L'Italo-Americano

R i g h t n o w , t h e I t a l i a n p r o p e r t y m a r k e t i s a b s o l u t e l y b o o m i n g . A n d I m e a n BOOMING. In my nearly 8 years of working in the real estate and holiday rentals indus- tries in Italy, I have never seen the market as buoyant as it is now. Many people who were once originally l o o k i n g i n a r e a s s u c h a s T u s c a n y o r P u g l i a h a v e b e c o m e p r i c e d o u t o f t h e market due to the consistent growth and have now begun t h e i r s e a r c h e s i n o t h e r regions of Italy. Some peo- ple may be wondering what r e g i o n c o u l d b e a g r e a t alternative area to invest in, and Lazio is it. If you have not ever had Lazio in your mind, let me share with you why it could be a potential contender for your list. I m a g i n e l e a f y r o l l i n g h i l l s , g o r g e o u s l a k e s , uncrowded beaches, and lit- tle towns with stunning his- torical centers and villages filled to the brim with histo- r y a n d f i n e a r c h i t e c t u r e . M a n y p e o p l e w h o v i s i t R o m e o n h o l i d a y s n e v e r take the time to actually dis- cover the region of Lazio a n d a l l i t s w o n d e r s : t h e y r e a l l y d o n o t k n o w w h a t they are missing. Rustic Palazzos itch- i n g t o b e r e t u r n e d t o their former glory When I think of Lazio, I think of all the incredible and stunning palazzos that are on the market. We are talking about grand state- ly homes, original frescoes, c e m e n t i n e f l o o r i n g , w i d e banisters, marble stairs, the works. I n m y r e s e a r c h f o r m y weekly property magazine L a D o l c e V i t a L i f e s t y l e Magazine, I am always in a w e o f t h e p r o p e r t i e s f o r sale in the Lazio region and above all, the prices! Lazio at one point was becoming known as "the new Tuscany" and foreign buyers are slow- ly but surely realizing all of what Lazio has to offer and p r o p e r t y p r i c e s a r e s t i l l incredibly low (for now). And what sort of prices m i g h t y o u e x p e c t ? S m a l l houses in fairly remote vil- lages can be had for as little as €50,000, but even in the m o r e a c c e s s i b l e a n d e c o - nomically prosperous areas, y o u m i g h t s t i l l p a y o n l y € 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 o r s o . R u s t i c f a r m h o u s e s n e e d i n g restoration start at about € 1 2 0 , 0 0 0 , a n d f u l l y - restored country homes get going at about €200,000. Gorgeous lakes Lazio boasts some gor- geous lakes and the two that r e a l l y s p r i n g t o m i n d a s excellent choices for invest- m e n t p u r p o s e s a r e L a k e B o l s e n a a n d L a k e Bracciano. Lake Bolsena is strate- g i c a l l y l o c a t e d b e t w e e n Tuscany, Lazio and Umbria, s o l e t ' s c a l l i t a " G o l d e n T r i a n g l e " o f s o r t s w h e r e there are still some extreme- ly reasonably priced proper- ties for sale. Buying in the L a k e B o l s e n a a r e a a s a p o t e n t i a l h o l i d a y r e n t a l offers your future guests a myriad of options for day trips and getaways whilst u s i n g L a k e B o l s e n a a s a base. Lake Bracciano is also an excellent option for its vicin- ity to Rome, and also for the gorgeous little towns dotted a r o u n d t h e l a k e s u c h a s Trevignano Romano, which are certainly worth taking a look at and are in demand by foreign buyers. Lazio provinces If you look at the Viterbo a n d F r o s i n o n e p r o v i n c e s there are some absolute bar- gains to be had, and many p r o p e r t i e s a r e s o l d c o m - pletely habitable, turnkey with no work needing to be done. A great spot to also check out is the province of Rieti, which is located just outside Rome. Smart working initia- tives In 2021, the local comune in Rieti introduced a "smart w o r k i n g " i n c e n t i v e t o encourage digital nomads to move to the region and work r e m o t e l y a n d i n r e t u r n receive subsidies on their rent. What impact has this on the region itself? It is bringing more awareness to t h e a r e a ; p e o p l e a r e n o w looking to purchase proper- ties to use as rental invest- ments and it is repopulating the area, too Rieti is also located near R o m e a n d h a s e x c e l l e n t transport links both with the trains and autostrada which can transport you into the capital in just over an hour. Not a bad little commute! I f y o u a r e a c o m p l e t e newbie to Lazio and want to learn more about the region a n d w h e r e m i g h t b e t h e right place for you to invest, this excellent article from E- B o r g h i b r e a k s d o w n t h e most beautiful villages in Lazio and what makes them so unique. If you want to know what the best websites for search- ing for your dream property in Italy are, then head over to: www.idealista.com/it www.gate-away.com www.casa.it www.immobiliare.it And if you would like to s i g n u p t o g e t m y t o p 8 favorite properties for sale i n I t a l y e a c h w e e k , h e a d over to: https://ladolcevital- ifestylemagazine.com/get- our-free-weekly-recap-of- italian-properties/ and sub- scribe for the Free Weekly Recap! Happy House Hunting! Discover Lazio and the abundance of real estate opportunities! NIKKI TAYLOR The village of Marta on Lake Bolsena. The lake is one of the pearls of the Lazio region (Photo: Freesurf69/Dreamstime) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE TRADITIONS THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano

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