Italy Guide To Living, Working and Property in Italy

Sunday 8 November 2009

Essential information about Italy, it’s landscape, culture and property market for expatriates, investors and those seeking a new job or to retire in Italy

It Is Still Possible to Find Cheap Property for Sale in Italy

Published on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

It Is Still Possible to Find Cheap Property for Sale in Italy With the pound wallowing in the doldrums against the euro it’s not been a good year for Britons who have holidayed on the continent – everywhere has appeared so much more expensive relatively speaking to Brits, but at the same time we are all aware that it could swing the other way any time soon.  This is just one of the reasons why the strong euro still hasn’t put Brits off wanting to buy a home overseas!

Other reasons include the fact that Brits still want to escape UK – even if it is now more expensive for them to do so, and money is never a real reason to stop people dreaming.  However, money is of course an incredibly useful tool when it comes to buying a property abroad, so because of the weak pound and the fact that Brits still want to live their dream of owning a home abroad, we thought we’d investigate and see whether it is still possible to find cheap property for sale in Italy.

Italy is one of the most idyllic and dreamt about locations overseas where Brits would love to own a home – it is also traditionally expensive!  So we thought that if we prove that you can still afford your dream in Italy, then you can probably still afford your dream full stop.  See, there is hope in these bleak economic times – there is an escape from the British winter and the British recession.  Read on to see our top picks of what’s currently available for under 100,000 Euros in Italy.

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For Long-Term Stability, Buy Property in Italy

Published on Thursday, August 13th, 2009

For Long-Term Stability, Buy Property in ItalyThere’s a myth abounding at the moment that the property crash in the UK has been mirrored in all other nations in the world – however, that is very far from the truth.  Whilst it’s pretty undeniable that most countries’ economies have been negatively impacted by the fallout from the banking crises in the US and the UK and the resultant recessions that are continuing to be an ugly reality, not all countries in the world had property markets as precariously poised as the UK’s!

Take Italy as a perfect example – in Italy the local population are not as property obsessed as us Britons.  Whilst we may move multiple times in our lifetime in a bid to trade up our property along the way, Italians on average only move once every 20 years or so.  Additionally, houses are kept in a family for generations, and people’s fortunes are seldom built on a buy-to-let empire, or even off the back of their own home purchasing decisions.

So, if you want long-term stability in a property purchase, why not consider Italian real estate – it can still be a profitable acquisition if you buy in a popular area with international tourists, alternatively it can be a relatively safe place for your own cash if you’re happy to tie it in to bricks and mortar.  Just be aware that sales don’t happen fast in Italy, so if you need to exit the market in a hurry you could be waiting around for longer than you’d hoped.  In this report we present an overview of Italy’s property market for would-be buyers…

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Realities of Obtaining an Italian Mortgage: Case Study

Published on Thursday, February 12th, 2009

Realities of Obtaining an Italian Mortgage: Case StudyYou may be considering taking out a mortgage to finance your Italian property purchase or renovation project, opting to go through a UK mortgage provider or alternatively by approaching a local Italian bank that deals in mortgages.  But you need to appreciate that things in Italy tend to work slower and often less efficiently than they do in the UK when it comes to mortgage financing. 

As a general rule, Italian banks are more conservative in the mortgage packages they offer; usually only lending up to 85% of the property value (60% is more common) and applying fixed rates.  This is possibly why the Italian mortgage market has not been over exposed to sub prime loans – however, it also means it can be trickier to secure a mortgage if you’re a non-resident buyer.

In this article our resident Italian property expert Alison Harris takes us through the realities of obtaining an Italian mortgage with a case study of a client of hers who, having waited a staggering 3 years just to obtain planning permission, owing to the fact that the property in question was located on a site of significant archaeological interest, decided to apply for a mortgage to pay for extensive renovations to turn a disused stable building into a rustic and idyllic country home, complete with small vineyard.  This is the story of how the mortgage application progressed…

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Using a Project Manager to Help You Buy/Renovate Property in Italy

Published on Monday, February 09th, 2009

Using a Project Manager to Help You Buy/Renovate Property in ItalyWhether you’re buying a brand new property in Italy, you’re interested in doing up an ancient farmhouse or you want to build from scratch, it is our view that an experienced project manager can be totally invaluable to you.

Whether you’re particularly proficient in the Italian language or not, chances are you’re not au fait with planning laws, legal processes, builder’s working methods or where to source authentic yet affordable materials for example.  Well, a good project manager will be, which is why they are worth their weight in gold!

The resident Shelter Offshore Italian property expert Alison Harris is a very experienced project manager who has assisted countless British and international clients realise their dreams of that perfect Italian home, and in this article she shares with us her advice about using a project manager to help you buy or renovate property in Italy.

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Translators are Invaluable When Buying Property in Italy

Published on Thursday, February 05th, 2009

Translators are Invaluable When Buying Property in ItalyIt can be daunting enough buying a property in your local country, but not understanding the local language and what is going on around you can simply add to the stress when you buy a home abroad. 

Having a translator or interpreter on hand throughout the purchasing stages is an efficient way of taking off some of this pressure as well as saving you precious time.  In the long-term, an interpreter can save you money too, and when it comes to buying a home in Italy, for those with little or no knowledge of the Italian language, a translator can prove indispensible. 

In this article we’ll show you how translators are invaluable when buying property in Italy, and we’ll look at the ways a translator can be beneficial to you if you’re about to embark on a home purchase or even a renovation project in Italy – the advice contained herein has been supplied by our resident Italian property expert, Alison Harris.

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Expert Advice for Letting Your Italian Property

Published on Thursday, February 05th, 2009

Expert Advice for Letting Your Italian PropertyAlison Harris is a British trained lawyer with such a strong passion for Italy that this has led her to become a bilingual freelance project manager assisting Britons and Europeans with their purchase, development and on going management of property in Italy.

In this article she has given us at Shelter Offshore great insight into how those who have a property in Italy can let it out for the maximum period possible, and how to do so successfully and without stress.  She is drawing on her own personal experience as she has been involved with renting out her family’s property in Tuscany for 20 years, as well as the experience she has gained from assisting clients with renting out the properties she has helped them buy.

If you own a home in Italy and you want expert advice for letting your Italian property, read on…

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Living Abroad in Italy Guide

Published on Wednesday, December 03rd, 2008

Living Abroad in Italy GuideOf all the Moon Living Abroad books, Living Abroad in Italy has to be my personal favourite – perhaps that’s because I have a passion for Italy, perhaps it’s because it’s such an incredibly well written book, penned by a first grade author who shares my passion for Italy!

John Moretti is an American by birth, but now, having lived in Italy since 1999 he is practically a local!  He has embraced everything about Italian life – the good, the bad, the history, the traditions and the language, which is why he is best placed to write this thoroughly well researched, yet vibrant book about starting a brand new life in Italy.

Yes there are other ‘living abroad’ titles that cover Italy, but Living Abroad in Italy by John Moretti as published by Moon, is probably the best of the bunch by about a mile!  If you’re interested in taking an extended vacation in Italy or indeed, moving to live there for the long-term, we recommend you pick up this title.

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Setting Up a Business and Being Self-Employed in Italy

Published on Monday, December 01st, 2008

Setting Up a Business and Being Self-Employed in ItalyOne of the things holding back some Britons from moving abroad to realise their dream of a new life in Italy, is the fact that it can be very hard for non-Italian speakers to find a job and earn an income.

Many people know that they will be able to improve their Italian once they are living in Italy, but wonder what they can do in the meantime to earn an income.  Well, the good news is that there are of course options.

So, if you dream of living in Italy and want to move sooner rather than later, here’s all you need to know about setting up a business and becoming self-employed in Italy.

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Important Advice for Brits Retiring to Italy

Published on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

Important Advice for Brits Retiring to ItalyThere are reportedly over 30,000 British retirees living in Italy – and who can blame them!  Imagine retiring to bask in the glorious countryside of Italy where you’re surrounded by spectacular views and enveloped in an ideal climate, where you can eat and drink the very best food and wine in the world, and enjoy a culture so steeped in tradition and history to be truly fascinating.

If the thought of making Italy home in retirement also appeals to you, here’s some important advice for Brits retiring to Italy.

In this article we will cover everything from your pension income to fluctuating exchange rates, and from making wills to making sure you keep in touch with friends and family.

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10 Tips for Renting Out Your Italian Property

Published on Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

10 Tips for Renting Out Your Italian Property If you own a home in Italy and you’re starting to feel the effects of the credit crunch and want to make your asset pay for itself, renting out your Italian property can be a practical way to reap some financial rewards for having a lovely place in the sun!

If you’re in the planning and preparation stages, these 10 tips for renting out your Italian property will help ensure that you get everything right from the outset and know in advance what you’re letting yourself in for.

You can get the highest weekly rental rate if you target the holiday market of course, but then you do have to prepare yourself for periods of the year when the home is empty.  So, think carefully about whether you want to give up use of your home altogether and rent long-term, or you want to still have benefit of the asset for at least part of the year and make some money in the interim from some holidaymaker traffic.

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