Dreaming of a 3,000-square-foot restored farmhouse with room for all your family and friends...or a villa that you can do up and then run as a B&B? Or perhaps you picture yourself in a cozy village house just big enough for two...or a home overlooking the piazza (square) in a small historic hill town. A villa beside the looking-glass Northern Lakes? An apartment on the Mediterranean or Adriatic coast...or in a major city such as Rome, Florence, or Venice? Rolling fields and hillsides crowned with castles? The excitement of the city? Whatever your taste, you can find it in Italy.
Although many areas of Italy have been discovered, not all regions are expensive. In rural areas and small towns, plenty of homes are on offer for less than $100,000. Often a lot less...
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Italy Articles
Three Little-Known Havens in Italy, France and SpainPosted on April 17, 2013 by Steenie Harvey
If you’re in love with classic Europe and its history, romance and culture, take heart: Spain, Italy and France aren’t only for the vacationer who saves for months just to visit. Each one of these three countries has numerous small towns and villages that lie under the radar—places with enticingly affordable properties to rent or buy
Slow Down and Enjoy the Moment in TuscanyPosted on January 27, 2013 by Barbara Diggs
Each summer, my husband and I perch ourselves on the house’s upper terrace and gaze out at the valley below. Shimmering there in the heat is Florence. It thrills us that beneath the haze lies a trove of Renaissance treasures: Michelangelo’s David… Brunelleschi’s magnificent dome… Botticelli’s Venus, standing tall and tranquil on her scalloped sea shell. In just 20 minutes we can be down there…
Europe: Now More Affordable Than Ever for North AmericansPosted on August 22, 2012 by International Living
Right now, doom and gloom in Europe runs deep. But there is a story not being told…one of opportunity borne of this crisis. A story of places where you could own your own piece of the Old World…for less than half the price of a budget family sedan. In Greece and beyond—prices are falling like a rock. And for anybody who ever mused about a European retreat, that’s the silver lining.
Homes in Wine CountryPosted on January 19, 2012 by anon
If a small Italian farmhouse with a vineyard sounds sweet, then look to the Abruzzo (pictured), a region of southern central Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea.
Europe on Sale? Baloney!Posted on October 14, 2011 by Ronan McMahon
The economies of the PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Spain) are in disarray. Europe is in the throws of a banking crisis brought on by (among other things) exposure to Greek sovereign debt. Many of you have been asking if now is the time to jump in.
Affordable Lakeside Living on Rome’s DoorstepPosted on September 5, 2011 by Steenie Harvey
Around an hour from Rome, Lago di Bolsena shimmers in the Lazio sunshine like a liquid forget-me-not. Unlike northern Italy’s lakes, Bolsena is almost unknown to foreign visitors. But so too is the Maremma, the old name for northern Lazio and the southernmost reaches of Tuscany.
Live Well in Europe: Where to Find the Good Life for Less in France, Spain, and ItalyPosted on August 29, 2011 by International Living
Europe has so much to offer a potential expat…great food, a diverse choice of cultures, stunning countryside where life is quiet and relaxed and the buzz of everyday life seems a million miles away, awe-inspiring mountains for skiing and soft, sandy beaches for wiling away summer days…
But isn’t Europe expensive? That’s the observation we hear most about Europe and the answer is that Europe can be expensive…unless you know the right places to look!
In this report we’ll tell you about our favorite places in “Romantic Europe” and hope to make you dream of new places in the “Old World.”
Homes for Under $70,000—and Other Glittering Prizes of Uncharted ItalyPosted on August 22, 2011 by Steenie Harvey
The Latin phrase festina lente (make haste slowly) suits the Maremma in Italy. It’s as if the air compels you to slow down and really savor Italy’s sweet life. But why savor it only on vacation? A move-into village house could be yours for $63,000. And consider this: You’d only be a 90-minute drive from Rome.
A Home in Tuscany from $57,000Posted on June 7, 2011 by Steenie Harvey
In the heart of Licciana Nardi, the three-bedroom house I’m viewing doesn’t require any work. It has 1,290 square feet of living space, and a cantina for storing those lovely bottles of wine and olive oil. A covered terrace overlooks the town’s old borgo (main laneway).
The Italy Secret: Rip-off Tuscany Versus Real TuscanyPosted on May 28, 2011 by Steenie Harvey
There’s a world of difference between Northern Tuscany and Central Tuscany. Most foreign visitors only explore the Chianti villages and the “Golden Triangle” cornered by Pisa, Florence and Siena. But unless you veer away from the well-trodden paths, you’ll never realize how affordable Tuscany can be.
Tuscany’s “Land of a Hundred Castles” from $57,000Posted on May 24, 2011 by Steenie Harvey
My nose keeps getting distracted—the air is scented with fresh foccaccia bread and cornetti, Italy’s version of the croissant. As real estate agent Sylvie points out, this house comes with breakfast on the doorstep. A traditional bakery is just across the street.
Head South for Italy’s Most Affordable City PropertiesPosted on March 15, 2011 by Steenie Harvey
An apartment of 50 sq. mts. (537 square feet) in the prime spots of northern Italy’s cities can be expensive–as much as $650,000. But look to its warmer southern regions and property prices in Italy fall dramatically.
Tuscany For $46,000, or LessPosted on July 8, 2010 by Steenie Harvey
Perched on a wall, scoffing a mint-and hazelnut ice cream, I’m watching an Italian mountain rescue collie go through his paces. No spectator fee for this local dog show. It’s happening on a grassy square outside Barga’s medieval walls.
Tuscany for $46k or LessPosted on June 28, 2010 by Steenie Harvey
Perched on a wall, scoffing a mint-and-hazelnut ice cream, I’m watching an Italian mountain rescue collie go through his paces.
Italy is Getting CheaperPosted on May 17, 2010 by Steenie Harvey
With the euro sinking against the dollar, Italy is getting cheaper.
Tuscany Property in Bagni di LuccaPosted on May 12, 2010 by Steenie Harvey
Above the grand villas with their lichen-covered statuary and wisteria blossom, little villages cling to the hillsides. When their lights come on at dusk, it’s like a myriad stars twinkling away. One small house up there—stone-built, chestnut-beamed and habitable—is on the market for $72,600.
Castles, Rentals and Mountain Retreats—Our Top Buys Right NowPosted on April 30, 2010 by Len Galvin
For 30 years, International Living has operated on a simple premise: The world is alive with opportunity…for travel and investment…for living and retiring…for fun and for profit.
Buy Your Dream Italian Home From $60,000 in Oh-So-Affordable CalitriPosted on September 25, 2008 by Steenie Harvey
Believing Campania was too expensive, I’ve never investigated property in southern Italy’s best-known region. But during an Internet trawl, I came across a real estate agency in Calitri, one of its hill towns.
An Italy You Can AffordPosted on May 30, 2008 by Steenie Harvey
Read more about affordable Italy in International Living Postcards—your daily escape I am here …
Seaside living for less than $117,000: Abruzzo and Molise, Italy’s affordable AdriaticPosted on May 27, 2008 by Steenie Harvey
Across golden sands, the waves sing of summer’s promise: a whispered lullaby of sizzling sunshine and balmy evenings. The promise is always redeemed. Summer means fishing trips, excursion boats and harbors jostling with white-sailed yachts. Piazzas erupt with parties…with fireworks jeweling the midnight sky…with lengthy meals enjoyed al fresco.
Seaside living for less than $117,000: Abruzzo and Molise, Italy’s affordable AdriaticPosted on May 22, 2008 by Steenie Harvey
Across golden sands, the waves sing of summer’s promise: a whispered lullaby of sizzling sunshine and balmy evenings. The promise is always redeemed. Summer means fishing trips, excursion boats and harbors jostling with white-sailed yachts. Piazzas erupt with parties…with fireworks jeweling the midnight sky…with lengthy meals enjoyed al fresco.
- Invest in a Piece of Italian History…From $31,000
Posted on April 30, 2008 by International Living
These trulli homes are more affordable than they look…. Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Alberobello, …
- High Rental Returns on Your Italian Sea-view Apartment
Posted on April 29, 2008 by Simon Perez
You can find properties for $103,000 just a stroll from the soft, sandy beaches …
- A Home With a View of the Adriatic Sea: $186,000
Posted on April 14, 2008 by International Living
A long stretch of the deep turquoise waters of the Adriatic comes into sight almost as soon as you leave Bari airport, and the sandy beaches of the Ionian to the south are no more than 40 minutes’ drive away. For me, one of the best things about Italy’s “boot heel” province of Puglia is that you’re never far from the coast.
- The medieval magic of Italy’s hill towns—a vineyard of your own for less than $100,000
Posted on March 31, 2008 by International Living
Two hours east of Rome, hemmed by the glittering Adriatic, Abruzzo offers dreamy hill …
The medieval magic of Italy’s hill towns—a vineyard of your own for less than $100,000Posted on March 10, 2008 by Steenie Harvey
Two hours east of Rome, hemmed by the glittering Adriatic, Abruzzo offers dreamy hill towns, tiny farms, ruggedly wild countryside, and the diamond-bright peaks of the Apennines. Most towns and mountain villages are within an hour’s drive of sandy beaches.
- Buy a Home for $27,000 in a Secret Pocket of Italy
Posted on March 5, 2008 by International Living
The beach resort of Termoli has a few property bargains…but for the best deals, …
- For Sale: An Italian Palace…and a $53,000 Village House
Posted on February 29, 2008 by International Living
Friday, Feb. 29, 2008 Abruzzo, Italy Read more about Italy in International Living Postcards—your …
- Oodles of Property Bargains in This Corner of Italy
Posted on February 28, 2008 by International Living
The lively town of Loreto Aprutino, where house prices start at just $120,000. Thursday, …
- Would You Like a Townhouse in “Affordable Italy” for $26,000?
Posted on February 27, 2008 by International Living
February in Italy’s deep south. Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008 Abruzzo, Italy Read more about …
Hotspots: Head for the HeightsPosted on August 23, 2007 by International Living
The soaring coastline of Calabria, the towering skyscrapers of Kuala Lumpur, and the high vineyards of Mendoza, Argentina are where it’s at
A Toehold In Italy For $15,000: Everybody Can Afford La Dolce Vita in CalabriaPosted on February 1, 2005 by Steenie Harvey
On both its Tyrrhenian and Ionian coasts, Calabria’s medieval villages rush helter-skelter down hillsides, their houses strung with bright scarlet peppers drying in the sunshine. Tiny jewel-green lizards scurry everywhere. And the air is perfumed with basil, oregano, rosemary, and other sweet-smelling herbs.
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