Not the best climate, physically or economically to being selling property..look at this!

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=N8uTZwGIgFk

OK, the weather here in Le Marche can swiftly change: the wind can swing to the south and we could be sunbathing again in a day or two.
But the economic climate? Sure. everybody is betting on Obama to be the economic Sirocco. Poor guy, such a responsibility.
If you ask my advice for 2009 in Real Estate?
I'd say try and go and live where you really feel like living, where you'd feel happiest...and plant lots of potatoes.

The Mystic Chestnut Forest

Haven't ever seen a chestnut wood like this in Le Marche, Used to have one close to where I lived in Tuscany. They are such magnificent trees: beautiful right now in winter and incredibly more so in full summer where they let only small shafts of light pass between them.
So, here you are...26 hectares of them (actually 23 with 3 hectares of arable land). A private entrance and road up to the house and complete seclusion...yet, yet, only ten minutes from Sarnano, that medieval town which never closes.











Oh and the House!
Not much to speak of is it?
Looks like a solid block of concrete.
But actually it's in every sense habitable inside and quite well finished too.
Needs an insulated roof but that's no big deal and the outside needs glamorising. But the whole place is really about the outside and I can imagine it with a gorgeous garden. A delight.




























More info on our site www.lilianapivato.com

I personally really like this house. If it wasn't so big, I'd buy it. You can feel you are close to the sea, smell it even, let alone see it all around; the trees and the almost tropical flowers and plants. There are in fact very few of such properties
avaiable in this (now)quite exclusive area. Most have been done up and brought to an almost Tuscan level of poshness sad to say. Now if it were mine, I'd simple redo the interior. 'That's a bit French isn't it?' you would no doubt say. To which I would reply 'Yes' or 'Mai oui', according to my mood.
Then I would throw all the rest of my energy at the garden, organise a sophisticated irrigation system and turn the surrounds into a little paradise; the sort of thing you can do in a micro-climate such as this


But alas, alack, la vie n'est pas toujours facile and I have to put up with seeing these places and just wishing. The lament of a property consultant indeed.
Seriously though (although in fact I am being quite serious) this is a quite special place and a prime example of coastal real estate in Le Marche



The property is near Recanati, home of our famous poet Leopardi.
More details on our site www.lilianapivato.com/

Seldomly in this property business do you get to find a 17th Century Villa in a habitable condition. (And what's more a castle is a pretty hefty piece of real estate, let's face it). And to have a Count as your next door neighbour? A cantina and cave to store your fine wines? And a view which stretches right across to the Conero and the Adriatic?










If you've got this far and are still reading this, your probably a snob and your American too...which is fine, which is fine! Because it's great place to wow your friends in; to woo your business colleagues or even to bury yourself in and escape from the hurly-burly.
The photos don't do justice to this property. The roads are too narrow to photograph from outside and the interior more about feeling and 4 dimensionality. It's on four levels and 400 mq altogether with a part of the roof which can be turned into a terrace for those majestic views.










Smack in the middle of Le Marche it is, less than an hour from the airport at Falconara and only 20 mins to the sea.










Just look at the ceiling!! It's in perfect condition, as are all the rooms.










You simply must see this one, you really must!

For further details www.lilianapivato.com

It's not very often we're invited to look at a monastery for sale. Now, I know ex monasteries are not to everyone's taste. For one thing they are large (this one 300mq) and for another they are unusually shaped; not your run of the mill family house. We were shown over the property by a man who was born there some seventy years ago when it had already been taken over as a private villa; always nice to share memories.The view eastward from the top floor (it has three) is outstanding; a vast landscape where you can see as far as the Conero Peninsular, that famous Le Marche National Park. My immediate thought was that if a terrace were allowed on the roof area, that this would open up a whole new prospect...





It needs restoration of course but we have architects and engineers who'd kill to get their hands on it as a project



Check out our website www.lilianapivato.com for further details of this delicious and unusual piece of real estate. By the way, it's in Penna San Giovanna, that famous town between the mountains and the sea

Bargain of the week.
Naturally the credit squeeze has its repercussions here in Italy too, although not quite in the same fashion as in USA and UK. Quite by chance we were out with friends last evening in a local restaurant and the waiter happened to tell us that he's lived for twelve years in Florida, had a house there and was a typical victim of the financial disaster that had hit the housing market in the USA; he'd taken a mortgage at a low rate of interest, which had doubled whilst the value of his house had dropped by 25%. Couldn't sell it either.
Not quite the same here. Principally because the sub-prime mortgage option was never available; and what's more it was/is never easy to get a mortgage here, in that a high deposit was/is always necessary (usually 25%) plus exhaustive scrutiny of an applicant's income. I remember until only recently how I used to condemn the stringency of the Italian system and boast how easy it was in UK to get a mortgage...not any more I don't.
To sum up the real estate situation here currently, however, I would say that the Italian property market is just about static in terms of inflation. The international market, however, is following the age-old principles of supply and demand. There is a glut of property (and I'm talking about the sort that foreigners buy here in Le Marche) and very few buyers. Any property selling is where offers have been made and accepted at about 12.5% less than asking price.
It's a buyer's market indeed...and here's an example; a pretty cottage near Force where the owner has dropped the price by 10%.
You can find it ref 5171 on our site www.lilianapivato.com













You can see the sea from the house

Don't you just love infinity pools? Mmm yes, especially at night.
Clear Le Marche skies and the Milky Way standing on its head. This one (oh, it's attached to a house; see below) is between the mountains and the sea in those gorgeous hills south of Mogliano.












The house, a recently restored farmhouse, is to be seen to be believed. Finished to the very height of good taste; real estate to sigh for.










More details on our site www.lilianapivato.com

Property of the week!
Have you heard of Santa Vittoria?
Sure you have; it's the town where the Ch4 programme 'Place in the sun' has been filmed and other programmes like it. It's because it's the perfect Marchigiana location. Sweeping views of the sea from its walls, a Tuscany like main street and a perfect model of a historic centre.
This beautifully restored property is right in the middle of this central part and is a delight indeed. Tranquil and with always a freshening air from the sea (I was up there yesterday when it was hot outside but there was a delightful cool breeze on the terrace)It's on four floors and has two terraces and a courtyard. Look for it on our site www.lilianapivato.com
















This is the terrace facing south for that winter sunshine.
















And this the terrace with views and breezes from the sea.

PROPERTY OF THE DAY (now ref 5369 0n our site below)

For Sale.. A Yoga Centre!










Imagine that...a Yoga Centre!
Don't actually suppose that a Yoga Centre is one of your immediate Real Estate options but there it is, perched just on the edge of the beautiful Le Marche town of Potenza Piceno, tucked away in a cul-e-sac and only a few miles from the Adriatic Sea. Currently it is set up for Yoga and meditation (and you can feel the tranquil atmosphere) but is readily changed back to being a property with three bedrooms, kitchen bathroom etc. Gorgeous mature garden and wide views of the open countryside towards the sea











The current kitchen












The countryside looking towards sea (only 7K away)

All this and lots more on www.lilianapivato.com

Property of the day

You must buy this cottage...you must!
It's gorgeous! Just below Sant Angelo in the Macerata Province of Le Marche it is, and in the most beautiful of settings. And the garden, although slightly unkempt, still echoes its former beauty within this little nook of a micro-climate












It's about 200mq with 5 hectares of land containing 90 olive trees and some 200 poplars which are ready to market.












And you can see the sea from the garden









....needs restoration but that's fun when you fall in love with a place (which you will when you see it!)











You want to see it? You will soon on www.lilianapivato.com

Puglia

Ah Puglia!










To me it's more like a chunk of Africa that lost its way. And so very different from our home territory of Le Marche.
Never have I experienced a sea so clean and turquoise blue. This property is ten minutes from the famous white walled town of Ostuni and set in a valley full of trulli.











The Real Estate market is pretty active still in this region and you can still find bargains to restore. This delicious property has been restored and lived in for a few years and the quality of restoration is of the very highest order. Its ready to move into and the current owner successfully rents it out throughout the year, which makes it an ideal investment opportunity. Look for it on our site www.lilianapivato.com

Eco Houses.
There the future lies. Houses which are carbon neutral, which take energy from the ground and the sky and which also sell surplus energy to the National Grid.
Here is one such house (indeed one of many Giancarlo is constructing in Le Marche)







You'll see from the info doc attached that although such houses cost 20% more to build, that they recoup this extra investment within five years (probably much less is my guess, the way energy prices are spiralling)
Then, remember, that solar energy technology know-how is advancing rapidly and that panels will soon be wafer-thin and will be located everywhere and anywhere.



With its sunshine levels and environmental consciousness, and with promised Govt assistance by way of cheap loans an tax incentives, there is every reason why Le Marche should take the lead in this initiative.

Carbon neutral Real Estate... just love the phrase.

details...

Heating, 22C all year through
100% elec self sufficient, excess elec from solar panels fed into National Grid.
Gas only for cooking
Fireplaces also heat water.
Heat transfer from 7 metres under ground 20C…100mq tank of water
Under floor heating
Roof double insulation
Costs 20% more to build but repays in 5 years. Carbon neutral. No radiators
Rain catchment for garden water.

Le Marche Property of the day





I'm putting this farmhouse up although it's already on our site http://www.lilianapivato.com/viewdetails.php?id=205&lang=en
Just happened to be there today with clients and realised we've had it on our site for almost a year and it's odd it hasn't sold. Difficulty is (not that it's any difficulty at all)...problem is that owner has it for sale with 6 hectares (15 acres)of land and won't sell one without the other. And it works out that the land is worth about the same as the house. But what a gorgeous situation and location. A whole valley in view with the beautiful town of Petritoli on the hill above and only ten minuted from the sea at Pedaso. Has lots of olive trees and room for hundreds more.

still photography











Nothing like it...not sure I go for this video stuff. So here's a correction on yesterday's blog. Now you can see what a pleasant and robust property it is, typical of the sort of house built in this area of Le Marche just after the war.











The terrace is gorgeous and adds massively to its real estate value, as well as being a year-round sunshine hide-away from domestic demands.

House of the day!
Terrible video, but I'll get better, I'll get better. In fact it really couldn't be worse...just looked at it. But it's a trial!
But you'll see this house (which I've just been to measure up) on our site in a few days. It's in a little hamlet just below the town of Force and I sold it to the current owners some five years back. They have restored it delightfully, and, most importantly, have added a terrace which is large and offers a gorgeous view of the open countryside across to Montefalcone and part of the Sibillini mountains





The owners were telling me about the state of the UK housing market but we pretty well keep up to date on it all. Knew in fact a year ago that a collapse had to take place. It's the nature of capitalism. With today's Guardian telling us that there are now a million homes in UK on market and only 150,000 buyers, do the sums yourself. Something has to give. And how will it affect us here in Le Marche? With a mainly foreign clientele, prices are going to have to be eased too. Same problem, too many houses, not enough buyers.
It really is a terrible video, I'll change it I will.

Property of the day









This property is described by my architect friend Giuseppe Gentile as a most incredible example of Marchigiane architecture. It's near the Abbey of Fiastra (also near a golf-course) and is just itching to be turned into a hotel or country house.
Upstairs it has up to five bedrooms and the downstairs part (yet to be restored) would make a dream of a restaurant. Three hectares of land too in this delicious piece of real estate in a beautiful area of Le Marche.

House of the day








On restoration...a real estate option
It's quite common here for developers here in Le Marche to leave a house 'al grezzo' This means that it is 80% finished. And this means property is structurally rebuilt with new roof, floors and walls, but that plumbing, electrics, doors and windows have yet to be put in. Why would anyone do this? Two reasons; one being that often buyers like to do the finishing themselves and make the property more theirs
Or at least this is the presumption by the owner. But I think that more often it is to disguise the final cost of these latter aspects (i.e. they are costly) Big advantage is that you get to see the property more or less as it will be without all the hassle and stress of doing the re-building yourself. Worth checking out this option, but make damn sure you are aware of final costs

Ruin of the day.
Just following on with my ruin tales.
this property, an abandoned farmhouse is a real a corker, near the pretty town of Porchia and only some 20 mins from the coast at Grottamare, above San Benedetto in southern Le Marche










What's amazing about this tasty bit of real estate is that it has a large stretch of its 3 hectares as building land. In other words the property could be restored and then other buildings put up to accompany it; stables, barns, studios or even residential cottages. Could make an interesting project; an agritourism ranch with horses and ornamental goats (I thought).Town itself very pretty too

Ruin of the day
This one is near Urbisaglia in Macerata Province. Restoration seems to be becoming popular again. Eco-housing that's what it's all going to be about in the future, I'm sure.
And we are just the Real Estate Agency to specialise in this energy consciouness.





















Light relief
But by way of light relief, here's a photo of a lonely hillside in Le Marche just below the wondrous ex-convento of Sant'Ippolito, a property which I wrote about two days ago. Le Marche. They say it's all of Italy in one region. It's almost true.

Le Marche property of the day










The house on the lake. Lake Rufino to be exact. It's a nature reserve where there are great areas and paths to walk and cycle around the lake. This house has been completely restored and is indeed a quite beautiful property. The interior is exquisitely finished: a typical Marche farmhouse originally, it is now a very comfortable family home with a mature terraced garden with a swimming pool and wondrous lake and mountain views

Property of the day










As we are in Treia, take a look at this magnificent property. It's a 16thC building which has been restored on the outside to its original state. Now this is where restoration gets interesting if you ask me.











Look at this photo of the interior, contemporary or what? Yes indeed, the owner is an architect and the interior was gutted to allow for an ultra modern interior. I wondered how a 16th century architect (travelling through time of course) would be bowled unconcious simple by walking through the front door. Time shock it would be
It's just 3K from Treia town, which itself is just north of Macerata in the middle
part of Le Marche and about twenty minutes from the coast.
It's got land too and wide country views.
A rather delicious piece of real estate.

House of the day
Well,a Villa really, which we came across the other day near Treia, just north of Macerata
You think it's Tuscany don't you? But it's not.
It's a restored monastery with a wondrous parkland of a garden and is rented out usually to groups of people.
Putting it up because it's a classic example of the sort of high quality restoration work which has been done mainly by foreigners, English in this case but also Dutch and German in these wonderful rolling hills north of the town, and positioned as they are only a short distance from the sea.
So restoration is still a thriving concept in these parts, especially when you consider that Le Marche only has less half its original population of the between war years and 50% of its countryside property still abandoned, just ripe and waiting for restoration.















And as your Real Estate Agent we'd be happy to show you a bunch of them in need of restoration. And then supply you with builders, architects, the whole shooting match
to enable you to do it. Good we are. Oh, and this one is for sale by the way... Four million Euros is the asking price.

House of the day!
This is Sambuco, an up and running 6 bedroom B&B; an ex 15thC convent with the most incredible views of the Sibillini mountain range. gorgeous mature garden, broad band, sat TV, four bathrooms, two kitchens...a wonder indeed.



SHOCK HORROR!

UK Traders predict house prices will fall by 50% in four years

· Investments based on property 'fall off a cliff'
· Job losses hit estate agents and mortgage firms
(guardian 9th June)

So why not consider investing in Le Marche property instead? No property price bubble here, thus none to burst. Pure clean air and water, hardly any industry and you'll live longer.....you bet!

These 1940s mountain homes are quite fascinating. Ignored by many in the quest for property in Le Marche, where the preference has up until lately been for stone houses; these 'Lege da Montagna' house were built during the latter years of the Second World war to house displaced families here in Le Marche. They were pretty uniform in design but robustly built and they have certainly stood the test of time. Easy to restore, once beautified, they lose all their original plain-ness. This particular property is for sale and it's opposite the hilltop town of Montefalcone of which it ha sthe most splendid view.











There are many to be found in the open countryside close to the mountains and are worth taking a serious look at.