Investing in Italy

Why invest in Italy:

The first question every potential investor asks himself is what to invest in. With some stock market investments and pension schemes not fairing very well, real estate is an attractive option. The second question is where to invest, particularly in light of spiraling real estate prices in the U.K. and elsewhere. Italy is a safe and delightful alternative.

Italian culture is based on traditions, on the family and on the life that revolves around the home. Being a property owner has dominated the priorities list of most Italians in the last century. Property ownership has always been taken very seriously as an investment opportunity in Italy because of the potential returns. In fact, the market for second and holiday homes has expanded in recent years as investors have sought them out not only as an avenue for entertainment and travel, but also for their investment potential. Investors buying a house in Calitri stand to benefit from both aspects.

Tourism in Italy:

The Italian peninsula has attracted foreigners ever since the eighteenth century, as James Joyce, Lord Byron and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe remind us. Each corner of the country offers delicacies for the intellect, the body and the soul to savor. The nation's artistic and cultural heritage is evident not only in museums but also in the streets and in every-day life. The outstanding architecture, the artistic heritage, the thermal baths, the enchanting seashores, the skiing resorts, and the gourmet food and wine are among the infinite attractions that entice many a visitor every day. Each region has its own specialties and characteristics, and while some are more well known than others, each is unique and has something very special to call its own.

Calitri is in Campania, a region well known both in Italy and abroad as the homeland of pizza, mozzarella, and of romantic melodies. The "Borgo Antico Calitri'' is located in the centre of Italy - halfway between the ruins of Pompeii and the Amalfi coast to the west and Magna Graecia to the east. The area around Calitri is sprinkled with castles, aristocratic palazzos and delightful locations soaked in history and tradition, ridged with hills and valleys and marked by the ancient trails along which Hannibal and his legions marched when setting off to attack ancient Rome 2,000 years ago.

Twenty centuries later, these lands are still completely intact, untouched by the massive urbanization and industrialization common to most rural areas in Italy and Europe today. Here, visitors can wander around and re-discover ancient worlds, visit abbeys and monasteries reminiscent of times gone by, enjoy the Mediterranean cuisine and wine, bask in the sun, and fill their time with exciting sports and cultural activities. This combination of factors make Calitri a unique holiday location where homebuyers can go to switch off and recharge their batteries.

Return on Investment:

Those buying property in Calitri or a similar project have a two-tier advantage. At the price of a four-week Tuscan villa rental, buyers not only get a holiday home for life, but are also making a sound investment.

Calitri as an investment opportunity offers a lot of potential. Foreign interest in some areas such as Chianti have inflated the market to the point that buying a property in the area has become a huge financial commitment. A similar phenomenon has started to take place in Umbria. So where the supply of attractively-priced housing has dried up, buyers in Calitri are being offered a slice of what in the future will become a new Italian holiday hotspot.

In Calitri, today, homebuyers are able to enjoy the same Mediterranean feel that exists in other more fashionable locations in Italy without the crowds that are drawn to such places and with the added bonus of an authentic lifestyle.

The fixed costs buyers need to factor in when considering their purchase are annual Italian government property taxes, similar to those in other countries and proportional to the value of the property in question. Adhering to the management services agency costs 150 euros a year.

So, Calitri: a small investment with huge potential. The apartments and houses in the "Antico Borgo Calitri'' stand to benefit from a rise in their value over time, as the town becomes increasingly known as a vacation location and as it appeals more and more to both an international and local clientele.

Last, but not least, foreigners who buy property in Calitri are being welcomed open-armed by locals for their contribution to the preservation of the medieval hamlet and to the local economy.