2830 Dreaming of a home in Lazio

Ciao Tutti

It's currently 7am here in Sydney and true to form, I'm on the net scouring information about our beloved Italy. I've recently come across the forums, and I must say, I love reading about everyone's enthusiasm and passion for this amazing country. So, I thought I'd join and contribute when I can. My dream (unfortunately, not to be fulfilled for awhile) is to buy a house and live in Italy. I just read a book by Alberto Moravia set in the Ciociaria, and have become fascinated by this little known area in Southern Lazio. I have never been there except for a quick trip to Anagni, so if anyone is living there particularly around Fiuggi, Castro dei Volsci or Arpino, let me know how its going and what you love about this little piece of Italy. Look forward to hearing from you. Until then, amici, buona giornata.

Category
Introduce Yourself - Piacere Conoscerti

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/02/2006 - 16:45

Ciao and welcome to the Forum, Gumnut

We're more familiar with the coastal area of southern Lazio, having used it as an escape from Rome when we worked there, but your mention of the Ciociaria reminded me of a book by the owner of the Edinburgh Deli 'Valvona & Crolla' about their family's origins just across the border in the Abruzzo. Its part family history and part recipe book and the recipes are delicious!

Don't know if you can find a copy in Oz, but here the UK Amazon reference;
[url]http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/009189235X/qid=1141335232/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_2_1/026-9101776-7707645[/url]

Who knows?, maybe it'll whet you appetite enough to want join us here in bella Italia.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/03/2006 - 12:15

Hi and welcome to the forum. Do not know the areas that you Gumnut or Marc mention, but as we are in Northern Lazio maybe we should go and take a look sometime?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/03/2006 - 15:14

Dear David, Linda and Marc

Thank you for your warm welcome. Very much appreciated. I'll have a look for that book and let you know how I go. If there are any Sydneysiders reading this (who know who you are! You're the ones who are buying the other copies of the Italy magazine at the newsagent) let me know. I'd love to meet some fellow Italophiles for a coffee and biscotti. Buona giornata tutti.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 20:47

Hi Gumnut -

I'm from Sydney as well, and planning to retire in poverty in Italy once I can find a buyer for my house here. I'm in the process of buying a small village house (sight unseen - yes, I know there are sound arguments against this) near Barga in northern Tuscany (north of Lucca).

Did you know that Australians are not allowed to buy property in Italy? I'm getting around it by setting up a trust in which a good friend with a New Zealand passport will be the trustee (legal owner of the house) and I will be the beneficiary, with a life tenancy.

I imagine you're having fun going through the properties for sale on-line!

John

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 03/07/2006 - 05:21

[QUOTE=JohnR]Did you know that Australians are not allowed to buy property in Italy? I'm getting around it by setting up a trust in which a good friend with a New Zealand passport will be the trustee (legal owner of the house) and I will be the beneficiary, with a life tenancy. John[/QUOTE]

The above is probably an incorrect statement - according to 'Notiao' - see [url]http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=18&highlight=australia[/url]

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 03/07/2006 - 06:22

Hi Alan -

Well, that's interesting. I was first informed by the Italian Consulate in Sydney that Australians could not buy property in Italy. Then I instructed a London solicitor who specialises in Italian property law (and who advertises on this site) to advise me. The solicitor's written advice (which was provided at a substantial cost) confirmed what I had been told by the Italian Consolate.

I'd be happy to provide a copy of the advice to anyone interested.

John

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 03/07/2006 - 15:47

can highly recommend the south of Rome - can be pricey in areas but we have it all, beaches, antiquity, ski resorts within the hour, rolling hills, volcanic lakes, 2 hours to Firenze less to Napoli, the centre has to be the place

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 03/14/2006 - 03:50

[QUOTE=JohnR]Hi Gumnut -

I'm from Sydney as well, and planning to retire in poverty in Italy once I can find a buyer for my house here. I'm in the process of buying a small village house (sight unseen - yes, I know there are sound arguments against this) near Barga in northern Tuscany (north of Lucca).

Did you know that Australians are not allowed to buy property in Italy? I'm getting around it by setting up a trust in which a good friend with a New Zealand passport will be the trustee (legal owner of the house) and I will be the beneficiary, with a life tenancy.

I imagine you're having fun going through the properties for sale on-line!

John[/QUOTE]

Dear John

This must be Italian bureaucracy at work here, and we haven't even left Australia! I must admit, after reading several books about buying property in Italy - most of which were for the UK market - it never occurred to me that Australians couldn't buy property in Italy. If that was so, then I could kiss goodbye to a long held dream. So, I spoke to the Italian consulate at Sydney, and I was told that provided that I had a residency permit and the codice fiscale then there weren't any restrictions against me purchasing a home in Italy. Obviously, I have to be in Italy to get the permit and then purchase the home. But the gentleman at the consulate seemed quite emphatic that Australians were legally allowed to purchase property in Italy. As you are buying the house in Tuscany sight-unseen, could this be why you have to set up a trustee? Let me how it goes for you, John, I'd be very interested to know more.

PS. I am having lots of fun looking on the internet, however, it is such a pain in a bottom not being able to take a 2 hour flight to take a look at them in the light of day!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/15/2006 - 03:45

Hi Gumnut -

I've sent you a PM.

John