NOTERY COST

Sounds a bit steep, as I know it costs should be in the order of 2% of purchase price, how did you get directed to this Notary? I would suggest you try and shop around (I know its not easy!), but every euro you save here is something you can spend on your new house project.  Check out my house buying info on my blog, http://chickenhouseproject.typepad.com/ … ocess.html

if you have any more questions mail me via the blog.  Best of luck with your purchase.

Oops, just re-read your question, on taxes, its much more straightforward.
If you decide you will take Italian residency (and you need to declare this at the Notary's office), you will pay 3% of purchase price (to the Notary), you then have 18 months to fulfill the paperwork, but you need to have a house which is habitable in that time (not an easy task if you've taken on a basket-case project).  If you don't take residency, either as a conscious decision or you miss the deadline, then tax is 10%, not such a big deal on 30k, but again all the pennies count.

Thanks for the info, the quote came from the agent, as yet I have not met the notery, we return next month and I will persue the matter, sorry not to have replied earlier but I could not seem to log in. thanks again. Mick