(HouseoftheFeret) Description:

Transcription

1 Description: CASADELLAFAINA (HouseoftheFeret) Thepropertyisalargestudioapartmentwithvaultedceilings.Itissimpleandcharacteristicofthevilage,and hasadoorwhichdoublesastheproperty'sonlywindow.casadelafainahastraditionalrusticfloortiles Itisexposedtothesouth,andlooksoutintoalitlecobblestonestreet. CasadelaFainaisperfectforacouplewhowantsapied-a-terefrom whichtoenjoyoutdoorlivingand SouthernItaly. Size: Approximately30squaremeters Price: 28,000euros.

2 Terre D'Irsina is a sustainable tourism project launched in the southern Italian village of Irsina, in the lush region of Basilicata. Irsina is located very close to the border with the Puglia region, so well known for its seaside vacations and rustic farm holidays. Irsina is a magical place, where you can travel back to a time when tradition was the cornerstone of an Italian holiday. It s the perfect backdrop for those that want a place to call their own immersed in the real, rustic Italy a sanctuary of authenticity away from the fast-paced life most of us are embroiled in. The Terre D Irsina project aims to only use local workers and artisans as part of the restoration process as part of a plan to breathe fresh life into the local economy. After the home has been handed over to the new owner, the only services that are recommended are local ones. The beauty of this process id that it allows buyers to put back as much into the community as they are getting out of it. The idea behind the project is to try and retain what makes Irsina so special over the future years by ensuring that an increasing number of like-minded people spend time in the village and encourage the local trade and artisans whilst they savour and enjoy life there. For sure, it will never become a place that is overrun with tourists it doesn t lend itself to that type of appeal. Still, the idea is to build a powerful momentum that over the years will encourage the young and the bright not to travel to large cities and the richer north in search of jobs and fortune, but to stay in Irsina and focus on entrepreneurial activities to cater to the newfound residents from the four corners of the earth.

3 Today, the village s services and trade cater only to locals that s the beauty of it. The restaurants and café s are populated only by locals. As such, when you come to Irsina, you do as the locals do and enjoy the same high quality of life. When you walk along the cobblestone streets, lined with pastel-coloured houses, and look down on the stunning view across the fields of grain, the olive trees and grapevines, you can really soak in the true, real Italy. The Terre D Irsina project is backed by the local city council. A series of initiatives aimed at welcoming foreign homebuyers that have decided to nest in Irsina include a family mentorship program that matches local families with those coming from elsewhere. You will be taken under a local family s wing and matched according to similar interests. So if it s wine tasting, fishing, or vintage cars that s your passion, you can make friends locally and enjoy it basking in the Italian sun. The medieval part of Irsina is a labyrinth of cobblestone roads winding and opening up into little squares with breathtaking views over the vast countryside. It is an agricultural town, formerly an important Byzantine fortified hamlet, built on the Bradano river on the border between the region of Basilicata and Puglia. Churches and fountains are familiar landmarks. In fact, the town boasts an important 13th Century cathedral which was partly rebuilt at the end of the 18th Century and the remains of a Norman castle which have since been incorporated into the crypt of the former monastery of San Francesco. The friendly locals that always have fifteen minutes to stop for a chat, invite you in for an espresso coffee or a glass of home-made wine, or take you to your destination point if you have stopped for directions. Depending on the time of day, the smells of the local gastronomic tradition pervade the air. In the morning, the inviting taste of freshly baked bread and cornetti (the local croissant) is a powerful force that will lure you into the various local bakeries. In mid-morning, the strong aroma of freshly-ground coffee beans will accompany you as you wander down a sunlit road. At lunch, mouthwatering smells of home-made pasta sauces pervade the air.

4 Around the more modern part of the village café s and shops painted in warm hues of beige, rose-petal and yellow snuggly sit beside each other beckoning you to come inside. The whole village is perched on a hill overlooking Italy s grain plateau in fact, the area produces a lot of the grain used to make pasta in the whole of Italy. Depending on your requirements and commitments, you can either enjoy the leisure of an Italian day with the slow pace of life it boasts. A quick visit to the local bakery in the morning and then an hour well spent sitting on your balcony, basking in the sun and sipping fresh-ground coffee and eating a still oven-warm cornetto. Alternatively you can catch up on work from a broadband connection in the morning, and then enjoy a sleepy warm summer afternoon, where the height of activity involves a hike in the meandering countryside lanes, making friends with the locals, drinking the local wine, and then a snack stop for one of the local delicacies in a local restaurant. When the sun sets, a wander round the town to do a bit of shopping by stopping off at the little shops glowing in the shimmering pre-twilight light. Or a pre-dinner aperitivo drink in one of the local café s over a game of cards with a newly-found neighbour. The aim of the house sales is two-fold: First and foremost, to generate employment and services locally. The area is traditionally agriculture based and very sleepy. Many of the young travel to the more industrial north of Italy for jobs. Secondly, to offer homebuyers a charming holiday or retirement home in a delightful location where the quality of life is high and the cost of life and travel is low. A one-stop shop for people's dream home in Italy. In Phase I, twenty houses of various sizes (studio, one, two and three bedroom) will be available for sale. Once Phase I has been completed, a further 50 houses will be available for sale. After year one, commercial properties and aristocratic palazzos will also be avail able for purchase and restoration, subject to availability.

5 Phase I prices of properties available for sale: Studio Approx. less than 35m 30,000 euros One bedroom Approx. less than 50m 38,000 euros Two bedrooms Approx. less than 85m 45,000 euros The price includes property purchase cost, restoration and furnishing. It does not include notary/taxes/closing costs and utilities connections fees. There are local property management services available once the handover of the home in question has been completed. The Town of Matera: The 2,000-year old town of Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the location of Mel Gibson's film " The Passion of Christ." Wander round the old town ("I Sassi") that clings onto the side of the cliff and soak in the extraordinary atmosphere that brings you back thousands of years. Enjoy the life and bustle of the modern part of the city, sipping an aperitivo of excellent wine in one of the infinite outdoor bars, or shop in the exquisite fashion boutiques. Dine in one of the atmospheric restaurants that are open among the caves. Metaponto Beach: Spend the day soaking in the sun and swimming at Metaponto, an uncontaminated seaside location close to Irsina. Have lunch at a seafood restaurant on the beach, or at one of the country hotels a bit further inland. Join in the numerous sports activities organized in the village. Airports: Bari: 1 hour (84 km) Brindisi: 2 hours (199 km) Naples 2 hours 30 minutes.(213 km) (No viewings for Terre D Irsina July and August) 26th and 27th of April 17th and 18th of May 14th and 15th of June 6th and 7th of September 11th and 12th of October 1st and 2nd of November

6 The Low Cost Italy project is a sustainable tourism project created with the backing of the local city councils involved to promote medieval villages that are still off the beaten track. These hidden gems offer visitors the same traditional lifestyles that their more famous Tuscan and Umbrian counterparts boast at a fraction of the cost. The villages in question are seeking to attract a steady inflow of tourists to kick-start the local services and breath life into the community. The beauty of the project is that thanks to the price tags of the properties involved, the benefits aren't limited to the locals. It's the perfect opportunity to find a charming studio or onebedroom house in a luscious Italian setting starting from 30,000 euros. The payment includes the property purchase, the restoration works, and furnishings and a passport to life in a magical retreat where foreign ownership and patronage are today starting to take off and where foreign buyers are welcomed into the communities open-armed. Buying in the villages also offers the possibility of a safe investment. While Italian rural properties are not prone to steep increases in value from year to year, they are historically immune to strong annual declines. As such, the buyer can protect himself from fluctuations in property prices by investing in a product that increases steadily in value from year to year. In addition, the very attractive prices of the properties make a sale if necessary easy. Thinking of buying a new car this year to treat the family? Think again. Buy an Italian home instead - at the same price. The villages that are currently being promoted are little hidden gems perched among the hills of Abruzzo, and hour and a half from the capital city of Italy, Rome, and its international airports and infinite sights. Also available are homes in its southern Italian Terre D'Irsina sustainable tourism project, perched on the border between the regions of Basilicata and Puglia. Both projects are perfect for those seeking a lifestyle revolving around Italian quality of life, relaxation, and beautiful rural locations. Little village restaurants offer three-course meals served with local wine from 13 euros (9 pounds) a head, or a plate of black truffles and porcini mushroom-garnished fresh pasta at 6 euros. A trip to the seaside is 45 minutes away, and both areas have ski slopes nearby to offer diversion to the visitor. Spending time in the area means retreating from the velocity and intensity of modern-day life.

7 The Borghi Nascosti villages offer close access to the coast (40 minutes' drive), the ski slopes (20 minutes' drive) as well as various lakes (15 minutes' drive). In addition, they are 10 minutes from the town of Aquila, the capital of the Abruzzo region, a thriving, bustling, vibrant 70,000-strong town which boast infinite fashion boutiques, wine shops, delicatessens, restaurants, and an open-air market every day. The portal town of Pescara, with its Ryanair-serviced airport is but an hour and twenty minutes away. Irsina, on the other hand, is easily accessible from Bari and Brindisi airport, respectively and hour and an hour and a half from the village. A major attraction is the Unesco-protected town of Matera, famous for its sassi landmarks and noted for being an attraction as a film location for directors such as Mel Gibson. The seaside is a mere 45-minutes' drive away. The village is a labyrinth of ancient palazzos, rustic ironwork, sun-kissed courtyards and marble stairways and engravings the perfect getaway for those seeking quiet, tranquillity and a magical retreat from the chaos of everyday life. Terre D'Irsina also has a local family mentorship program backed by the local city council that matches nonlocal families buying homes in the area with local families that share the same interests. Included in the price are all the home restoration works that are needed such as tiling, electricity, plumbing, and where possible the restoration of antique flooring and features. Structural works on the property are carried out where necessary. The outside of the property isn't rendered as part of the basic purchase price. The houses are furnished to permit immediate use of the property with beds, bedside tables, wardrobe, dining table, chairs, sofa, coffee table, full kitchen inclusive of fridge and cooker, and even bathroom mirrors. Buyers' sole responsibility during the pre-handover period is that of paying the government taxes and closing costs, which equate to approximately 10% of the purchase cost, and of connecting up electricity and water. In true low-cost style, marketing and advertising costs are kept to a minimum. As such, a lot of buyers purchase through word of mouth. Viewing weekends take place once a month, and a new batch of houses are ready to be shown on each new two-day visit. Once a property is selected, bilingual staff work alongside buyers every step of the way, acting as a buffer between them and Italian bureaucracy from the moment they put down a deposit, through the final contract signature at the local notary's office, the restoration works and the house delivery. Borghi Nascosti offers the 40-square meter "Casa del Cavallo" or the House of the Horse, at 35,000 euros. This very quaint two-bedroom house is accessible from a very short courtyard entrance. The property needs a complete overhaul, and its antique floors will be restored and the building structurally redone all inclusive in the price. The idea is to keep the old-style features like its antique vaulted, brick ceilings. In Terre D'Irsina the "Casa del Girasole" (House of the Sunflower) goes at 38,000 euros and offers the buyer a one-bedroom townhouse with a rooftop terrace. It is very centrally located in the village and looks out into a pretty courtyard where a number of recently restored houses are located.

8 30,000 euros. The Borghi Nascosti villages are a short drive from Italy's capital city - Rome and close to the renowned regions of Umbria and Tuscany. Here, homeowners can enjoy the traditional qualities of everyday Italian life, including the healthy and tasty Mediterranean diet, temperate weather, oft-blue skies, and warm and friendly locals. All the villages involved in the project are situated in enchanted locations along the valley and are famous for its artistic, historical and cultural heritage. Monasteries, the ruins of castles and natural parkland dot the visual horizon of visitors. Houses from This is a village an hour and 20 minutes north of Rome. Access from Rome and Pescara airport (1 hour and 20 minutes). Activities in the area include skiing, natural parks, lakes, and the coast, the regional headquarter of 5th and 6th of April 3rd and 4th of May 7th and 8th of June 5th and 6th of July 2nd and 3rd of August 13th and 14th of September 4th and 5th of October 15th and 16th of November On the border between the regions of Puglia and Basilicata The village is one hour from Bari (Ryanair-serviced) airport, and hour and a half from Brindisi (Ryanairserviced) airport, forty minutes from the beach, and twenty minutes from the bustling town of Matera (UNESCO protected mankind heritage and where Mel Gibson filmed his film the passion of Christ). Irsina is surrounded by idyllic countryside interspersed with rivers, lakes, fields, woods and archeological ruins. Houses from 30,000 euros. (No viewings for Terre D Irsina July and August) 26th and 27th of April 17th and 18th of May 14th and 15th of June 6th and 7th of September 11th and 12th of October 1st and 2nd of November

9 The "Low Cost Italy '' project is an innovative one that offers buyers houses in the sun and the Italian lifestyle at an extremely attractive price. It seeks to combine the attraction for foreign homebuyers of rural and uncontaminated locations steeped in tradition and history with the benefits the purchases will generate for the local, mainly agriculture-based, economies. For the potential acquirer, buying a property here means combining traditional Mediterranean hospitality, weather and holidays with an attractive pricing structure that over time will prove to be an excellent investment. The three villages and their surrounding areas offer infinite rural and cultural activities centred around the many local traditions, gastronomical delicacies and wines. Many points of interest in the three towns and their surrounding areas include traditional ceramics, a tradition of needle point and arts, and sports include skiing, paragliding, horse riding, mountain biking, fishing and hunting. For those seeking a more relaxed occupation, soaking in the nearby thermal baths or embarking on exciting culinary or wine discoveries are an attractive option. In fact, the aim of the Antico Borgo, Borghi Nascosti and Terre D'Irsina projects is to turn these enchanting historical villages into gateways for those seeking quiet, tranquillity and a magical retreat from the chaos of everyday life. The projects, designed by sustainable tourism operators in conjunction with local service providers, are committed to regenerating the local economies through the use of the local work force. All three villages permit the homebuyer ease of access: there are international airports within close proximity. The first question every potential investor asks himself is what to invest in. With some stock market investments and pension schemes not fairing very well, real estate is an attractive option. The second question is where to invest, particularly in light of spiralling real estate prices across the globe. Italy is a safe and delightful alternative, and guarantees at a very minimum a charming holiday home for life. Italian culture is based on traditions, on the family and on the life that revolves around the home. Being a property owner has dominated the priorities list of most Italians in the last century, also thanks to government-introduced home purchase incentives. Property ownership is taken very seriously in Italy. The market for second and holiday homes has expanded in recent years as investors have sought them out as an avenue for entertainment, holidaymaking, relaxing and travel. Investors buying a house in these three villages stand to benefit from all these aspects and will end up with a charming holiday home family and friends can enjoy for many years to come. In fact, the Italian peninsula has attracted foreigners ever since the eighteenth century, as James Joyce, Lord Byron and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe remind us. Each corner of the country offers delicacies for the intellect, the body and the soul to savour. The nation's artistic and cultural heritage is evident not only in museums but also in the streets and in every-day life. The outstanding architecture, the artistic heritage, the thermal baths, the enchanting seashores, the skiing resorts, and the gourmet food and wine are among the infinite attractions that entice many a visitor every day. Each region has its own specialties and characteristics, and while some are more well known than others, each is unique and has something very special to call its own.

10 Southern Italy still today remains a land virtually untouched by mass tourism with many of its delightful locations still to be discovered by holidaymakers. Italians in the second half of the 20th century, particularly from the 1960s on, developed a passion for seaside and mountain resorts and never thought to venture inland for holidays. The result has been that magical retreats like these three villages have been largely ignored. While mountain and thermal tourism has started to develop in recent years, rural tourism in Italy still has to be very much put on the map. There are some areas, for example Chianti in Tuscany (nicknamed Chiantishire by Italians) and parts of Umbria, where foreign ownership and patronage have made certain locations extremely fashionable. Non-Italian buyers kick started the process by selecting prime real estate in towns and villages which today have become very sought-after locations. Unsatisfactory plane, train and road connections are another reason why rural tourism in the South escaped the mainstream holiday-maker for many years. This is no longer the case; investors and vacationers are starting to look at Southern Italy with different eyes as a result of recent and noticeable improvements in all three (particularly in low-cost airlines that have turned what were once remote areas into easily accessible ones, even from abroad.)