Sicily is becoming one of the leading destinations for international buyers looking at purchasing an Italian home or second home in our beautiful country, and it’s not difficult to see why: a fascinating land which is always more cheaper in terms of property prices.
No surprise then that for the year 2014 Gate-Away.com registered almost 45% increase in the number of requests received for homes in Sicily compared to 2013.
Our statistics show Sicily is now the 6th most popular region of Italy for international house buyers.
Sicily: Your Perfect Place in the Sun
Sicily is the largest Italian island, situated off the toe of the mainland and famed for its active volcano, Mount Etna.
It has a rich cultural heritage and you can expect mild and wet winter weather conditions, with hot summers and average temperatures up to 35 degrees C. So it is the ideal destination for all those looking for a place in the sun.
The hilly countryside is intensely farmed and wheat, citrus fruits, tomatoes, olives and grapes are popular crops.
Tourism plays a major part in the island’s economy which is also due to its good connections with the rest of world. As a matter of fact, it boasts a total of 7 airports, so it’s easy to fly direct into Sicily and you won’t have to face long transfers between the airport and your new home.
Buy a Home in North Western Sicily: Trapani Area
The province of Trapani is situated on Sicily’s west coast and its capital town Trapani features a beautiful harbour which juts out into the Mediterranean Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea. That’s why it is also called “the town of the two seas”.
It is easily accessed from Vincenzo Florio Airport, just 30 minutes away. Several low cost airlines fly into Vincenzo Florio, which is located in the town of Trapani Birgi.
If you visit this area, which is superbly connected to the majour world’s capitals, you’ll be enchanted by the natural beauty of its landscape. In fact, Trapani town is the gateway to many spectacular places. Through the surreal “salt road” for instance you can reach Marsala which is home to unique and mesmeric saltpans their characteristics windmill.
But you can also easily reach a paradise on earth, which is the stunning marine protected area of the Egadi Islands including Levanzo, Favignana e Marittimo.
The spectacular coastline along this Sicily Coast makes it a popular tourist destination, with Zingaro Nature Reserve offering visitors views of the sparkling sea from tiny, sandy bays and clifftop or mountainous perches.
Words cannot describe its beauty.
Trapani Property Market
Another great attraction of Trapani province for international home buyers is the fact that this area still provides some of the most budget-focused homes of the Sicilian property market, not to say on the entire Italian property market. As a matter of fact prices dropped by up to 15% in 2014, so this is a really good time to buy a home here.
You’ll find restored properties in Trapani old town centre starting around €1,000 per square meter and rising to no more that €1,400 per square meter. Prices will be higher for historic homes overlooking the harbour or seafront.
But you can easily find a recently restored one bedroom apartment home in the old town area of Trapani for instance for about €55,000.
If you extend your property search to villages and towns in the local region, prices are even lower than this. The only exception being the popular tourist destination of San Vito lo Capo, where prices are slightly higher, averaging around €2,500 per square meter of accommodation.
If you are considering moving to one of the nearby islands, prices average around €3,500 per square meter, although it is always possible to pick up bargain homes priced at considerably lower levels.
One example? On the island of Pantelleria, you can get a typical and brand new “dammuso” home overlooking the sea for around €2,200 per square meter.
What is a Dammuso?
Dammuso homes are the traditional houses which have been built of Iva, a local black volcanic stone, and which are only found on the mesmeric island of Pantelleria. They have been constructed in similar format now for over 1,000 years.
Pantelleria has had inhabitants since the prehistoric era and remains at Mursia confirm the dammusa homes are built to similar forms. During the Roman period of occupation, water cisterns were constructed and many of these are still in use today, 2,500 years later.
The traditional dammuso homes that have been built on the island since around the year 1,000AD feature wide walls which support a domed, rounded roof and generally have courtyards and a range of outbuildings, stables with a garden area. The wide walls of the homes are ideal for keeping the property cool in summer months and warm during colder winter weather.
There are three distinct areas within a dammuso: the main living area, a bedroom and an alcove, generally used as the main bedroom. A wood burning oven and the cisterna are located close to the house. The black stone walls of the dammuso homes contrast strongly with the domed roof which is constructed of a mix of red tufo and plaster, to provide a waterproof roof surface. These homes merge well with the local landscape as their natural stone construction is widely available across the island of Pantelleria.
So if you’re seriously searching for a new Italian property, we can strongly recommend the Trapani area as an ideal choice for overseas buyers thanks to its wonderful landscape and affordable property market.
[Feature image by fazen]
