[obmelvin]

This is a very valid point. As someone with an Italian step-dad who's dealt with property in Italy, I can say that dealing with permits etc in Italy is really not easy. Things really do work their own, Italian, way. It's not the same as real estate in the US, even if you are comparing historic regulations here to there.

Guess I don't really have a point to this comment, other than to say this parent comment might sound like an extreme exaggeration but AFAIK it isn't.

edit: looks like jacquesm has made a similar point