For many of us, the worst of the recession has now passed and the general economic outlook is much brighter, but that doesn’t mean that you’re no longer looking for ways to spend less. A home abroad can be a big investment, but happily for lovers of Italy, you can still get a wide choice of very nice properties here for under €100,000.

Civilized, sophisticated Italy isn’t the cheapest of sun-drenched countries you could buy in, but arguably it offers much better value-for-money than many cheaper warm-weather destinations. A home here gives you access to all the delights of Italian history, culture and cuisine, but also to a solid infrastructure, health system and socio-political set-up. Italy also has remarkably safe property values, with no mad cycle of booms and busts in the market. There are strict limits on building and development, which safeguard the character of the area you buy in and of your home itself.

As a buyer with a small budget, there are many ways to find inexpensive property. Obviously, searching by price on Gate-Away.com is the very best thing you can do! You might start thinking about Italian regions which are famously inexpensive for property, such as Abruzzo, Molise, Basilicata and Calabria, or you could aim for the least costly parts of famously expensive areas such as Tuscany, Lake Como, or the coast.

Note that all across Italy rural areas are generally cheaper than urban ones, which is handy because many foreign buyers prefer to be out in the countryside than in a town or city. Be aware that village homes can be particularly affordable. Perhaps you want to be near the sea but not exactly right beside the hubbub of a beach resort. Perfect. Property prices start tumbling as soon as you step back from the water. Buy a home ten miles or more from the sea and you’ll be making substantial savings. And because of Italy’s physical arrangement, moving inland usually means an increase in elevation, so the further you go, the more panoramic the views. If you love mountains generally, Italy is a superb place to buy cheaply. Except for glitzy Alpine and Dolomite ski resort areas, Italian property prices generally sink in inverse proportion to altitude.

Very broadly speaking, northern Italy tends to be the priciest part of the country, and the further south you go the lower the property prices. But there are many exceptions to this pattern. If your heart is in the elegant north, investigate the pretty countryside of the Veneto region or southern Piedmont. Central Italy is traditionally expensive, but even Tuscany and Umbria have their cheaper areas. Try the far north and far south of Tuscany, and the extreme north, south and east of Umbria. Meanwhile, Abruzzo and especially Molise are full of bargains, and definitely worth your attention.

You can be spoilt for choice in Italy’s south. Puglia is a very well-run and good-value region to consider. Basilicata is wild and very cheap, Calabria is full of inexpensive seaside apartments, Calabria has some great bargains in its inland hilltowns. Even gorgeous Sardinia and Sicily have plenty of affordable homes away from their more famous resorts. Happy hunting!

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