. Costi · Registered Italian lawyer (Ordine degli Avvocati di Cassino) · Office in Rome · English & Italian · contact@frankvest.it.com
What We Do
Real Estate
Legal due diligence, contract negotiation, fiscal structuring, and closing coordination for residential, commercial, and historic properties across Italy.
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Hospitality
Full legal advisory for hotel and boutique property acquisitions — licensing, permits, operational due diligence, and tourism-sector compliance.
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Agricultural & Wine
Vineyard, farmland, and agrifood acquisitions — land rights, environmental compliance, denomination protection, and EU agricultural regulations.
Explore →Our Process
From Consultation to Closing
Consultation
We begin by understanding your investment thesis, constraints, and long-term objectives to determine the optimal approach.
Due Diligence
Comprehensive legal, fiscal, and technical analysis of the target asset — ownership verification, regulatory compliance, and risk assessment.
Structuring
Designing the legal and fiscal structure that best serves your investment — direct ownership, Italian corporate entities, or cross-border holding structures.
Closing
Full transaction management through to notarial deed, including contract drafting, negotiation, and post-closing regulatory compliance.
Why Italy?
Italy combines EU regulatory stability with one of Europe's most dynamic real estate and hospitality markets — offering international investors a compelling combination of asset value and legal protection.
EU Legal Framework
Strong property rights, predictable regulation, and access to the European single market.
Tourism & Hospitality
Sustained international demand, high occupancy rates, and a resilient hospitality sector.
Strategic Assets
Historic homes, hotels, vineyards and farmland, each with its own legal checks (pre-emption rights, heritage listing, licences) to complete before you commit.
Tax Incentives
Flat-tax options, hospitality renovation credits, and investor-friendly fiscal regimes.
Legal Counsel for Foreign Investors
A Lawyer on Your Side of the Table
Buying property or a business in Italy as a foreigner involves a legal system, a language, and a set of risks that most international buyers meet for the first time: title irregularities, unpermitted works (abusi edilizi), agricultural pre-emption rights, and tax elections that must be made before — not after — the notarial deed. FrankVest exists to put an independent English-speaking Italian lawyer on your side of the table for exactly these decisions.
The firm advises foreign clients — from the U.S., the U.K., Europe and elsewhere — on residential and historic properties, boutique hotels, vineyards and agricultural estates, and the acquisition of operating businesses. The work covers legal due diligence, negotiation of the preliminary contract (compromesso), fiscal structuring under the Italian tax framework — transfer taxes, rental taxation, and the special regimes available to new residents — and full closing coordination. Clients who cannot travel complete the purchase through a notarised power of attorney.
Unlike agencies and property finders, FrankVest earns no commissions and holds no listings: the engagement is fee-only, agreed in advance, and owes nothing to any seller. The firm publishes regular analysis on why Italy rewards well-advised capital in its Insights.
Who We Serve
Guidance Tailored to Where You Invest From
United States
Apostilled documents, codice fiscale, FATCA and the U.S.-Italy tax treaty, cross-border structuring, and the flat tax for new residents.
For U.S. Investors →United Kingdom
Buying after Brexit, the 90/180 rule and EES, the UK-Italy tax treaty, the 7% pensioner regime, and inheritance-tax planning.
For U.K. Investors →European Union
Simplified documentation for EU nationals, EU corporate structuring, the Parent-Subsidiary Directive, and cross-border succession.
For E.U. Investors →Canada, Australia, the Gulf & elsewhere
Reciprocity check for your nationality, remote purchase by power of attorney, English-speaking counsel.
Other Nationalities →
“You talk to the lawyer, not a sales team. No brokerage commissions, no conflicts of interest.”
Avv. Francesco L. Costi
Member of the Italian Bar — Ordine degli Avvocati di Cassino
Office: Vicolo dei Granari 10/A, Rome
Start Your Journey
Talk to the Lawyer Before You Commit
Tell us what you are buying or planning and where. We will tell you which legal checks matter and what happens next.
Or email the lawyer directly: contact@frankvest.it.com
Italian avvocato · Ordine degli Avvocati di Cassino · English & Italian · Remote closing by power of attorney · No commissions from sellers or agents · First call by video · Rome office by appointment only
Frequently Asked Questions
What is FrankVest?
FrankVest is an independent legal practice based in Rome, founded and led by an Italian attorney (avvocato). It advises foreigners buying property, relocating or investing in Italy — from initial due diligence through closing.
Is FrankVest a real estate agency?
No. FrankVest is a law practice, not an agency or brokerage. It has no listings, earns no sales commissions, and represents only the investor's interests — never the seller's.
Can foreigners buy property in Italy?
Yes. EU and EEA citizens buy on the same terms as Italians. Other foreign citizens can buy if Italians may buy property in their country (the reciprocity condition, art. 16 of the preliminary provisions to the Civil Code), or if they live in Italy with certain residence permits; the notary checks this before the deed. For US and UK citizens the condition is treated as satisfied in practice. If you hold another citizenship, have it checked before signing an offer. The practical steps are obtaining an Italian tax code (codice fiscale), signing the preliminary contract, and completing the purchase before an Italian notary. Physical presence is not required: the closing can be completed through a power of attorney.
How do FrankVest's fees work?
FrankVest works on a fee-for-service basis: a fee proposal is agreed before the engagement starts, based on the scope of the transaction. There are no brokerage commissions and no compensation from sellers or agents, which removes conflicts of interest.