The average price of a property in Italy is now €1,580 per square metre, according to the latest report by the Agenzia del Territorio, Italy’s equivalent of the Land Registry, released on 30 September. But of course the real picture is more intricate than this. Cities are more expensive at an average of €2,286 per square metre, against €1,307 in other areas. And of course popular resorts are significantly costlier than elsewhere, especially in Central and Northern Italy. If you are prepared to step just off the beaten path, however, there are some great places up for sale, which have character, land and a spacious house all blended together—even in the pricey North and Centre. We have selected three interesting ones in Tuscany, Piedmont and Le Marche, priced at or around €300,000.
Cascina, Cerretto Langhe, Piedmont
This traditional Piedmontese cascina stands in 26,000 square metres of orchards, vegetable gardens, pasture and vineyard in the stretch of Langhe that links the wine-making area of the Bassa Langa with the wild woodland of the Alta Langa. It is a working organic farm and has a genuinely rustic feel. The ground floor has stables, a summer kitchen, stores and an area devoted to farming and food processing work. Upstairs there is an airy two-bedroom flat with a sunny terrace and a separate studio flat. Subject to planning, the hay barn would lend itself to conversion into two ensuite bedrooms, making this cascina ideal for anyone looking to undertake small scale farming and B&B or agriturismo. The asking price is €295,000 through Gabetti Langhe (+39 0173 70325, www.gabettilanghe.com).
Stone and brick farmhouse, Ripatransone, Le Marche
This stone and brick casolare is perched on a sun-flooded hillside in a wine producing area near the medieval village of Ripatransone. Very traditional in style but completely renovated, it has exposed stones inside and out, beamed ceilings and windows framing perfect views over the soft vineyard-carpeted Marche hills. Although the space has been fully partitioned, some rooms still need finishing. The casolare comes with 3,000 square metres of vineyard and grounds with three different grape varieties: Sangiovese, Trebbiano and Rosso Piceno. “It is a house of great character, completely restored with stone and brick, which needs to be finished inside and personalised,” says Marina Nemkovych of selling agent Centro Servizi Piceni. The asking price is €300,000 (+39 0735 655510, www.cspiceni.it).
Villa Liberty, Barga, Tuscany
Selling agent Michael Biagi of Tuscan Homes calls this villa close to Barga “an excellent buy.” Situated 200m from the station, it is currently set up as a B&B, “and it is the only B&B two minutes from the station of Barga, gateway to Garfagnana,” Biagi explains. Not to mention that it is an original Art Nouveau villa (stile Liberty in Italian) with the beautiful pale pink façade and wrought iron balcony typical of the period. Inside there are five bedrooms, spacious living areas and a plush feel heightened by rustic fireplaces, wallpaper feature walls and a wrought iron staircase. Private gardens with pergola border the house—great for alfresco dining. The asking price is €310,000 (+39 0583 711225, www.tuscanhomes.com).
