The region of Calabria is a peninsula found at the southern reaches of the country – of course, you may know it better as the “toe” of the Italian boot – which is surrounded on three sides by water, with the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west of the peninsula and the Ionian Sea located on the east.
It is also a region of pristine beauty and can offer you just about any sort of scenery you are looking for. There is the breathtaking cliffs overlooking the sea at Tropea, or you can have mountain views if you decide to move inland around the Pollino National Park.
Best of all, despite being in southern Italy, you get to experience all four seasons, and sometimes there really is nothing better than snowfall around the Christmas holidays in Italy (but thankfully, the snow does not last for extended periods of time, as the warmer weather does come back quickly).
Throughout the Calabria region, there are three different mountain ranges, which give truly unique and amazing views, not only with the tree-lined mountain tops, but also the incredible floral arrangements on each of the mountain ranges, which are unique to the mountains. Of course, just because there are mountain ranges does not mean you are going to find it scarcely populated or very little to do in terms of attractions. The region itself is home to almost two million residents and Reggio Calabria is the largest city in the area as well.
What to do in the pristine land of Calabria
Before you look further into property in Calabria and the current trends of its housing market, it is always nice to know what the local economy brings in, so if you want to work a bit in your new home, or just learn about what helps keep the economy running, you can do just that.
Agriculture is the most important form of economic growth in the region, with olive trees producing much of the country’s olive oil found here. Outside of this, there are orange farms around the coastal areas and near the capital city due to the desirable weather, with the Bergamot orange a local favorite. Manufacturing is also home here as well, with over seven percent of all jobs coming from it.
What kind of bargain you can find in Calabria
Now, despite some truly amazing culture settings and seafronts located on three sides of the region, prices for property in Calabria, which were already very cheap and affordable, have continued to fall, which is great for investors.
This is mostly because of the economical crisis and of its status of not-so-popular place yet despite all the beauty it has to offer. But the majority of tourists and outsiders searching for a property to purchase still tend to look north or towards Sicily and Puglia, so there are more available houses for investors such as yourself in this slice of heaven.
Currently, the average regional price for a property in Calabria sits at 1,200 euro (which is a drop of 600 euro from the beginning of the year). And if you want to check out the region and rent for a bit before actually settling down, you can do just this for not much money, as with an average price of 380 euro a month can land you a three-room apartment.
When looking over the different property in Calabria, you do have a long list of purchase options available to you.
– If you want to move closer to the main town of Reggio Calabria, there are ancient property listings that date back to the beginning of the 20th century. Many of these are going to come with a price of anywhere between 1,000 to 2,000 euros per square meter for pristine property listings and a price of down to 850 euro per square meter if you need some renovations.
– Properties on the outside of town are less expensive, especially during the southern region of the peninsula.
– If you would like long-time investments and the ability to rent out areas of your home throughout the year (even if you stay there), you can purchase a home close to the local university. By doing so, you can actually bring in close to 150 euro per sleeping accommodation. This way, if you decide to purchase a three bedroom home, you can cut down the price of your mortgage significantly, just by having the open bed rented out.
– What about the Calabrian hinterland? Some incredible deals wait for you for as low as €27,000.
So, if you are looking to invest in inexpensive property in Italy, Calabria is an excellent option. It isn’t as popular as other areas of the country, but it is still a fine jewel and some truly amazing beaches to enjoy as well where you can own a two bedroom and modern built apartment for €42,000 or less.
[Featured image by motumboe]
