It's a marvel
That's what it is!
Just by chance today I met a guy in town who is a kind of property scout. He tells me of this little gem for sale near Cessapalombo; so we zoom over there with him. And look! A gorgeous garden too with the most magnifient oak tree. The main house is very old and has the original oak beams. There is an annexed addition which contains a huge lounge above which there is a most striking terrace. Views on the Sibillini mountains too. And the main thing? It's very very well priced. A steal in fact

Restoration



I very seldomly write about house restoration. Now this is undoubtably because I have this infuriating habit of telling people the truth about the difficulties of rebuilding a house. Can't help myself. And so I usually put them off the idea entirely. Probably it's because I've done it twice myself and can taste the cement dust sandwiches as I write. Occasionally however something really tasty turns up and I find myself thinking 'Hmm, I could take this on, it would be worth the cement dust sandwiches ...or maybe just one'
This is such a place. Equidistant from both the sea and the mountains, set on a hill above the Aso valley, with four hectares of arable land and two of woodland, this robust and quite beautiful Marchigiana farmhouse ticks every box; price-wise too because the owner wants e240k for it. Excellent value when you consider that the land is worth about e70K. It's just below the pretty towns of Montalto and Montedinove, set on a hillside with gorgeous countryside views; private but not remote.












It is in fact technically habitable, but only in a very rustic sense, and it has water and elec connected.

A very very pretty place in a commanding position and well worth a cement sandwich.

Yes this one really is exquisite.
Not only for its architectural splendour, but also its location and most wondrous views across the whole breadth of the Sibillini mountain range. Just a few minutes drive from the pretty medieval town of Amandola with its festivals, culture and amenities and only 1hr15 from the airport at Ancona with Ryan connection to Stansted and Dusseldorf. Structurally sound, the main buildings has new roofs and work has only to be done of a cosmetic and interior nature. A must to see!

My walk with Bessie.
Yesterday was a despicable day, grey from end to end a damp and cold, with a mixture of snow and sleet. Mud everywhere. which the cats trailed through the house all day. In fact nobody about at all, so a shopkeeper told me this morning as I went to buy a panino and a can of coke (our lunch) for a walk up the Gola d'Infernaccio (the Throat of Hell) with Bessiedog.
Like an idiot, I though I could drive up the final two K, but I got as far as two metres before I realised it was a nogo (what was I thinking?). So we hiked it and as we got nearer to the gorge below, the snow got deeper and I could see even a 4X4 wouldn't have managed it.
And what a difference a day makes! Today is gorgeous and so it is.
And here's a pic of Bess along the track. You can't see it, but she's picking up deer spore; there was a time when she would've been off at the slightest scent but today she's more intent in getting her half of the panino, i.e the bit with the prosciuto.
















And here it is on a vidclip

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/