How much does it cost to inherit a house? It does not mean receiving it at zero cost: taxes and expenses to be aware of

Buying a house has become more and more difficultespecially for young people. THE Real estate prices continue to risesalaries struggle to keep up and getting a mortgage is not within everyone’s reach. A situation that fits into a broader context, marked by the increase in the cost of living and the difficulties of making ends meet. According to the latest ISTAT data on the real estate market, relating to the second quarter of 2026, in Italy, housing prices are increased by 4% compared to the same period of the previous year.

For those who cannot afford a home, therefore, inheriting it from your parents may seem like the best prospect. But be careful: receiving a house as an inheritance it doesn’t mean necessarily get it for free. Between inheritance taxes, bureaucratic costs and possible renovation works, even becoming the owner of a family property can require a significant expense. In short, in a market where buying a house is increasingly challenging, real estate inheritance can represent an opportunity. So how much do you have to spend to receive a house as an inheritance? And what are the taxes and other expenses to be taken into account?

The real estate inheritance is not free: what taxes must be paid

Receiving a house as an inheritance does not simply mean finding yourself with the keys in your hand; the transfer of assets must be correctly communicated to the tax authorities and a series of bureaucratic steps must be followed, starting from succession declaration. This is a document to be presented to the Revenue Agency, generally within 12 months of the date of death, to communicate which assets have been bequeathed and to whom.

But is it always mandatory? Not in all cases. The law provides an exemptionbut only when some conditions are met at the same time:

• the inheritance must go to the spouse or direct relatives of the deceased person,
• its total value must not exceed 100 thousand euros,
• there must be no real estate or real estate rights present,
• the heirs must not have accepted the inheritance.

It is sufficient that even one of these requirements is not respected for the exemption to cease. And the expenses? There is no one size fits all. The cost of inheriting a property depends on several factors, including the cadastral value of the house, the family relationship with the deceased person and any tax breaks. In addition to the possible inheritance taxwe must also consider the mortgage and land registry taxes and other costs necessary to complete the procedures. In short, before considering an inherited house as an acquired asset, it is important to understand what expenses the transfer of ownership really entails.

How much do you pay for inheritance? The value

Inheritance tax is not the same for everyone. Above all, two elements determine the amount: the degree of kinship with the deceased person and the value of the inherited assets. The law, in fact, establishes different rates depending on who receives the inheritance and provides some thresholds, called deductiblesbelow which you do not pay the tax:

• spouse, children and other direct relatives: the rate is 4% and applies only to the part of the inherited value that exceeds 1 million euros for each beneficiary,
• brothers and sisters: the rate is 6%, with a deductible of 100 thousand euros for each beneficiary. The tax therefore applies only to the part of the inherited value that exceeds this threshold,
• other relatives up to the fourth degree and some relatives, in the cases provided for by law: the rate is 6%, without deductible. The tax is therefore calculated on the entire taxable value of the goods received,
• all other beneficiaries: the rate rises to 8% and there are no deductibles,
• people with serious disabilities recognized pursuant to law 104/1992: a higher deductible is envisaged, equal to 1,500,000 euros.

Then there is an important aspect to clarify: the value on which the tax is calculated does not necessarily coincide with the price at which the house could be sold on the market. In fact, to determine how much you have to pay, reference is made to the taxable value calculated according to the tax rules envisaged for inheritance. Additionally, deductibles apply to each beneficiary, not to the home as a whole. This means that, if a property is inherited by multiple people, the exemption threshold is considered separately for each of them. Therefore, for the same value of the property, the tax can change significantly based on the family relationship with the deceased person and how the inheritance is distributed.

The cost of mortgage and land registry taxes

In fact, to complete the steps necessary to transfer the property, you generally also need to pay the mortgage tax and the cadastral taxtwo taxes linked to the updating of real estate registers and the land registry. The calculation of these taxes changes radically depending on the type of act: in the event of inheritance or donation the ordinary amounts are calculated by applying two rates to the cadastral value of the property with the mortgage tax equal to 2% and the cadastral tax equal to1% (with a minimum amount of 200 euros for each tax). However, if you meet the requirements for the “first home” relief, both taxes are due at a fixed rate of 200 euros each.

In short, inheriting a house can represent an alternative to purchasing it, especially in a real estate market where prices continue to rise and buying a home is increasingly difficult. But it does not mean receiving a property at zero cost: between taxes, bureaucratic obligations and possible renovations, even an inheritance can present a far from negligible bill. Before considering it a solution to the housing problem, therefore, it is good to take into account all the expenses.