Why Buy Property in Italy?

The Magic of Italy - an Overview

Italian getaways have always had great appeal and Italy's standing as a desirable holiday destination is well established. In the past, foreign investors looking for property for sale in Italy have tended to  concentrate on the well known resorts in the north of the country but 2007 has seen southern Italy set to be the property hotspot of the coming years. Cheap property in Italy is not easy to find but prices in Calabria are very low - this combined with beautiful scenery, Mediterranean summers, more and more cheap flights to Italy, and a fast developing holiday market have started a trend that is set to continue.

Italy was one of the six countries which signed the 1951 Paris Treaty, setting Europe off on the path to integration. It has been staunchly at the heart of Europe ever since.

It's hard to imagine another  country so rich in art and culture. Take the art works of Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Tintoretto and Caravaggio; the operas of Verdi and Puccini; the cinema of Federico Fellini. Add the architecture of Venice, Florence and Rome and you have just a fraction of Italy's treasures from over the centuries. A UNESCO survey put 40% of the world's art in Italy.

Italy's population is 57.2 million. The country is very sparsely populated in the south; the area is roughly 301,000 square kilometres. Calabria boasts beautiful scenery, bursting with ancient monasteries, churches and ruins, retaining a mixture of old world charm and new facilities.


Economy

The economy of Italy has changed dramatically since the end of World War II. From an economy based on agriculture, it has developed into an industrial country ranked as the world's fifth-largest economy in USD exchange rate terms, and seventh largest in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP). Statistics as of 2007 show signs of acceleration in GDP growth, estimated at 2% in 2006, a record high since 2000.

Southern Italy is set for a property boom in 2007: property prices are expected to at least double over the next three to four years. Property prices still remain some of the cheapest in Europe for beachfront property, offering investors great opportunity for significant capital growth in 2007 and beyond.

Italy is a politically and economically stable country with a low crime rate. GDP per capita grew by 1.6% in 2006 and is ranked 10th in terms of GDP in the World 

The currency used in Italy is the Euro.

Flights to Italy

Flight times are only 2½ hours from the UK. Calabria has two international airports. Flights from Dublin to Calabria are most convenient with a transfer in London or Rome. A further airport is being developed in the area which currently services internal flights.

Traveling to Calabria is easy and affordable. Both Ryanair and Easyjet have cheap flights to Rome where a connection can be made on the Italian airline Alitalia which flies several times a day to the two airports in Calabria: Reggio Calabria and Lamezia Terme.
Ryanair fly to Rome Ciampiano from Dublin, Tees Valley Glasgow, East Midlands, London Luton, Liverpool and London Stansted.
Easyjet fly to Rome Ciampiano from Belfast, Newcastle, Bristol, East Midlands and London Gatwick.
Alitalia also fly from London Heathrow to Rome Fiumicino onto Reggio and Lamezia Terme.
From Dublin it is easier to fly Ryanair to London Stansted with a connection with Ryanair to Lamezia Terme.
Direct flights from Dublin and Belfast to Reggio Calabria and Lamezia Terme are expected very soon and as is common with direct flights being introduced we also expect an increase in property values.

Geography of Calabria

With an impressive 800 kilometres of coast, Calabria boasts some of the finest sandy beaches in Europe. With a summer stretching from April through to October and with temperatures reaching into the 40s, there is plenty of opportunity to relax and enjoy this beautiful coastline.

Italy and Tourism

Southern Italy is one of the fastest developing tourist destinations in Europe. In terms of tourism growth the World Tourism Organisation has recorded Italy as having a 31% market share of all European visitors in the past 3 years. Tourism looks to be the future for Calabria with holiday resorts growing up on the extensive Tyrrhenian and Ionian coastline. Towns such as Bianco, Tropea, Crotone Lamezia and Caulonia Marina make the most of the superb sunny weather, sandy beaches and warm seas.

More information on Italy is available at the official tourist office website,
http://www.italiantourism.com

Language

Italian is the national language. English is widely spoken in most major cities, larger towns, ski resorts and beach resorts.

Cost of Living

Southern Italy enjoys a low cost of living in comparison to the rest of the Country and indeed the rest of Europe. The following are samples of the prices that can be found throughout the country.