Fly To Buy
Fly To Buy In Italy
Italy is a land of great diversity, effortlessly combining history, great architecture, art and idyllic countryside. Visitors experience a kaleidoscope of medieval hilltop villages, ski resorts, lakes, beaches and the vibrant buzz of espresso culture in its cosmopolitan cities. Rosie O'Connor and David Donaldson, our Fly To Buy couple, have certainly been seduced by its charms, but finding the property of their dreams when there is so much potential makes for a challenging project...
Why Italy?
Aside from its obvious cultural and geographical appeal, the north of the Italy is still one of the most prosperous parts of the continent with a health service considered to be one of the best in the world. It is also a popular destination for low-cost airlines.
In spite of its high profile in Europe, large areas of the country remain relatively tourist-free. This makes for an accessible property market with surprisingly affordable prices.
Although there are strict planning rules, if you negotiate these, you stand to do well by looking to some of the more popular areas and investing in stone-built properties in need of renovation which can then be sold on or kept as holiday rentals.
Where to buy:
It is now possible to fly from the UK to Perugia in Umbria, one of the most beautiful regions in the country. The area has long played second fiddle to its much-celebrated neighbour Tuscany, but direct flights will give the local property market a significant boost and open up some fantastic rental opportunities in a less expensive area.
Perugia is just 20 minutes from Lake Trasimeno, Italy's largest non-Alpine lake, and a region full of art and history. The spiritual city of Assisi is also less than 30 minutes away, as well as numerous other medieval towns and villages set in spectacular countryside.
If you're not tied to one particular area and can be flexible, Liguria and George Clooney's favourite, Lake Como, also have investment potential, as do Le Marche and Abruzzo, a more remote, mountainous region epitomising the ancient spirit of Italy and offering a rich natural heritage.
Alternatively, look to Molise, a tiny, hilly area full of medieval hamlets, ancient ruins and one of the most untainted natural environments in Europe. If you want a renovation project, you will find plenty here.
Further south, the islands of Sicily or Sardinia have become far more accessible over the years and offer both old properties and new builds.
Aside from its obvious cultural and geographical appeal, the north of the Italy is still one of the most prosperous parts of the continent with a health service considered to be one of the best in the world. It is also a popular destination for low-cost airlines.
In spite of its high profile in Europe, large areas of the country remain relatively tourist-free. This makes for an accessible property market with surprisingly affordable prices.
Although there are strict planning rules, if you negotiate these, you stand to do well by looking to some of the more popular areas and investing in stone-built properties in need of renovation which can then be sold on or kept as holiday rentals.
Where to buy:
It is now possible to fly from the UK to Perugia in Umbria, one of the most beautiful regions in the country. The area has long played second fiddle to its much-celebrated neighbour Tuscany, but direct flights will give the local property market a significant boost and open up some fantastic rental opportunities in a less expensive area.
Perugia is just 20 minutes from Lake Trasimeno, Italy's largest non-Alpine lake, and a region full of art and history. The spiritual city of Assisi is also less than 30 minutes away, as well as numerous other medieval towns and villages set in spectacular countryside.
If you're not tied to one particular area and can be flexible, Liguria and George Clooney's favourite, Lake Como, also have investment potential, as do Le Marche and Abruzzo, a more remote, mountainous region epitomising the ancient spirit of Italy and offering a rich natural heritage.
Alternatively, look to Molise, a tiny, hilly area full of medieval hamlets, ancient ruins and one of the most untainted natural environments in Europe. If you want a renovation project, you will find plenty here.
Further south, the islands of Sicily or Sardinia have become far more accessible over the years and offer both old properties and new builds.
