Dreaming of moving to the countryside?

As well as having some of the world’s most idyllic countryside, did you know that Italy also has some of our planet’s most beautiful and livable cities? While many countries tend to do better with either their rural landscapes or their urban spaces, Italy really does excel with both.

Almost every Italian city is appealing in one way or another. There’s always a well-preserved historic centre, often pedestrianized, and generally full of beautiful buildings. Their citizens are charmingly enthusiastic about their home metropolis, and being Italian, they tend to uphold the same strong sense of community you admire so much in small towns and villages.

Each Italian city has its own strong identity, its local dishes and particular festivals making it a unique place. Best of all, Italian cities are almost always rather small, built on a human scale rather than sprawling on and on. In fact, only two Italian cities have a population of more than one million, which are Rome and Milan. The rest are all far tinier. A perfect example is represented by the Renaissance town of Ferrara in the Veneto region of Italy, a perfect second home destination in Italy

Many overseas buyers in the bel paese are drawn to farmhouses in the countryside, and who can blame them? Italy’s rustic buildings are physically beautiful and the surrounding landscapes divine. But note that if you’re thinking of relocating to Italy, or looking to make a particularly safe investment in Italian property.

Siena

Advantages of buying a house in one of Italy’s charming cities

Why purchasing a city apartment could be the right choice?

• They are well-built and attractive homes, with very strong re-sale prospects. As a matter of fact, urban properties everywhere almost always hold their value better than other types of real estate.

• You’ll pay an annual service charge for the upkeep of communal areas and facilities in your apartment building, but this could works out cheaper than the yearly maintenance costs of a rural home.

• For your own visiting, urban property is generally much easier to get to from the airport, making weekends away very viable.

• If you’re relocating to Italy, you’re less likely to get lonely in a city, and can more easily accustom yourself to the Italian way of doing things with all necessary shops and services right on your doorstep.

• In any city that draws tourists, urban homes also have the advantage of year-round holiday rental prospects. A house in the countryside might be very lucrative for holiday lets during the summer season, but it’s likely to stand empty for most of the winter. By contrast, visitors come at all times of the year to see Italian cities, and especially the”Big Three”: Venice, Florence and Rome. These are among Italy’s very priciest places for property, unfortunately, but the return on an investment here will be very good. You might also consider the option of medium-to-long-term rentals in cities with student populations.

A case study: Milan, an evolving city

At the moment one of the best options if you are considering buying in a big city in Italy is Milan that is attracting the interest of Italian and international investors. But is appeal is due to increase year after year. There are so many reasons to buy a house in Milan: first of all because the area is expanding and it is becoming one of the most important metropolises in the world where purchasing a real estate is still less expensive than in other European countries. If you are interested, take a look at this property selection in Milan.

For those of you who thought that buying a home in Italy was all about getting a farmhouse in the countryside, think again! There are enticing urban prospects, too. Think hard about what really might be best for you, and remember that Gate-Away.com features properties of every kind in every location!