A country with regions offering everything from mountains and lakes to islands and an impressive 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites, Italy has something to appeal to everyone. It also has a wide range of stunning properties and buyers from across the globe are proving increasingly keen to find highly desirable examples. Let’s take Venice for example, where according to Ann-Marie Doyle of Venice Sotheby’s International Realty, over the last 18 months the company has seen a huge upturn in demand. More and more high value deals are being done, in fact almost to pre-2008 levels.
“Confidence and excitement has returned to the market for international buyers,”
she explains,
“who are largely driven by the desire to have the culture of Venice on their doorstep and the opportunity to own a piece of living history. Many have been ‘waiting and seeing’, but they are aware that the market is turning and now is the time to buy.”
As for other regions, Gate-Away.com, the dedicated property portal for international buyers looking for a home in Italy, reports that 15% of applications are for high-end properties. The company’s head of communications, Walter Di Martino, believes this demonstrates once again that the stability and recent growth of the luxury estate market in Italy has been especially supported by oversea buyers.
“In particular,”
he says,
“we can notice a renewed interest in Italy by investors with great purchasing power, coming from emerging countries having a huge business potential, such as the United Arab Emirates, China and India. One of the areas where this trend of high-end properties is more remarkable is the Lake of Como, in Lombardia. This region has recently benefited from the positive effect of the Milan Expo, which got more than 20 million visitors, many of them coming from abroad, and that turned out to be precisely the region most desired by Chinese and United Arab Emirates.”
Gaiole in Chianti, Siena, Tuscany
Podere Cucule is beautifully positioned amongst four hectares of vineyards and olive groves with open views the Chianti Classico hills and a swimming pool. The property includes a main farmhouse, single apartment and independent annexe. The main house of 185m2 has two floors with a large open plan ground level including a traditional country Tuscan kitchen, bathroom with shower, study and a technical room. The first floor has an en suite master bedroom with terrace, two more large bedrooms and two bathrooms.
£1m / €1.5m / $1.6m
Tuscany Real Estate +39 0577 05 83 68
Palazzo Molin, Venice
A collection of 17 elegant apartments in a converted 15th century listed palazzo with original gothic facade, just moments from La Fenice Opera House and St Mark’s Square in the heart of Venice. The development combines classic Venetian architecture with contemporary design and facilities, which is a rare proposition in Venice. Residents will have sole use of a substantial private courtyard and furnished lobby, designed by renowned Milanese design house CULTI. There is a flexible concierge service, maid service and private water taxi service on request. The building is bordered on two sides by canals and has two water gates, allowing direct access by boat.
From £628,750 / €870,000 / $952,850 – £3.5m / €4.9m / $5.4m for the Piano Nobile apartment.
Venice Sotheby’s International Realty +39 041 5220093
lorenza@venicesothebysrealty.com
