Take two in Italy - an apartment scheme on the 14th hole of a golf course beside Lake Garda, and restored houses in a 14th century village in Liguria. Kate McMorrowreports
Lake Garda/from €222,000
Apartments overlooking the 14th hole on a championship golf course beside Lake Garda in northern Italy hit the market this week through Savills Hamilton Osborne King.
Prices at Residence Expéria are from €222,200 to €311,300 for one-bed units while two-beds cost from €348,700 to €370,700. The homes range in size from 60-100sq m (645-1,076sq ft). One underground car-parking space is included in the price of each unit.
Set in Peschiera Del Garda, the on-site facilities at Residence Expéria include a private swimming pool, common areas and the Parc Hotel which has three restaurants, three bars, two outdoor swimming pools, wellness centre and Turkish bath.
The par 71 Golf Club Paradiso Del Garda was designed by Jim Fazio and covers an area of 800,000sq m. Residents at Residence Expéria benefit from discounts of up to 20 per cent at the hotel and golf club.
Other nearby facilities include the Gardaland theme park, which attracts over 3 million visitors a year, and a well-equipped ski centre at Sky Station Mount Baldo.
Lake Garda is one of Italy's most popular tourist destinations. Its Alpine backdrop is ideal for many outdoor pursuits.
The area is about 40kms from Verona and 20kms from Brescia. Ryanair flies to Milan-Bergamo, which is about an hour from Residence Expéria.
The development is complete. Annual management charges are around €1,000, inclusive of administration costs, gardening and pool maintenance. According to the agent, average rental costs in the area are between €500 and €900 per week.
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Liguria/from €160,000
Once a druid shrine and later a Roman fortress, the historical centre of Bajardo in Liguria was abandoned in 1887 by its inhabitants, who moved further down the slopes after an earthquake.
Bajardo is still a living village of 350 inhabitants, 900 metres above sea level in the Maritime Alps and surrounded by the olive groves for which Liguria is renowned.
It's about 20 minutes from the resort of San Remo and within easy reach of Nice airport.
Summers are hot, although not the stifling heat of the Riviera coast; winters are mild and rainfall can be torrential in autumn. Liguria's mountain valleys are known for their slow-food restaurants, where olive oil, truffles and wild boar are specialities.
Plans for the redevelopment of Bajardo as an eco-project, under the direction of preservation architect Alberto Pulinetti, are progressing and a collection of vine-covered 14th century houses are being transformed into apartments, combining the newest technology with respect for traditional features. Stones, arches and carruggi pathways will be retained and a borgo-albergo or village taverna will be the social centre.
Energy will come from solar power, biomass and fuel cell. Studios for artists and centres for regional produce are envisaged.
The picturesque walls of the church that replaced the fortress in the 17th century are to be preserved.
Some of the houses are now at roof level and agents Realinvest have launched phase one at Bajardo, with prices ranging from €160,000 to €380,000 for one to three-bedroom apartments.
Buyers will need to add transaction costs and VAT to this - 10 per cent VAT for permanent residents who stay for at least six months of the year and 3 per cent for more occasional users.
The apartments will come with wood or terracotta floors, slate hall areas and either a garden or terrace.
Kitchens are not included in Italian new homes, but a top quality furniture package including kitchen will cost €16,000 plus 17.5 per cent VAT for a one-bedroom apartment.
www.realitalia.co.uk . 0044 207 3767919
