Have you ever thought about buying a house in Italy but always thought it was expensive or simply have just not bothered because of the short time you would eventually spend there?

After all, why spend lots of money on buying a house in Italy when realistically you could pop over for a visit just once or twice a year?

Fair enough, this is true, but I invite you to consider the many unique special deals on offer at the moment, with houses in the Abruzzo region for just 15.000, 10.000 euro or even less. The big news is that houses, at such low prices, do not necessarily require a lot of restoration work.

Some of them are in need of internal restoration like a new bathroom, new electric system, new windows and various sorts of refurbishments to make them comfortable and attractive. However, the actual structure and roof are always in good condition and the utilities such as water, electricity and main sewerage are always connected.

There are many characteristic town houses with lovely traditional arch doors and vaulted ceilings. These vaulted ceilings are usually painted in white, but beneath the white plaster, incredibly beautiful cotto bricks and iron beams are to be found and large stones, lying under the thick walls covered in plaster of these houses, can easily be exposed to create a much sought after, cosy, rustic style which you are bound to have come across in Home and Interior Design magazines.

 Retiring to Abruzzo is ideal for those who are looking for a quiet retirement. This region, where the north of Italy meets the south, is one of the most beautiful in the country, is very unspoiled and has beautiful countryside to offer as well as a wealth of leisure facilities. The region looks ancient with its Medieval towns clinging to hillsides and tucked into hidden crevices in forgotten peaks. The inland part of the region is home to many small towns and villages and property is very reasonably priced there. Most of the towns in the region are not large and have a good mix of traditional living and modern life, as good shopping facilities and leisure amenities. Many of the buildings are centuries old, but there are also some new developments.

All inland towns and villages offer a continuous calendar of events like historical pageants, patron saint festivals, open-air dances, folklore performances, concerts and culinary stands. Every season of the year, every city and town sees in Abruzzo a never-ending succession of traditional festivities and folkloristic celebrations, which engage whole communities. The origins of these rituals are often very ancient, and in them genuine Christian devotion and pagan worship have been blended together from time immemorial.

Tufillo is a small Mediaeval village perched on top of a hill, in Abruzzo region, immersed in nature. It is located at an altitude of 557 meters and it counts about 400 inhabitants. It is a very peaceful and quiet place, ideal for those who want to relax. People here are friendly and hospitable.

Tufillo is situated at 28 km from the Trabocchi coast in the Adriatic coast and from the motor way A-14. The ski slope of Roccaraso is just one hour away. The closest train station is Vasto–San Salvo situated at 30 km from Tufillo. The train station is linked to Pescara where the Abruzzo airport is situated.

The square, Piazza Fuori Porta, is a meeting place for the inhabitants and the center of the social life of the village.

Tufillo has prehistoric origins, confirmed by many remains of buildings in its territory and the discovery of archaeological finds. The historic town center goes back to the Middle Age. Here there are many stone buildings and old monuments such as the main church of Santa Giusta, built in 1758 and connected to the marquis Bassano Palace, or the small church of San Vito. The square, Piazza Fuori Porta, is a meeting place for the inhabitants and the center of the social life of the village. Here we find a bar, a delicatessen and the pharmacy. Everything in Tufillo is within walking distance, such as the post office, shops and the traditional market where you can buy meat, fish and fresh fruit and vegetables. In the Palace of Marquis of Bassano, now the headquarter of the municipal office, there is an Archaeological Museum where you can find the “Key of the goddess Herentas”, dating back to the V century BC, which displays a dedication to Herentas, the Oscan counterpart of Venus (herettates súm agerllúd: “I belong to Herentas [and was given] by Agerllu”). The Oscan is an extinct Indo-European language of southern Italy and was spoken by a number of tribes, including the Samnites, an ancient Italic people who lived in Samnium, in south-central Italy.

 When it comes to global locations for expats to consider making home, Italy is one country that is simply incomparable to other countries around the world. Whether you are thinking about Italy because of the chance to see some of the prestigious artwork by notable artists including Michelangelo, Botticelli, Donatello or Leonardo da Vinci, or you want to live in a country with a thriving aura of romance, a diverse culture and amazing people, Italy is a wonderful choice for those who want a lifestyle that centers on having a wide array of things to do from one day to the next. Museums, restaurants, historical buildings and castles to tour as well as the world’s most brilliant architecture abounds throughout the entire country.

When planning a move, especially an overseas move to Italy, be prepared to work with a fully licensed Italian real estate agent to find a home to stay in when you arrive. This is necessary whether you plan to rent a home or try to purchase one. A realtor will help you find what you want and can help you stay within the budget you have prepared to spend on rental accommodations, basic utilities and home amenities including guest bedrooms and furnishings if needed. Take note that if a rental home is listed as unfurnished, this typically means nothing will be inside, including appliances. Many expats moving to Italy choose to pack lightly and leave their large furnishings behind as it can be very expensive to ship furniture and large items overseas. Renting a furnished home will usually allow you to have a bed, dresser, living room furniture and possibly a washing machine for your clothing.

Shipping Personal Property Over

Unless you plan to buy everything new, which is not a bad idea at all due to import cost, then you may need to have a few items shipped over once you find a home. Italy has some of the best clothing shops in the world, so you may want to pack lightly and start shopping for a new Italian wardrobe when you arrive. Prices on clothing in Italy is often far less expensive than you would find in the U.S. and it is simple to build a new wardrobe in a short time. Furnishings for a home such a bed, dresser and other basics are often included in a rental fee. This leaves sentimental items, computers or work related items and small items that you may need around your new home that may not be easy to replace in Italy.

To ship items to Italy, they must pass through customs and you will need to show some of the following paperwork before anything will be accepted:

• Passport (A copy will suffice)
• Work Permit
• Residence Visa
• Inventory list (Must be written in Italian and be approved ahead of time by the Italian Consulate)
• Bill of Lading or Airway Bill
• Power of Attorney to allow the shipper to arrange for customs clearance of your items
• A residency certificate that shows the number of people in your family as well as their country of origin if they will be living in Italy
• A consular declaration stating the time you will live in Italy
• A permit to stay (Permesso a Soggiorno) issued by the Police Office Foreign Department
• A statement showing you are moving and the value of the property you are shipping
• Signed statement from your employer (if working) showing your work contract and the sate you will begin your job in Italy

You can ship personal items including clothing, dishes, household furniture and other small home goods without paying duties and taxes if you are planning to stay in Italy for at least one year and can show that you have owned the property for at least one year and you ship them within six months of your arrival.

 Numerous clients have asked me this question: Is a technical survey required by the law in order to purchase a house in Italy?

The answer is no. For the Italian law a survey is not a mandatory document in order to buy a house.

A survey is a document you might want to have for your own peace of mind, to give you a better idea of the state of a property you are interested in, but it is not necessary for the sake of the purchase.

In Italy there are three different types of surveys:

• Perizia semplice – If you are buying a house in Italy, you might want a technical survey to be carried out as a form of report on the condition of the house: conditions of the structure, roof, plumbing, electric system, condition of chimneys, etc. Any registered architect, surveyor or engineer can issue this type of survey; This type of survey is called perizia tecnica in Italian. The surveyor signs the survey with his/her own name.
• Perizia asseverata – This type of survey is different from the previous one because the surveyor/engineer/architect signs the technical report and in addition confirms the authenticity of its contents. Perizia asseverata includes a sentence where the surveyor declares that the contents of the survey are true and that he/she is personally responsible for these contents. The sentence in Italian is the following: “sotto la propria personale responsabilità”. In this case, the surveyor is legally responsible for the contents of the survey he/she has issued and can be legally persecuted if the survey were to contain false statements related either to material or ideological matters.
• Perizia giurata – This type of survey is like a perizia asseverata plus an oath in court. The surveyor has to state in the survey that the contents are true and he/she has to swear the truthfulness of such contents in the presence of a Chancellor of the Court, in the presence of a Peace Officer according to art. 5 del R.D. n° 1366/22, or in the presence of a Public Notary, according to art. 1, comma 1, point n° 4, R.D. n° 1666/37. The surveyor is legally responsible for the contents of a perizia giurata and can be legally persecuted if the survey were to contain false statements. In this type of survey, the surveyor has to state the following sentence: “[...] aver bene e fedelmente adempiuto all’incarico affidatogli al solo scopo di far conoscere la verità.”. This means that he/she has done his/her work honestly with the sole purpose of divulgating the truth. This type of survey has a higher legal value in a court case than a perizia asseverata.

Should you require a survey, be it a simple report, a perizia asseverata or a perizia giurata, please feel free to contact Abruzzo Rural Property. We can provide surveys written in English at very reasonable prices.