Italian house price recovery?

That's cheered me up Patrick!

Billy, I think the old crew must have abandoned ship ... this would have 'G'd them up big time in the old days. Rather begs the question of who answers the questions on this site if the experts have gone.

couldn't find the piece....shame

just click on the link above - still OK this morning

Hmmmmm - you seem to be resting this hope for recovery on this sentence;"This last point reinforces the idea that retiring couples with windfall cash will head for the sun. That’s bullish for overseas holiday homes so get in while they are depressed".I would suggest there are better bargains to be had than in Italy, for example Spain, particularly as most people head there anyway and prices are extremely depressed. Also Florida, where prices seem to be at ridiculously low levels. I'd be tempted to invest there myself if it wasn't so far away (I don't do economy class above 4 hours). Oh and if I liked the USA, which I tend not to for various reasons.

... there was also the bit about the red dotted projection line sagging around the retirees area... isn't that because they either die or emigrate?I remember a survey once that concluded that 5% of people in the UK were considering emigrating to a warmer place on retirement. The popularity of 'A place in the sun' type programs seems to back this up. I agree that Italy is not the only place but for us Europeans we have the whole of Europe as our free choice whereas the US is almost impossible. As for Spain - yes some fabulous bits in a dry deserty sort of way but they did steal a lot of real estate recently and it will be hard to trust them again. Having said that a carefully executed purchase could be very shrewd right now. France? Well Im not sure they all like us much and why not? Centuries of war and then an annual invasion of caravans. OK, food and wine is the best so I'm sure France will get her fair share of the 700,000 annual retirees but Italy must have her share too.OK - a question for the panel then. If you won the pools tomorrow where would you live and why?

If I won the pools yes Italy would be for me- Love the people , food , climate - just need a little more money.

Well, I'd not elect for EZ, or anywhere (eg Bulgaria,Croatia) which might get hobbled by the single currency imperative of Globalisation (aka Goldman Sachs)I find Morocco quite attractive, maybeTunisia if you are brave - but I'm thinking local and achievable.- so maybe I'm too blinkered.and should look beyond north Africa for a peaceful retirement squat. If Greece bites the bullet and exits the EZ it wouild be a no brainer. Well, you did ask!

If I was young I'd probably be in Australia, regardless of any first dividend.I'm also very taken with New Zealand for a whole raft of reasons (Bluff oysters, mmmmmmm) but it would be hard for the kids to pop over for the weekend.So still Italy then.

Oh yes, the reference to A Place in the Sun.My theory is that the people on there are those who apply to beonashow.com hoping to get Who Wants to be a Millionaire for an easy 50 grand, but fail the test questions. So they get put on a property programme, or if they are freaky enough, Come Dine With Me.I'd suggest that maybe 1% of them actually do buy abroad, usually in Spain because Brits feel safe there, not having to trouble themselves to learn the language (or even basic pronunciation rules, it seems, given the way they say chorizo, Olazabal and Ibiza).

Hello, I am new to the comunity, but I think will be many years until Italy has a recover in the economy, and see people buying house again for holiday. The last years has seen many property become empty and for sale, but Italians still see price for houses as 5 or 6 year ago before recession. Therefore price of houses is higher than should be like England where price of houses goes down.I think does not mater if person is retired, as to live in Italy is more expensive than many other European countrys so person should have good income to allow this to happen.