Ski and sea homes in Italy

It’s perfectly possible to have a holiday home in Southern Europe in order to enjoy quality skiing, especially if we’re talking about Italy. The reality is that if you are in the north of Italy, including northern Tuscany (near Pistoia you can ski in Abetone), you are likely to be only a short drive from some excellent and enjoyable pistes that will provide great skiing.

If you have your home in Liguria at, for example, the Dominio San Sebastiano Resort in Bergeggi, you could be in the ski area around Cuneo (to mention just one destination in Prato Nevoso) in little more than one hour by car.

Luca Catalano of Realitalia says: “In reality you could enjoy a weekend at your sea view Spa at Dominio San Sebastiano Resort in Bergeggi, swimming in the heated open air seafront swimming pool on the Friday, followed by Saturday spent skiing on the slopes and you could still be back in the evening for a relaxing sauna.”

One of the largest ski areas in Italy, Via Lattea, which hosted the 2006 Winter Olympic, is home to around 400 kilometres of pistes. This is a really grown-up ski resort if you consider that, for example, Val d'Isere in France, accounts for some 300 kilometres of pistes

Dominio San Sebastiano is a holiday home resort promoted by Realitalia, a company specialising in high quality new builds and renovations throughout Italy, all backed up by an exemplary concierge service and professional letting management.

Since Dominio San Sebastiano is a holiday home resort, it offers the opportunity to get rental guarantee arrangements for those who are after an income from their overseas home and are looking to purchase with a mortgage, since rates are very low and the euro is strong against the pound sterling.

The resort is perched on the Bergeggi Hills overlooking the clear blue Mediterranean and sits within a lush four hectare Mediterranean park. It is just 40 minutes from Genoa airport and just under two hours by car from Nice and Milan.

This brand new, eco resort comprises one and two bedroom apartments and villas. All have views of the peaceful bay and have easy access to the private beach which can be reached on foot. Local shops and cafés in the town that are close by make this an ideal holiday destination.

There are a number of attractions nearby including archaeological sites, golf courses and with an attractive drive, you can be in the south of France in a relatively short time. There are also opportunities for trekking, cycling and bird watching.

Don’t forget that this is a year-round destination with skiing at Limone Piemonte and Prato Nevoso around one to one and a half hours away.

Concluded Luca: “This is a destination for all seasons. Dominio San Sebastiano makes an excellent holiday home both for personal use and letting, and enables owners to maximise on their property investment by reducing periods throughout the year when their property is empty.”

Currently, prices at Dominio San Sebastiano, Liguria, Northern Italy are:

• one bedroom flats (gardens and terraces) from £ 300,000
• two bedroom flats (garden and terraces) from £ 500,000
• villas (gardens) from £ 600,000

Contact Realitalia at www.realitalia.co.uk or call them on 0870 8909936 for more information

Realitalia are members of the UK Green Building Council and the company signed the 2016 Commitment to build zero carbon emission homes by 2016.

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The beautifully crafted restoration of a villa in Tuscany

Eight, 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments with a solarium and heated swimming pool are being created in the meticulous renovation of a historical villa in Tuscany. Ville Degli Olivi, in Lajatico, Tuscany, Italy is a rustic 18th century stone house which overlooks the surrounding, stunning, countryside. It is located in the heart of the village, perched on a cliff, with a large olive tree garden.

Realitalia's Ville Degli Olivi in Lajatico

The common staircase boasts an original vaulted ceiling and the apartment itself has handsome solid wood doors with 18th century style iron hinges produced by local artisans. The windows are of solid wood in an antique style but double glazed for high energy efficiency and come with the proper certifications.

Hidden technology

There are handmade, traditionally produced terracotta floors with an antique appearance created by the use of reclaimed tiles and a special mixture of raw materials as well as a particular treatment process similar to the original ancient way of working.

There are also exposed stone walls and a spectacular vaulted ceiling which has been meticulously refurbished. Reclaimed wood that has been waxed has been used as flooring in the bedrooms and close attention has been given to the terracotta window shelves, arched niches and wooden beams.

The bathroom boasts a handsome stone washbasin on a solid wooden shelf and tiles are of antique travertine. In addition to the aesthetic perspective, the hidden technology includes underfloor heating and cooling system, amplified by dehumidifiers for your comfort.

Utilities are remotely controlled, allowing you to switch on the heating the day before you arrive for efficient home management. This is also useful if you intend to rent the property. Also the added facility of the entrance door opening with keys or a code means people can easily check in at midnight. The management company looks after the properties.

Eco perspective

An example of the sympathetic restoration being undertaken by Realitalia

The furniture in the apartment combines old with traditional shabby chic style. If you decide to use Realitalia Furniture Package you can have an unlimited choice of colors, materials and designs for your kitchen which is a mix of industrial/artisan production. This leaves you room to customize the interior.

From an eco perspective, all materials are sourced locally where possible. Explains Luca Catalano of Realitalia, “As Italians we care deeply about our buildings and it is very important to us that older style homes are enhanced with love and devotion as we renovate. This extends from the building itself to the furnishings”.

Luca continues “Sustainability is also high on our list of priorities and these homes have been designed to save energy with high levels of insulation, quality wiring and plumbing and hidden solar panelling. Local materials have been used where possible or produced locally, such as the cotto tiles for the floor.”

The one bedroom apartments are priced from circa £200,000, two bedroom from approximately £250,000 and three bedroom from around £420,000.

The one bedroom apartments are priced from circa £200,000. Two bedroom from circa £250,000 and three bedroom from circa £420,000.

Realitalia’s ideas blend tradition with technology, respect for local society with respect for the environment and on-site service with low maintenance costs.

Realitalia is a member of the UK Green Building Council (www.ukgbc.org) and signed the 2016 Commitment to build zero carbon emission homes by 2016. The company says it creates the home people have always dreamed of, shaped around their own individual needs and tastes.

Details of Ville degli Olivi in Lajatico:

At Ville Degli Olivi, Realitalia has converted the main house into five apartments each with a panoramic view. The finished project will also have three additional brand new homes integrated into the landscape. The scheme will, as a result, create a small boutique-style living environment – fully managed – located inside the village of Lajatico.

At Villa Degli Olivi, Realitalia has worked in collaboration with Lajatico-born architect, Alberto Bocelli (brother of the classical singer, Andrea Bocelli who appears annually at the famous Teatro del Silenzio in the heart of the Lajatico countryside).

“The town has a secluded feel, “says Luca Catalano, “yet it is only 30 minutes from the Tuscan Riviera with its choice of spectacular beaches. The location is also close to the historic villages of Volterra, Siena and the cities of Florence and Pisa.”

For more information, telephone 0870 8909936 or 0044 870 890 9936 or go on-line at www.realitalia.co.uk

http://www.travelsupermarket.com says that these are the best ways to get to Lajatico from the UK:

Lajatico, Tuscany lies a few miles south east of Pisa airport. Pisa is served by non-stop flights from the UK with four airlines:

• Easyjet from Bristol, Luton and Gatwick
• Ryanair from Leeds Bradford, Stansted, Prestwick, Bournemouth, Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Liverpool
• British Airways from Gatwick and/or Heathrow – varies by season and date
• Jet2 from Newcastle, Leeds Bradford and Manchester

Many of these routes are daily and year round, however some only operate two or three times of the week – see websites for details

Flight times to Pisa are around two hours

Prices are from as little as £5 one way when seat sales are on with carriers such as Ryanair. Average prices are around £80 to £150 return.

See http://www.travelsupermarket.com for more information

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

More news…

EUROSTAR HAILS ‘PRINT ANYWHERE’ TICKETING A SUCCESS

Eurostar, the provider of high-speed, carbon neutral rail journeys between the UK and the Continent, has seen a huge change in the way that people ticket their journeys with around 70% of its travellers taking advantage of the ‘Print Anywhere’ service via the website, Eurostar.com.

Since launching the service in April, increasing numbers of travellers have opted to retrieve their tickets with ease, at home,  at the office or anywhere they have access to a computer and a printer.

Following a significant investment at all major stations in France, UK and Belgium, travellers can now simply scan their own unique printed barcode, so making their check-in even more hassle free than before.

Flexibility and convenience

Commercial Director, Nick Mercer said:  “Print Anywhere ticketing allows our travellers to save time and gives them a greater degree of flexibility and convenience.

“Station staff are finding that the majority of people arrive at Eurostar check-in with their tickets already printed – a sure sign that this initiative has been well received.”

Eurostar is for all the family

With the introduction of ‘Print Anywhere’, Eurostar has ceased to send customers tickets by post, with customers also being given the choice to collect their tickets from one of the e-ticket machines at Eurostar stations.

Eurostar’s high-speed passenger service links the UK and mainland Europe, providing carbon neutral journeys between St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais, Disneyland Resort Paris, Avignon and the French Alps.

Return tickets

Under its Tread Lightly environmental plan, Eurostar has set a target of reducing CO2 emissions by 35% per traveller journey by 2012, compared with 2007. Because emissions cannot yet be eliminated, Eurostar is also the world’s first train operator to make all journeys carbon neutral, at no extra cost to travellers. Based on comparisons of actual load factors and specific energy data, a Eurostar journey generates just one-tenth of the carbon dioxide of an equivalent flight.

Travellers can buy connecting fares to the Continent from over 200 towns and cities across the UK. Return ticket prices range from £63 and include Brighton from only £71 and Edinburgh from only £92.

To book tickets or for more information, got to http://www.eurostar.com or call 08705 186 186.

Do your homework when you buy a home abroad

There are many people living perfectly happy and contented lives who have bought a home abroad. They haven’t fallen under the spell of an evil developer nor have they sold their souls to an unscrupulous estate agent. Quite simply, they’ve taken the same time and care over their purchase as they would when buying a home back in the UK. This applies whether they’ve bought a house or an apartment in the United States, in Italy, France, Australia or any of the other countries where property purchasers seek new homes.

Basic precautions

Bad news stories tend to arise only when buyers fail to take the most basic precautions. For example, one of the most elementary mistakes that careless buyers tend to make is to fail to check whether the property is still carrying any debts left over from the previous owner.
These can come from a number of different sources but they’ll hang like the proverbial millstone around the property – and your neck – unless you are very careful. The last thing you want, having just moved in, is to find yourself paying off someone else’s debts because you failed to ask a few simple questions. Of course, many people will follow up that statement with, “How can I ask questions if I don’t speak the language?” and the simple answer to that is, “You should have an independent legal and/or financial representative and he or she ought to speak the language of the country in which you are buying.” Buying a freehold property outside the UK can be fun and a sound investment but it’s sensible to ensure you have a legal and financial safety net.

Developing markets

In the last decade we all heard stories about how cheap properties were in what were called developing markets. This caused such a stir that people I’ve known for years rang me and one in particular said, “Come on, you write about overseas property. Why have you been keeping this to yourself all these years? Which is the best place to buy and how do we go about it?”
The answer is that yes, partly as a result of the international financial crisis, you can now buy properties in loads of countries for what seem like knock down prices. On the other hand, an English solicitor who works in the overseas property industry commented to me a couple of years ago, “Some people simply go abroad, see property they like, don’t check to see if they can get a mortgage; whether the property has full title deeds that will show that they have bought it and whether the person who sold it to them had any right to do so.”
It’s a shame to sound like a wet blanket because of course you can buy a home in an ever-increasing range of countries and end up with something that you will enjoy for years to come. But the fact is, as I said, you might well be walking into a barrel load of problems unless you expend the time and trouble to go through the process in the same way that you would back in the UK.”

Unusual destinations

I was writing about properties for sale in unusual destinations such as Northern Cyprus, even India as far back as 12 or 15 years ago. In the late 1980s I was commenting on the new phenomenon of Australians and New Zealanders buying holiday homes in Europe and Europeans looking for properties Down Under. The truth is that I know of people who bought in some pretty out-of-the-way places at that time who are perfectly happy. Let’s face it, in the 1950s and early 1960s you could have said that Spain and Portugal were emerging markets.
All property is cyclical, and what has tumbled down in price in the last 12 months will, eventually go back. And then we’ll see a rush to grab bargains – yet again. The golden rule to remember is: wherever you buy, only do it if you can really afford it. Take advice and ask questions. And it might be wise to leave your credit cards at home when you go on holiday – your plastic might be a touch too flexible for your own good.

Profile of Italian property specialist, Linda Travella

Overseas property companies sometimes take on a life of their own, the staff list grows and the founder of the company (and the original principles) can become lost along the way.

Properties in Italy

Other companies remain the product of the owner and this is very much the case with Casa Travella. Founded in 1987 by Linda and her husband Pietro with a view to making buying property in Italy easier and more accessible, the company was also one of the first overseas property businesses to offer a full service to clients.

Linda Travella

“We only sell properties in Italy,” explained Linda. “We feel that we can offer an exceptional service because we specialise in one place rather than a number of overseas companies that are offering homes everywhere from Bulgaria to Brazil.

“I speak fluent Italian which is very important if you are looking to buy a home in Italy. It means I can negotiate easily with developers and solicitors on a client’s behalf and therefore there is a ‘comfort zone’ for buyers knowing that their investment is in safe hands.

“I have so many people who have bought through me and many who have remained in contact. It’s interesting how such a large number love their new home and of course, Italy itself,” says Linda.

Travella spent four years as chair of The Federation of Overseas Property Developers, Agents and Consultants (FOPDAC) from 2000 to 2004. She was also the first and only woman to be elected as chair since the Federation began in 1973.

Linda also sits on the International committee for the National Association of Estate Agents and has appeared live on BBC Breakfast News in her capacity as a leading expert on the subject of buying property abroad.

In 2004, Linda took part in a number of high profile, large audience, episodes of  “I Want that House” for ITV. As a result she was asked to make a programme for American TV. In addition, she has made a one-hour programme for Channel 4.

The new complex on Judeca Nova

The islands of Venice and Giudecca

Venice is one of those places where it can seem difficult to find just the right place for a home abroad. The island of Giudecca, a short boat or gondola ride from San Marco on the main island of Venice, is home to a new and stylish complex called Judeca Nova and benefits from breathtaking views over the lagoon of Venice.

All amenities (there are plenty of restaurants and shops) are close at hand and the main bus and railways stations connect easily with the ‘vaporetto’ line (travel time: 10 minutes). Giudecca has very much the feel of the original Venice and a visit is well worthwhile.

This property, priced at €295.000, is located on the second floor and consists of: living room with corner kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Two-bedroom apartments are also available priced at around €395.000.

For more information about this and many other properties, contact: Casa Travella on: 01322 660988 or go on-line at http://www.casatravella.com