Holiday events in Italy

Christmas season...Italian style

With the approach of the Christmas season you will find many opportunities in Italy to shop for your family and friends at special holiday markets. Towns all across Le Marche and Abruzzo will have special two or three day Mercato di Natale where vendors will sell items specific to the season and to their particular area.

In addition to shopping many towns will have special entertainment through-out the holiday season with concerts and exhibits. In southern Le Marche there are always several American Gospel groups putting on concerts during the week leading up to Christmas, these are always very popular with the Italians.



Christmas lights will be hung over many of the piazze and streets. To keep the children occupied while you shop some communities will set up ice skating rinks in the central piazza or a musical carousel. Ascoli Piceno sets-up a large ice skating rink in Piazza Arringo and a musical carousel in Piazza del Popolo and has a special edition of the antique market on the third week-end of December.


As with all events in Italy there will be special foods available, many times specific for that particular area.

You can find more information on holiday events across Italy at:
Mercantini di Natale

Unwelcome surprises

Holiday Home Security

The summer holiday season is over and now many holiday homes have been closed up and will sit vacant for several weeks if not months before the owners or other guests will return. It is a sickening feeling to return to your home in the Italian countryside hoping to enjoy all this area has to offer for a few days only to discover someone has broken into your home. In some cases when the house has been untended for an extended period this can mean everything in the house is gone…including appliances, cabinets and even plumbing and light fixtures.

There have been recent articles in the local papers about the high number of burglaries this past summer, of Italian and foreign owned homes, as many as one hundred twenty occurring locally. An increase in the occupation of “rustico” properties by vagrants has also been noted.

Unfortunately there are many things that make holiday homes target for thieves in that many times it is obvious that no one is coming back for a long time. The house is closed up, dark at night and all of the outdoor furniture is stored. It is no secret to Italians that certain groups of foreigners favor having a pool at their holiday home, thus making these properties obvious as to ownership.

If a burglar wants in a house, yours or a local’s, given enough time and opportunity they will get in. The key is to make your property less of a target, making the property secure while also not making it look vacant is the key. A few simple steps can be taken to increase your homes security.

*First of all get to know your neighbors, talk to them, give them a special gift and let them know who you are so they will take an interest in you. They are your first line of defense against burglars. You would be surprised how much they already know about you even if you have never met them but the personal touch is important in Italy.

*Assuming your holiday home is in the countryside then it is probably under the jurisdiction of the Carabinieri, stop by the office overseeing your location. Let them know who you are, where your house is and if you are not always there. They do make patrols and may be obliged to go by your location from time to time.

*Get plug-in timers from the brico for a few interior lights and leave on some exterior lights. Leave out some old shoes or clothes, make it look like someone one will be back. Have someone go by periodically and check on the house when it is vacant, have them change lighting sequences, move outside furniture…make it obvious that someone has been there and may be back soon.

*Exterior shutters can provide a sense of security unless the hinges are fastened from the outside, which means they can be removed from the outside. Can the hinges be changed to mount on the inside or can you change the types of fasteners that are used?

*Investigate the options for burglar alarms, antifurto; there are motion sensors, door and window sensors, sirens and other options. However, with these systems you will need someone who can respond, either a paid service or a caretaker.

You want to be able to enjoy your holiday home but not have it feel like a fortress, there are trade-offs that you must consider. You do want to do what you can to avoid that feeling of violation, Piceno Home Services can help you investigate the available options.

Ferie in Italia

Ferragosto

August is the traditional month for Italians to go on vacation, leaving the cities and towns in droves for beach and mountain destinations. The vacation season peaks in the middle of the month on the 15th with Ferragosto, the major summer holiday for Italy. This day is based on an ancient Roman festival and the Catholic holiday Assunzione S. Vergine, or the ascent of Mary. Many businesses of all types will close around this date, some for as long as three weeks.

You will spot businesses with signs on their doors “Chuiso per ferie” with various start and ending dates. You may also encounter reduced hours for businesses and government offices.

Many of the towns and cities in Italy seem like ghost towns as the locals head to the beach or the mountains for cooler weather. This can mean that you will find minimal services available in some areas and large crowds with the available services along the beach and in the mountains. The weekends around Ferragosto will also mean heavy traffic and congestion on the motorways.

There are, however plenty of events taking place in Italy during this period from sagre to concerts and most of these are free.

Beach season

Coastal towns

Summer has arrived in Italy and Italians and foreigners alike have begun the annual migration to the seaside. The Adriatic coast in Marche and Abruzzo is varied from wide sandy beaches to narrow rocky beaches tucked below cliffs. This area also boasts some of the most popular beaches for Italians with the Bandiere Blu designation. Bandiere Blu is given to those beaches that meet certain requirements for not only the beach and water quality but also the services that are provided by local vendors.

In this area of Italy the beach vendors are called chalets and will vary in services from simple umbrellas and chairs to this plus full service restaurants. Being on the coast the food specialty will of course be seafood. You can rent lounge chairs, umbrellas and changing rooms which will cost you from 80€ to 160€ per week for the summer months. Be aware that beachside services can become non-existent during the off-season.

There are public beaches spaced between the chalets but these are usually an unkept location and on a first come, first serve basis. With the summer sun bearing down on you after a few hours the services provided by the chalets can be well worth the price.

Many people have a view of the seaside as a beautiful place with wide sandy beaches leading to rolling hills covered with vineyards. The geography and history of this portion of the Adriatic coast has dictated that this view is interrupted by railway lines and the autostrada. In many seaside towns you will cross under the rail lines to get to the beach. During weekends and the Italian August vacation the more popular beaches can be very crowded. Many of the beach towns are post war developments which lack much of the charm people envision of Italy.

There are however, many locations I easy driving distance to the sea where you can enjoy the best of all that this part of Italy has to offer.

Sagra season

si manga bene, si paga poco

One of the great things about life in Italy is the food and wine and during the summer months you have the opportunity to enjoy these with the locals. La sagra is a unique Italian festival that combines music, games and of course food. Many times they are in conjunction with a religious feast but they may simply focus on a type of food. In some areas there are so many sagre that you can attend a different one every Saturday and Sunday during the summer.

There is no charge to attend one of these festa but to eat you will need some euro, though the prices are remarkably low. The food is always fresh even though it is made in mass quantities, and there is always an offering of local wine. You will find the cassa where you place your order and pay then you head over to the food stand to get your meal. Since the food is cooked to order you may have a short wait of five or ten minutes. Two can usually get a small feast for less than 20 euros.

There is always a sitting area where you eat communal style, sharing tables with others and the local kids come around and clean-up the tables. It is not uncommon to share a bottle of wine you purchase with those nearby. Food and wine always brings out the generosity in Italians.

There will be a band and an area cleared for dancing but this usually doesn’t start until later in the evening. Many sagre will also have a contest or raffle for prizes, which will always include food.

Keep an eye open as you are driving the lanes of Le Marche and Abruzzo for the bright posters advertising sagre, many of these are not listed with the tourist offices.

Construction cranes

La Gru

Cranes are as much of the landscape in Italy as are TV antennas and satellite dishes. They loom high over parts of most cities and dot home sites around the countryside.

Construction cranes, called la gru, seem to be at every building construction site no matter if it is a one story or twenty story project. Considering the way the towns in Italy are put together sometimes the only way to get materials into a cramped space would be by a crane. The steel towers rise vertically from minimal bases and can swing a couple hundred feet over rooftops. Almost any major home renovation project will entail the use of a crane of one size or another.

Some simple steps to prevent water leaks

Plumbing leaks can happen in any home, both newly reconstructed and a home that is many years old. Water in your plumbing system is under pressure and there only needs to be one weak point for a leak to occur. There are, however, some simple steps you can take to protect your home from potential water leaks.

If you will be gone for an extended period the easiest way to alleviate this problem is if you have access to turn off the water before it enters your home. If you are on a public water service you may be required you to do this. Closing the valves to your washing machine supply line is also a simple thing to do as these supply lines are notorious for leaks.

Adding anti-freeze agents to your hot water radiant heat system is also an important step, you will need to contact a plumber to do this. You should also put some anti-freeze in your toilet bowl so that does not freeze and crack.

One area where leaks can occur is in plumbing that is exposed to extreme weather changes. This is most common in plumbing that is located in an outside wall that is fine as long as the interior of the home is heated but if you are gone for the winter months and there is a severe drop in temperatures these pipes can sometimes be problematic. Leaks in this type of situation of course do not develop until the weather warms again and the pipe thaws. Proper insulation around the plumbing or assuring a minimal temperature inside the dwelling is required to minimize this type of problem.

Loose toilets and bidets can also be an indication of a plumbing drain line issue. Left unchecked this type of leak takes longer to develop problems but can be a source for mold or rot depending on your floor composition. A fixture that rocks on its base or signs of moisture around the base can be indications of a potential problem.

Water storage units, whether they are just for water or part of your hot water system should also be checked at least once a year for rust and corrosion. A tank full of water is a lot of weight and a weak base can mean trouble. The connections of radiant heat units are also an important point to check as they can develop small leaks that may go unnoticed for weeks at a time.

One area that many people overlook is in cabinets under sinks as these are popular locations for storing things out of sight. When a cabinet is full it is difficult to see the supply and drain lines which should be checked periodically for signs of leaking. If you have rubberized hoses it is recommended that these be changed periodically as they are known to fail as they get older.

As the adage goes, a little prevention goes a long way.

Dealing with mold

With cooler temperatures a common issue with homes in Italy is muffa, or mold, the growth of which sometimes seems to defy all logic.

There are hundreds of types of mold but they all require moisture to survive. If you have a problem with mold the first thing to do is to eliminate any ongoing moisture source whether it be a plumbing leak, roof leak, leak around a window, leaky gutter or even ground water. If those are eliminated but you still have a problem then you are probably dealing with an interior humidity issue.

The masonry buildings (stone, brick, concrete) that are the norm here do cause condensation on walls if excessive moisture is allowed to build-up inside. It is common for locals to open their windows every morning for about an hour, even when it is only 3 or 4 degrees Celsius. This allows the air humidity inside the house to equalize with the air outside.

Another factor that will increase the humidity inside is how warm you keep the house, locals are used to wearing sweaters using the many wool garments and blankets readily available here. The warmer the air inside your house the more moisture it can hold. Air movement is what is required to dry an area, so opening windows and doors to bathrooms and other inside rooms is necessary. Outside walls will be the coldest and it is important that any furniture you place along these walls has sufficient space behind it to allow proper air movement. Dehumidifiers are available in brico or electronic stores for reasonable prices with minimal power use and can be helpful in humidity control.

If you are cleaning the mold there are some products that claim to clean the mold, however the best product, which is what professionals still use, is diluted candeggina, or bleach. You should wear rubber gloves and a mask as this process may cause the mold to become airborne. Different people react differently to mold and those with allergies and respiratory issues are most acceptable to agitation from the mold.

Once you have cleaned the area you should cover the residue with a stain sealer, you can use an anti umidita or anti muffa that are available at paint or brico stores. The aniti umidita will block out moisture while the anti muffa has inhibitors to resist mold. If you just paint over the area with a regular paint it will bleed through leaving a “shadow” in the paint. There are several brands available and some claim to have minimal odor and can easily be painted with a color topcoat. There are also mold inhibiting additives that you can add to a topcoat of paint.

Know your metric conversions

A hectare is how big?

One of the things that can be confusing for people when searching for properties in Italy is the conversion of sizes and distances to the metric system. This will provide you with some basic conversions that will assist you when searching for properties via the internet.

• 1 acre = .405 hectares 1 : hectare (ha) = 2.47 acres
• 1 square mile = 2.56 square kilometers : 1 square kilometer (k2) = .386 square miles
• 1 mile = 1.61 kilometers : 1 kilometer = .621 miles
• 1 foot = .305 meters : 1 meter = 3.28 feet
• 1 square foot = .093 square meters : 1 square meter (m2) = 10.8 square feet

Knowing some conversions can help the real estate listing make sense when you are searching via the internet. When they show a house with “100 m2” you know that it has 1080 square feet. Also a property listing olive trees with “2 ha” will mean it has almost 5 acres of land, a good sized plot for cultivating.

Real Estate Agency in Southern Marche

Vinci Properties

Many people have asked me about real estate agencies in this area that could help them with locating a property. There is a new agency in the southern Marche area and I am familiar with the principle parties, all of whom speak English. Vinci Properties has recently opened for business but both David Parish and Andrea Tombini have several years experience in the real estate market.

I have met a couple people who have purchased properties with David and Andrea in the past and they have all had nothing but positive comments about the experience. If you are looking for an English speaking agent in southern Marche be sure to check out the website for Vinci Properties.

Piceno Home Services

Peace of mind for your piece of paradise

I have launched a new business that provides services for those who have already purchased a holiday home and require an on-site presence in their absence. Piceno Home Services is designed to be a service provider to the foreign home owner in the southern portion of Le Marche. This new enterprise focuses its energies on providing renovation supervision and home security to part-time residents.For a restoration project Piceno Home Services will help to ease the new owner’s anxiety by being their eyes and ears in their absence. A schedule of regular inspections and progress reports with photos can be arranged so that the homeowner is always current with the status of the restoration project. The owner will be represented to ensure that the project stays on track according to their desires. Some of the services that can be provided include supervision of the restoration, interacting with architect and contractor on owner’s behalf, assistance in project costs review to insure all aspects have been considered as well as on site meetings.

Services are also available for absent homeowners where a schedule of inspections of the home can be provided to check the safety and operation of the vacant property. Based on my experience in the insurance industry I can also offer insights into ways to secure the property, eliminate fire hazards, reduce the possibilities of problems, and increase the safety of their family and guests.

Scheduled visits to the property will be based on an individual’s needs and desires and can include visually checking for plumbing leaks, verifying appliance and home systems operation, confirm property is secured, flushing toilets, collecting and forwarding mail and performing an additional walk-thru after major storms.

Additional information on Piceno Home Services is available at the website: www.picenohomeservices.com.

Wildfire precautions

Italy has been experiencing a severe drought this year and the result has been a series of summer wildfires all along the peninsula. While driving around the hills and mountains of Marche and Abruzzo you will encounter visible areas of blackened hillsides. Though most of these fires have been relatively small, the local newspapers have stories weekly of new fires in different areas causing property damage. More tragically, some firefighters died while battling a forest fire in Abruzzo.

There are simple steps you can take to protect your property from the dangers of forest and grass fires. Since structures in Italy are mostly masonry and concrete with tile roofs they have a degree of fire resistance but heat can still cause damage. The most important way to protect a structure is by creating what is called a “defensive zone” around the structures.

A "defensive zone" is an area with minimal fuel for the fire in close proximity to the home and buildings. It is created by the use of patio areas adjacent to structures and eliminating trees and shrubs that overhang or brush against the structure. Another common but overlooked source of fuel next to homes would be a wood pile for a stove or fireplace. (They are also havens for rodents and insects, all the more reason to place them further from your home.) Keeping weeds under control is also an important retardant, as they quickly sprout and then become tinder dry as the summer progresses. Dry grasses burn hot and quickly spread out of control.

Taking steps to protect your home from wildfire dangers may also provide discounts with your property insurance company. Be sure to discuss this possibility with your agent.

Escape Artist article

EscapeArtists.com’s Offshore Real Estate Magazine’s most recent on-line issue has an article that I submitted earlier this summer. This article is titled “The Who’s Who in Italian Real Estate” and identifies some of the people involved in real estate transactions for those who are new to the real estate market in Italy.

Transportation links

Italy is famous for her extensive train service and this includes Marche and Abruzzo. The topography of these regions is such that there are mountains to the west and hills in the middle with valleys leading to the coast, dictating the availability of transportation links. You can access train schedules and timetables at Trenitalia. The lofty mountains along the western edge of these provinces means direct service by train to points west such as Roma is not often available; instead, you may have to travel north or south along the coastal plain then change trains to reach such desired destinations as Rome and Florence. There are both high-speed and local trains at regular intervals up and down the Adriatic Coast.

The major four-lane highways in Italy are called Autostrada and are all administered by one company. They are toll roads with service centers where you can buy gasoline, snacks, caffe’ and some have full-service restaurants. The only autostrada in Marche, the A14, runs north and south along the Adriatic Coast with several multi-lane highways feeding into major cities such as Macerata and Ascoli Piceno. However, all of the roads leading into neighboring regions to the west become one lane each direction. The roads inland going north and south are sinewy, snaking up and down to navigate the numerous valleys and hills. Reaching destinations such as Umbria or Rome from Marche does require some curvy driving over the Apennine Mountains.

In Abruzzo, the A14 continues south along the coast but there is also the A25 connecting Pescara with Roma, and the A24 starts just west of Teramo intersecting with the A25 near the Lazio border. There is a state road (strada statale) that connects the A24 from Teramo to the Adriatic coast. Again, Abruzzo has the series of hills and valleys that make north south driving interesting. The Gran Sasso is a formable barrier that the A25 burrows beneath, creating the longest tunnel in Italy at over 10 kilometers.

There are airports just north of Ancona and west of Pescara with limited service to other Italian cities as well as European destinations. Frequency of flights to both of these airports increases during the summer vacation months when travelers from points north flock to the coast to enjoy the beaches. These airports do have decent websites which can be accessed at Abruzzo Airport and Aereoporto di Falconara .

There are no lodging facilities at the Ancona airport but there are hotels in nearby Jesi and Ancona that will provide transportation service. The train from the centro storico of Ancona also stops within walking distance of the airport.

Bus service is another one of Italy’s claims to fame and there are buses that will take you to just about any place you want to go, including within both of these regions, around Italy, as well as internationally. The regional bus service in Marche is called START and the bus service in Abruzzo is called ARPA . The major cities will have regular service between them but many of the outlying areas may have bus service only once or twice a day.

For those looking to arrive by boat there are major harbor facilities at Ancona and Pescara with ferry service from these ports both nationally and internationally to locations within the Mediterranean Sea.

Armed with a little planning and patience you should be able to get to almost any destination with the one or a combination of all of these options for travel within Marche and Abruzzo.

Summary of websites for transportation links mentioned in article:

www.trenitalia.it
www.autostrada.it
www.abruzzo-airport.it
www.ancona-ariport.com
www.startspa.it
www.arpaonline.it

A little Italian to help search on the internet

When searching the internet for properties in Marche and Abruzzo, you may be tempted to limit yourself to searching real estate sites that employ the English language. Although there are many good English-only property agency sites available, there is also a vast array of real estate sites for this area that are available only in Italian, and many at prices that will reward the linguistic adventurer.

These sites can be found just as easily as English-only sites when using the usual search engines but some will typically have endings with “.it” instead of the common “.com”. Be daring and venture into a new range of possibilities and here is some vocabulary to help you along the way:

• Vendesi: For sale, you may see variations of this word used.
• Immobiliare: Realtor or real estate agency.
• Regione: The Italian region, such as Marche or Abruzzo.
• Provincia: A bureaucratic area within a region such as Macerata or Chieti.
• Comune: City or town name.
• Tipologia: Type, will be seen used with various topics but often refers to type of housing structure
• Prezzo: The price.
• Apri: Click here to open the page.
• Cerca: Do the search.
• Chuidi: Close the page.
• Mq: This is square meters, multiply by 10 to get a rough square footage.
• Bagni: Number of bathrooms.
• Piano: Floor number, terra is ground floor, primo is first floor (American second floor), secondo is second (American third), and so on.
• Locali: The number of rooms such as monolocale (one room studio), bilocale and trilocale.
• Camera: A room, usually refers to bedrooms.
• Camera matrimoniale: This is a master bedroom, and usually just means large enough for a double bed. Do not expect a master suite.
• Riscaldamento autonomo: Separate heating system, important with apartments so you do not share the cost to heat other apartments.
• Ascensore: Elevator, may be important for a third floor apartment.
• Parcheggio: Parking availability. If it is not listed it may not be available, especially in a centro storico location.
• Ristrutturato: This is a property that has recently been renovated.
  
• Da Ristrutturare: Denotes a property that is in need of renovations.
• Rustico: A property often needing renovations, may be no more than some stone walls. A rustico was normally used as rural farming building.

Expand your linguistic horizons and you may be rewarded with a wide variety of properties to choose from. Italy Property Preview is ready to help you narrow down your location choices by offering detailed inspections of a particular property and associated amenities.

What Italy Property Preview can do for you

Sample Inspection

To provide an idea of the type of information that an Italy Property Preview inspection provides, the following is based on a property in the southwestern part of Marche. This preview with a sampling of photos shows that the focus is not only on the housing structure but also the outbuildings, land, and the services available in the area. In addition to this type of report additional photos are provided to clients.

Property location:
Regione: Marche Provincia: Ascoli Piceno Citta: Montedinove
Directions: On the outskirts of Montedinove, northwest of town.

Access to property: Paved state road runs about 6 feet (2 meters) in front of property. No gates to property. This property is in walking distance to the small picturesque town of Montedinove with less than 1000 inhabitants.

Type of construction: The currently uninhabitable structure consists of 2 main floors plus an attic and cantina, and comprises approximately 200mq or 2160sf. Access is on south side of house with a narrow interior stair case. Per owner, house was built in phases and is at least 100 years old; his father was born there, but he was not sure of exact age. There is a flat patio area on south side with a forno (outdoor oven) and holding pens that were used for rabbits and pigs.
Roof type (tetto): Terra cotta tiles, roof is intact though it would require some maintenance.
Gutters (grondaie): Some are still present but would require repairs and additional gutters need to be added.
Doors/windows (porta/finestra): Originals were wood but all windows would require replacement as none are fully functional, many are missing. Doors would require replacement for security reasons. No shutters present.
Stone/brick/stucco (petra/mattone): House is made of brick with concrete-based stucco exterior and plaster interior coatings. No additional insulation present.
Repairs (rifacimento): Structure is sound but would require renovation to make habitable. Owner advised that a geometra, who is a friend of his, has inspected the property.
Condition and relative to surrounding properties: Structure in need of extensive renovation but no obvious structural defects such as bowed walls, sagging roof, misaligned openings or sagging floors. This property is similar in materials and style to others in the area. It is recommended that a geometra be hired for renovation cost estimates before any purchase offers are tendered.

Land around property:
Parking: There is a grassy drive entering the property below the street level with a bricked cave that can be used as a garage, which currently has no doors.
Drainage (fognatura): Property is approximately 2 ettari (hectares, or 5 acres) on a slope, and part of which is currently cultivated in grain. There are currently no olive or fruit trees or vines on the property. The property slopes away from the house at approximately 45 degrees with some trees and a good vista looking west towards the Apennine Mountains.

Nuisance issues: Property is located adjacent to paved road that connects several towns in the area. Located halfway between Montedinove and Rotella is a large dairy facility, though this sits on the other side of the hill which Montedinove sits upon and is not visible from the property. Possible road noise is the main nuisance issue.

Convenience items: Montedinove which is surrounded by medieval walls at an elevation of 560 meters / 1840 feet offers full services with grocery, bars, pharmacy, churches, doctors, hotel and other shops. It is in close proximity to Rotella and Montalto delle Marche which have additional services and a short distance from road SS433 providing access to the Adriatic and the A14 motorway.

Interior: Floors: Two levels with attic and cantina.
Walls (muro):Plaster over brick.
Fixtures: None present.
Furnishings/appliances/cabinets: None present other than built-in stone counter in kitchen.
Storage: There is a cantina below house carved out of the earth (bedrock layer), originally utilized for wine storage. There is also another cave area along driveway that could be utilized as garage space. An additional included cantina is located across the street, that the owner said had been used as a horse stable.
Heat/cool/fireplaces: No centralized heating system, uses fireplaces. There is electric service connected as well as water but no gas lines. Satellite or telephone would have to be connected.

Photos available: Front, rear, sides, view towards Montedinove and countryside, inside of ground floor, outbuildings, etc:

Notes: The owner of this property stopped by as I was inspecting the property; he lives within sight distance of the house. He is an older gentleman who was very pleasant and open to answering questions.

The Who's Who in Buying Property in Italy

Agente Immobilare: This is the real estate agent who may be working for you or solely for the seller of the property. There are numerous agente in Le Marche and Abruzzo; many have web-sites which provide information in English. They work on a 3-6% commission. You should verify that the agente is a member of the Federazione Italiana Agenti Immobiliari Professionali (FIAIP) and registered with the local Camera di Commercio or Chamber of Commerce.

Acquirente: That’s you…the buyer.

Venditore: This is the seller. Naturally, they want to make money in this transaction.

Geometra: A combined architect, general contractor, “gopher” and problem solver, the usual translation is ‘surveyor’ but the duties they perform go beyond that. They are not builders and they are not architects, but they work with both if you are doing a restoration project. If you are rebuilding a property you are wise to hire a geometra, who works for a fee.

Notaio: This is the state’s representative attorney and is responsible for making sure all of the documents are correct for the sale transaction, collecting the required taxes and registering the transfer of the property. The notaio does not work specifically on behalf of either the buyer or seller but you can not complete a sale without them.

Impresa Edile: If you are rebuilding a property you will need a building contractor to price the project and carry out the work. Your geometra will work with the impresa edile.

Italy Property Preview: We are the one party available in your Italian property search that will work solely for you and give you an unbiased view of your property.


Other parties may be required depending on your circumstances:

Ingegnere: An engineer may be useful if you have a rustico or renovation projects with parts of the structure that are questionable as to their soundness.

Architetto: An architect who you might require if involved in a rustico project.

Avvocato: A lawyer.

Commercialista: An accountant.

Shutters

Le persiane

One of the practical characteristics of houses in Italy is the use of window shutters. For most Americans these are unique as they are actually functional parts of the home, not the fake plastic decorations bolted to the side of so many homes in the landscape of suburbia.

First of all, they can be locked from the inside thus providing security to the home. Second, they provide ventilation when closed with the window open as well as keeping out rain. Third, they help to darken the room and, last but not least, they provide a beautiful accent to the window, open or closed. They can be opened fully and have clasps on the outside walls to hold them open when windy.

In addition to the outside shutters, many older windows have solid panels on the inside that can be closed and, in combination with the outside shutters, can make a room completely dark in the middle of the day. Room darkening shades are no comparison to this Italian classic.

Italy Property Preview

Italy Property Preview

Doing a quick web search will bring up a lot of companies that will sell you property in Italy, finance a purchase, help you to rebuild a rustico or even act as your broker in the purchase. All of these companies have a vested interest in the sale of properties; no sale and they will not be making any money. But what I haven’t found are any companies that will provide an unbiased view of a property, especially from the view of a non-Italian. Independent inspections that are a must in any real estate transaction in the US are not the norm here.

I spent sixteen years working in the insurance claims business in the US before quitting my job so we could pursue our dream of living in Italy. My focus was on the assessment of damage to homes, everything from a water leak to total burn-downs as a result of uncontrolled forest fires. Throughout my sixteen-year career I gained a wealth of knowledge in what to look for, in both obvious as well as hidden problems with structures, and found myself many times pointing out things to property owners that they had never seen before, despite their living in that house daily. I always thought this experience would be helpful outside of the insurance business.

While we were in the United States dreaming of our move to Italy we would browse the various web-sites selling property in Italy and always wondered just what the properties really looked like. Was it next to a factory; would you have to drive everyday just to get a coffee and pastry? Was the low price offered a reflection of something obviously wrong with the property that was not being disclosed by the agency? The small photos and brief descriptions the agents provide left a lot of questions unanswered.

Before leaving the US we discussed potential business ideas with friends and family and one idea that many felt was a good fit for my skills was a company that would provide inspection of properties before the sale to potential buyers of property here in Italy. This would be a critical-eye view of the important issues regarding the structures – is it earthquake-damaged, sited above a train tunnel, suffering a sagging roof – but also regarding the amenities for the area, such as access to the property, proximity to services, lay of the landscape, etc. From this comes Italy Property Preview, officially launched this week.

www.italypropertypreview.com

This web-site is the product of Pauline Kenny who also assisted with input on the content and format of the site. Italy Property Preview is an internet-based enterprise focused on providing an unbiased critical-eye view of a property for a potential buyer before a large commitment of time, travel and money is expended. A detailed inspection report complete with photos will be provided to the potential buyer to assist them in making informed decisions. This approach will help the buyer to have a look at the property beyond the rose colored view associated with any purchase, especially property in “bella Italia”.

Check out the website; spread the word!