Story of a successful property purchase in Abruzzo
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| Village in Abruzzo |
We always went to Italy for our holidays and loved the country. For several years I used to look at various property sites on the internet to get a feel of what you got for your money in the different regions.
In 2011 we spent 6 weeks travelling around Italy (also France, Spain and Malta) to make sure we definitely wanted to buy in Italy and then to settle on a region.
We decided upon southern Abruzzo and spent the next 6 months searching for the right property. We were looking for something to renovate as we had done this is the UK and it would be a project for us.
We nearly bought a charming house in the mountains but as on one trip it was under offer we found a complete ruin only one mile from the sea and a wonderful promenade. Then the one in the mountain came back on the market so we had a dilemma. We sat at the airport pondering the pros and cons of both but the one near the beach won and we have never regretted it....
Only 35 minutes from the airport and 2 miles from the motorway exit and you can even walk to the station. Also the weather seemed more settled there. Shops not far and the nearest large town only 10 minutes drive. We hit it lucky too with the estate agent's assistant who dealt with our sale. She was very proactive and kept us informed of progress all the way along.
We employed an italian solicitor in London and he dealt with all the legal side and selected the notary in Italy and the sale went through relatively smoothly. I would do this again as he acted solely for us whereas the notary acts for the state. The agent helped us with the codice fiscale and opening an Italian bank account. I researched and found a foreign currency broker, which has been great and hassle free in purchasing euros and transferring money over to wherever in Italy at a moments notice.
We made the offer in November, completed in person the following March and started the renovation in June. We used a local geometra to check out a few things for us and I think the one we found was exceptional, we asked about his past projects and he put us in touch with a previous client. He thoroughly recommended him and he turned out to be fantastic and transformed our ruin to one to move into in only six months.
Most of our communications was done by email with a couple of visits in between. He would send us regular updates with photos and we made stage payments via our foreign currency broker in the UK so we could transfer funds the same day.
My language skills are that of an intermediate but it has improved as the whole renovation was communicated in Italian. I think the secret of a successful renovation has been finding a trustworthy and competent geometra (who has since become a firm friend). He stuck to his estimate, any extras being changes we instigated.
The locals are so friendly and we have made several friends there already, mainly Italian but also expats like us. We have sourced things in local shops and that helps us integrate into the local village. We used someone found on an Abruzzo expat site to transport some furniture out.
We probably will spend about a third of our time there (we have our children and good friends in the UK, and wouldn't want to leave them permanently), sometimes going by car and the rest by plane, cheap flights are always available.
We love the beauty and variety of the region, rolling hills, mountains, agricultural landscapes, mountains, sea, climate of course.
We can ski in a resort which is only one hour away.
We retired just before the house was finished. We now have years to explore the many villages and towns nearby and venture to Naples, Rome and the south just a few hours away.
Starting from scratch with a ruin has been a challenge but so rewarding seeing the end result.
We now also have a new interest as we have a small vineyard and we are slowly learning about vitriculture with the help of the previous owner/farmer. My husband has just completed a course on vineyard maintenance at our local (UK) agricultural college. We have also started to have friends and family stay with us when we are there and doubtless to say the children will use the place more when they get their own families.
Source: Abruzzo Rural Property
