ITALY - Should you buy property in Italy?

So, you're wondering why Italy is so great. Well, we're sure you're aware of the some of the most famous reasons people want to relocate, like the amazing food and drink, rich culture, and superb climate, but did you know there practical motivations too? You can also find the likes of excellent healthcare, easy travel access, and a lower cost of living to the UK.

1. Affordable homes

Italy has a reputation as being quite expensive compared to neighbours like Spain and Greece. You can very well find eye-watering prices in places like Venice, Milan or Florence, but much of rural Italy is deeply affordable. When buying a house in Italy, try swapping Tuscany for Umbria, or Messina for Trapani, and you'll find property cheaper by over €400/m².

There are many homes for sale within a few minutes' drive of an Italian town. Here you can benefit from lower property prices and still have all the amenities you need close by. For example, £162,000 might get you a one-bedroom terraced bungalow or a two-bedroom flat in Dorset, England. But, for the same price in Puglia, you can buy a detached three-bedroom villa with a big garden. Plus, it will be a short drive to sunny beaches, interesting towns and an airport.

Unlike in the UK, where country homes seem to cost a bomb, the best house prices in Italy are in rural a3reas and in the sunny South. Great news for sun-loving Brits wanting to make their home in the beautiful Italian countryside.

2. Lower cost of living

Major cities and tourist hotspots are the most expensive places to live, whichever country you choose to live in. However, where the Italian cost of living really drops is when you buy a home in the countryside or outskirts of a small town or village.

In the more rural locations local taxes are lower and fresh local produce is cheaper. Transport, like trains, buses and internal flights, is also less expensive in Italy, making it cheap and easy to visit the city. One of the biggest savings you'll make is when you become a resident in Italy, as the equivalent of council tax has been abolished on a person's main residence and you get reduced rate electricity.

3. Excellent transport links

Italy has excellent transport options. Most expats want to maintain links with the UK, especially with family back home. Italy is home to over 30 international airports and most of these have low-cost flights with airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet back home. From the UK, Ryanair and EasyJet both fly to 22 Italian airports from the UK and offer very competitive prices throughout the year.

From London, flights to northern Italian airports usually take less than two hours and less than three hours to the South. This makes it easy for family to come and visit and the potential is there to make an income from letting out your Italian property to tourists.

When it comes to moving your belongings to Italy, there are many removals companies experienced in transporting furniture to Italy. A good network of motorways throughout the country along with spectacular scenery makes driving in Italy a pleasure. Even getting your pet there is simple with the Pet Passport scheme. You can take the ferry and drive through France – think of those lovely dog walks in the Alps! – or have them flown over by a company specialising in pet transport.

4. Great climate

If you move to Italy, you can swap the UK's 1,500 hours of sunshine for Italy's more than 2,000. Imagine being able to sit out on your balcony or in the garden with a drink well into November or spending summer at the beach or exploring the local markets — the climate is key to la dolce vita.

Most of Italy has a Mediterranean climate, with cool wet winters and hot, dry summers. The mildest weather is along the coast and in the southern regions, including the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Winter temperatures seldom drop to freezing in the south, while summers often reach 35°C or higher. In the mountains cold air from northern Europe can bring snow, even as far south as Mount Etna on Sicily. There are 294 ski resorts in Italy, mainly in the Italian Alps in the north.

Every season adds beauty to the landscape, including fields of poppies and sunflowers, autumn leaves, snow-capped mountains and summer beaches. In Italy you know you are going to get plenty of sunny weather to plan days out over the summer.

5. Stunning landscape

The landscape of Italy is very diverse. The Alps and the Dolomites in the north have snow-covered peaks, icy glaciers and fertile valleys. In their foothills are large and beautiful lakes such as Lake Garda and Lake Como. Down through the centre of Italy the mountains are dotted with pretty hilltop villages, and a short drive away you are in the flat plains that run along the coast. Within a single region you can often find plains, hills, mountains and a beautiful coastline.

Seven of the cultural landscapes are so outstanding that they are recognised by UNESCO. They include the vineyards of Piedmont, the Amalfi coast, Cinque Terre and the Val d'Orcia. Nature is well protected in 25 National parks and 147 nature reserves. Grapevines and olive trees grace the landscape across the country. Most of Italy's olive oil is produced in the southern regions of Puglia, Calabria and Sicily, however, so this is where they dominate the landscape. You will also still see many small fruit orchards and vegetable patches – you might even buy one yourself!

6. Delicious food and wine

Italian food is fresh and simple cuisine that makes the most of what is grown locally. Each region, town and family has its own special dishes that reflect what is produced in the countryside and sea near their home. Italy is well known for its healthy Mediterranean diet, and also for pizza, pasta and gelato. The flavours in a true Italian pizza and gelato are like nothing tasted anywhere else in the world due to those fresh Italian ingredients.

Wine, cheese and pasta are an important part of any Italian meal. Pasta comes in almost as many shapes as there are days in the year. So, don't just limit yourself to the old favourites: penne, spaghetti, linguine, fusilli and lasagne. Each region has its own pasta shape and way of serving it, so why not try some orecchiette, quadrucci, bavette — the list goes on!

7. Italian culture

Italian culture is steeped in the arts, family, architecture, religion, food and music. Italians actively strive to keep alive the traditions they are so proud of. Visit any town and you will find that the historic centre still feels very Italian, with any foreign restaurants and shops allowed only on the outskirts. Even there you will find very few. Events held in the piazzas are usually annual festas that have taken place for centuries, rather than put on just for tourists.

Family time is very important to Italians, with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins regularly gathering around the lunch table. It's commonplace to see families with young children out late in the evening. Even better, youngsters respect the older generation, as their grandparents play such a big role in their daily lives. Traditional arts and crafts, songs and dances are all passed down, along with the secret family recipes.

8. Places to visit

Italy is the fourth-most visited country in the world, so there's a huge tourist market. That's great news for anyone looking to rent out their Italian property. The Ministry for Tourism is also working hard at encouraging people to go off the beaten track, so even very rural areas can still drum up good business.

If you'll have more free time after you make the move to Italy, start thinking about all the places you can visit. One of the most exciting things about moving is exploring the area. You'll be amazed just how many places there are to visit just in your local area once you start exploring by car. You'll soon discover the best beaches and villages to take family and friends to.

But don't ignore the rest of Italy! Take a domestic flight to Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Naples, Pisa and Turin if you like, but the train and coach services are also well priced. Italy has 54 UNESCO world heritage sites, 7,600 km of coastline and many beautiful art cities. With such a long bucket list, good job the Italian lifestyle is so healthy!

9. Beautiful architecture

Italian cities have many elegant architectural styles, including classical Roman, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical. Of course, you'll visit some of the most famous buildings in the world, including the Colosseum, Pantheon and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Don't let the fact that they're so famous put you off — each is amazing. But a walk into the historic centre of any Italian town or village is like walking back in time, with noble palazzo houses around the corner from medieval town houses. In the countryside you'll spot palaces, castles, stone farmhouses, cone shaped trulli, luxury villas and masserie (fortified farmhouses).

10. Healthy lifestyle

If you want to live a healthier lifestyle, look no further than Italy. For the price of a city flat in the UK, you can buy a villa in the Italian countryside and enjoy the fresh air and outdoor lifestyle. Why not grow your own veg or buy it from the local market or farm store? It's easy to eat well and live a healthy lifestyle, away from the temptations of all the processed food found in UK supermarkets and the city fumes and work stress.

The great Italian weather gives you more opportunities to get outside and enjoy your garden. Go for walks, cycle and enjoy relaxing past times like yoga, horse riding or swimming. There are also many sports and leisure options on offer including gyms, football, rugby, basketball, cycling, skiing and water sports. Italians also enjoy dancing as a way to keep fit, and there are schools for all ages. The Italian pace of life is more relaxed, nothing is done with any urgency.

Font: https://www.propertyguides.com/italy/buying/