2261 Where do I start?

Hi Roger and welcome,:p

what area are you interested in firstly :confused:

There was some useful information here:
[url]http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1597[/url]

I'd suggest:
[list]
[*]Consider your budget
[*]Consider your 'must haves' (close to airport, sea, mountains, restore or ready to go etc...)
[*]Start surfing; there are loads of websites; some more accurate than others, so proceed with caution!
[*]Get learning the lingo (you'll need it!)
[*]Relax; it'll happen if you want it to
[*]If you're not sure, ask the fourm
[/list]
If you need any help, PM us.
Good luck!

[*]Consider your budget
Then knock about 20% off to get your target price - the other 20% covers fees [10% plus] and 'price creep'

[*]Consider your 'must haves' (close to airport, sea, mountains, restore or ready to go etc...)
Look at [url]http://www.whichbudget.com/[/url] to see what flies from your local airport

[*]Start surfing; there are loads of websites; some more accurate than others, so proceed with caution!
You can never surf too much - it took me 6 months to get a list of Estate Agents in the area I chose - different if you want to go to the 'Brit popular' areas.

[*]Get learning the lingo (you'll need it!)
I started with 'Basic Italian' at Evening Classes at a local school - progressed to GCSE Italian in time

[*]Relax; it'll happen if you want it to
Too true

[*]If you're not sure, ask the fourm
Or even the Forum

Good luck

If you want to start your search for a home on the internet, then [url=http://www.expatsinitaly.com/property/realestate_fullist.htm]Expats In Italy[/url], (run by Christina, who contributes to this Forum) has a large and impartial list of agents and lots of useful advice.

The International Property section of UK property portal [url=http://www.primelocation.com]Primelocation.com[/url] has a big selection of Italian homes of every type.

There's a a get-you-started guide to buying property in Italy [url=http://www.itili.com/guide.htm]here[/url].

Good luck and hope you find your dream home.

[QUOTE=alan haynes]You can never surf too much - it took me 6 months to get a list of Estate Agents in the area I chose - different if you want to go to the 'Brit popular' areas.[/QUOTE]

You could have saved yourself 6 months and visited [url]http://www.lifeinitaly.co.uk/Estate-Agents-in-Italy.htm[/url]. 10,000 estate agents across the whole of Italy (organised by province) with their contact details.

"Buying a home in Italy is a simple and safe procedure, governed by laws to protect both parties. There are 3 stages in the process"

[COLOR=black]The first paragraph taken from marc's link to buying property in [/COLOR][COLOR=black]Italy[/COLOR][COLOR=black] worries me a bit. In the right hands this may very well be true but be warned it may not be so simple and safe. There are many agents out there that do not worry about issues that will cause headaches in the future e.g. Pre-emption rights, building rights etc. Their purpose is to get the sale through as quickly as poss, do as little as poss and get your money! So go with an agent that has been recommended and use a lawyer that has also been recommended. Then at least you know it will be safe even if still not that simple. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]Even though there is potential risks if you have your wits about you it is worth it all in the end. Search for links on the forum you will learn loads! Good luck and hope you find your dream. :) [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][/COLOR]

Roger,
I am an Italian Estate agent and I deal with properties in Piemonte.
Should you have any enquiries please feel free to email me.
I have worked as an architect in the UK in the past 5 years, so I am quite familiar with how the market works over here, that makes it easier to explain differences and analogies.

Regards

Paola

Lots of parts of Italy are in high resolution in Italy on earth.google.com, only available on broadband - fly over Italy, to get to know the terrain!

MAybe its just a toy - but it gives you some idea!

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Roger[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The important thing is not to rush and make hasty decisions. Make sure you start your house hunting with a clear idea of what kind of property you really want and how much you can really afford. Set yourself some realistic expectations, but enjoy yourself as well. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]If you opt for the challenge of renovating a derelict property in the countryside, don’t fall into the trap of underestimating the renovation costs. There are many cases where people’s original budgets are insufficient because of unforeseen work etc. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]If practical for you to do so, I would also select 2-3 regions, taking time to visit them during different seasons and check out the local infrastructure etc.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Once you have chosen the region you like best, go back and start looking at what is around. Once you see a property you really like and want, have it valued independently. You could save yourself some money. The current gold-rush mentality and growing appetite for properties means that you can, if you are not too careful, pay over the odds for your dream home. [/SIZE][/FONT]

Dear Roger, in case you are interested for a nice Home in Tuscany you can take a look to our web site:
I'a swiss living and working since 22 years in Italy and I speak english in case you need some advises/help.
Good luck and enjoy Italy!

Have just had a look and Roger has never been back online to find out what replies he received. :mad:

[QUOTE=paula hampson]Have just had a look and Roger has never been back online to find out what replies he received. :mad:[/QUOTE]

Maybe he visited the forum but wasnt logged on with his nick.

Hi Roger. If you don't speak Italian it's a good idea to start with English-speaking agents. I can mention a couple: casatuscany (for Tuscany) and La Porta Verde (for Umbria). Casa Tuscany is based in Cambridge/Lucca, La Porta Verde in Umbria (run by English speakers). If you check out their websites you will see a good selection. Umbria is less expensive than Tuscany (we have just bought a property in Umbria, so know the price differential). Good luck.

Hi there,

If you are interested in Umbria, happy to help.

Kind regards

Christine
[url]www.italiapropertymanagement.com[/url]

A very easy way to start is by purchasing two very useful books on the subject: David Hampshire's Buying a Home in Italy (Survival Books) and/or The Sunday Times, Buying a property Italy (Cadogan Guides), both available from WH Smiths or on line at Amazon. They cover most aspects of the buying process plus much, much more and are a good read.

In addition, if you don't know precisely where you want to buy, surely it's best to spend a couple of years visiting Italy as often as you can, each time trying out a different part of the country? There's so much diversity (scenery, culture, climate) that you really do need to travel around, ideally renting a place for a week minimum, to get a feel for what it's like to live there.