“AmerExit”: why record numbers of Americans are buying in Italy.

Something measurable is happening in the relationship between America and Italy. Online searches for "moving to Italy from the USA" have climbed to record levels, and the number of Americans buying Italian property and registering as residents has risen sharply since 2024. Commentators have nicknamed it the "AmerExit." Whether driven by politics, lifestyle, remote work or simple economics, more US citizens than ever are turning a long-held fantasy of la dolce vita into a concrete plan. This article looks at what is really fuelling the trend, where Americans are actually buying, and the practical realities that the Instagram version leaves out.

Why are so many Americans buying property in Italy?

Several forces are converging at once. The rise of remote and hybrid work means a growing number of professionals can keep a US income while living abroad, and Italy's digital-nomad visa has given that lifestyle a legal route. The cost of living in much of Italy, outside the prime corners of Milan, Florence and the Amalfi Coast, remains markedly lower than in major US coastal cities, and average property prices per square metre are a fraction of what the same money buys in New York, San Francisco or Boston. For many buyers there is also a financial logic: an Italian home is a euro-denominated, lifestyle-bearing asset that diversifies a portfolio otherwise concentrated in US dollars and US equities. Add the cultural pull, the food, the pace, the healthcare, the sheer beauty, and the appeal is easy to understand.

Where are Americans actually buying?

The romance says Tuscany; the data is more varied. The largest concentrations of American owners and expatriates cluster in a handful of places:

• Rome, especially the Trastevere, Prati and Testaccio neighbourhoods.
• Florence and the surrounding Chianti hills, particularly the Oltrarno side of the city.
• Milan, drawing professionals to the Brera and Navigli districts.
• Lifestyle zones such as the Amalfi Coast, Lake Como and rural Tuscany and Umbria.
• Value-driven inland towns, including the famous one euro and low-cost-renovation villages of the south.

The right choice depends entirely on how you intend to use the property. A car-free apartment in a walkable city suits a very different buyer from a hilltop farmhouse that needs a vehicle for everything.

Can Americans legally buy property in Italy?

Yes. Thanks to a reciprocity agreement between the two countries, US citizens can purchase residential property in Italy on essentially the same terms as Italian citizens, and you do not need to hold a visa or residence permit simply to own a home. You will, however, need an Italian tax code (the codice fiscale) to complete the transaction, and a notary must confirm that the reciprocity condition is met for your specific purchase.

The reality check the dream leaves out

Owning a home in Italy is not the same as having the right to live in it. The 90/180 Schengen rule still applies to property owners, so a long-term move requires a visa, most commonly the Elective Residency Visa for those with stable passive income, or the digital-nomad route for qualifying remote workers. Then there is US tax: the IRS taxes American citizens on worldwide income, so Italian rental income and certain foreign accounts carry US reporting obligations on top of Italian tax. And the buying process itself, the proposal, the preliminary contract, the notary, the cadastral checks, demands the same careful due diligence any foreign buyer needs. Enthusiasm is not a plan. The Americans who settle happily in Italy are almost always the ones who treated the move as a serious project: visa first, budget honest, paperwork checked, and an independent opinion on the property before committing.

How to start your own move to Italy

Begin by clarifying your goal, holiday home, eventual retirement, primarily investment, or a full relocation, because it drives every other decision, from region to visa to tax. Set a realistic all-in budget that includes the 10 to 20 percent of purchase costs on top of the price. Shortlist regions that fit your life, not just your Pinterest board. And before you send any deposit, get an independent, buyer-side check on the specific property: it is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy against an expensive mistake abroad.

A practical roadmap for moving to Italy from the US

1. Define the goal: holiday home, eventual retirement, investment, or full relocation, it drives every other choice.
2. Choose the visa path: Elective Residency for the passively wealthy, Digital Nomad for remote workers, or citizenship by descent if eligible.
3. Set an honest all-in budget: price plus 10–20% costs, plus any renovation.
4. Shortlist regions that fit your life, not just your feed.
5. Get a codice fiscale and line up cross-border tax advice early.
6. Have the specific property independently checked before any deposit.

The tax reality Americans cannot ignore

The single biggest planning error is treating the move as purely Italian. The US taxes citizens on worldwide income wherever they live, so your Italian rental income, foreign accounts (FBAR/FATCA) and eventual sale all interact with the IRS as well as the Agenzia delle Entrate. The US-Italy treaty and foreign tax credits prevent double taxation when claimed correctly, but the reporting does not go away. Build a US-Italy tax plan before you move, not after.

Frequently asked questions

Can Americans buy property in Italy?

Yes, on the same terms as Italians under reciprocity; you need a codice fiscale and a notary confirms reciprocity for the purchase.

Does buying a home let me live in Italy?

No. You still need a visa such as the Elective Residency or Digital Nomad visa to stay beyond 90 days in 180.

Where do most Americans buy?

Rome, Florence and the Chianti hills, Milan, lifestyle zones like Lake Como and the Amalfi Coast, and value-driven inland towns.

Sources & further reading

• Property buying & ownership for US citizens in Italy (2026) — Investropa
• Investing in Italian real estate: a safe haven for Americans