I have Sicilian roots and have been there several times. Sicily is my favourite region in Italy for its unique combination of culture, food, landscape and weather. Palermo is the prettiest city by far but Catania is not bad either. More than Etna the scariest thing in Catania is the hot summer (I mean very very hot). Palermo has great weather and a unique bland of cultures but - boy oh boy - traffic is something else 😂 I second Trapani. Small city but great connections to the islands like Favignana and airport nearby. Also Palermo, Erice and Marsala are pretty close by. I love Siracusa but the real gem is old town Siracusa Ibla and that’s pretty expensive to buy but I won’t buy there. I would opt for a property just nearby (easier to park and avoid the crazy traffic in summer). If you want a laid back city I think both Modica and Ragusa are great options. Lovely historic city centres, beaches nearby and also the Comiso airport right next door (ok not many flights but nevertheless…). Agrigento except for the Temples valley is just ugly. Also in the city centre there is not much going on and it’s pretty unremarkable. I have relatives there and I don’t look forward to visiting them 😂 My favourite spot is probably Noto. It’s a small city in the south east of the island. It’s an UNESCO heritage town. City centre is amazing. Beaches are nearby. Food is awesome. Great for families. Great people. And also due to the tourism is exceptionally well kept. Summer can be challenging with 40ºC+ easily, although the beach is just 15 minutes drive. Been away from Italy for almost 20 years now, if I have to take into account price for square meters, services, connections and all I would recommend to buy in Sicily, Abruzzo, and Umbria (in this order) and potentially Friuli Venezia Giulia (near Trieste or the coast)
@vittoriopapa1979 - Thank you so much for these detailed tips!! I am French and lived in Italy 1 year (near Milan) before staying in the UK. I can't afford to buy here so Sicily is always on my mind. I can work remotly but worried when I have to travel that my house could get burgled. I think I should go for a gated place (which obviously would be more expensive), however, I am not sure they are many around in the places you listed, do you know?
@ hope that was useful. I live in Luxembourg and I can’t / won’t buy a property here either so I totally see where you come from. If you can work remotely, Italy is a great option. I have a very good friend from Ireland that bought a property in Abruzzo for a great price (I think around €80k - walk in condition) since she can work remotely for several weeks (90m2+ house with a plot of land with olive trees, with mountains view and 40 minutes drive to the beach and Pescara airport). Back to your question I think you are right. If I were you I will look for an apartment (maybe a penthouse if budget allows) with a big terrace rather than a house. Cheaper to maintain, no garden to look after and with a communal entrance I believe it will be quite safe while you are away. (In small towns in italy the neighbours will keep on eye on you r property anyway). Also it could be rented out via Airbnb while you are not there (a few years ago I asked an agency in Noto and they asked for 20% for a full service - advertising, booking, cleaning, invoicing - it’s quite steep alright but better than leaving it empty.
Thank you for your feedback. It seems you agree with most of my options. I like Noto but prices are over 1800 Euros per sqm which of course is not very expensive but in comaprison to my top 5 is not as good value for money.I agree with Abruzzo and especially Umbria (very cheap property pretty much everywhere) and I love Trieste as a city but the rest of Fruili in particular cities like Udine, Gorizia and Pordenone but I guess each to their own.
Buying an apartment would be a safer option. The good news is that Italy is introducing a new crimes and penalties bill for those who illegally occupy a property which could result in prison sentence between 2 and 7 years. I believe there are about 20000 properties that are currently occupied by squatters in Italy. There are not that many gated communities and those that exist tend to be on the expensive side.
Here is my top 5 places to buy list; 1- Tbilisi 2- Antalia 3- Lviv 4- Plovdiv 5- Natal Those places are a Lot cheaper and have great potentialfor the future
I agree with Plovdiv. Unfortunatelty Tbilisi is unstable at the moment. I will be doing a top ten of where to invest in property in the not too distant future.
@@andreionea1840 Palermo has taken great strides in dealing with crime! The young shop owners and restaurant chefs have really stepped up to get rid of organized crime. Is there petty crime, yes! But gun violence and other major criminal issues are dealt with quickly.
Sicily is beautiful, but there is a trash problem. Hopefully, the Sicilian government will get a handle on it soon. I'm actually moving there this month!
The investment is unlikely to yield more than 4-5% net returns. High taxes are a significant factor, with the simplified 21% rental income tax being particularly burdensome since no deductions for expenses (e.g., property management, repairs) are allowed. Airbnb doesn’t seem like a viable option either. Even with a high occupancy rate of 240 days per year and an average rate of €80 per night, the net income-after taxes, property management fees, and maintenance-would be around €8,000. This is for a property costing at least €150,000 plus purchasing costs. Long-term rentals are also not attractive in Italy. Overall, I don't see a compelling opportunity here.
I would argue if you are getting 5% net yield in a Western European city with very low property prices and hence very little downside but good potential upside than that is an investment worth considering.
personally, since I cannot afford to pay bodyguards, I won't move to Italy, or Portugal, or any of these southern countries. Do you have any points on some safer countries? cheers from Switzerland
@@saveandinvestwithgiorgiolo8375 yes, i was mugged in Milano. almost beaten in Barcelona. So won't go there anymore. Can't imagina what scumbags are in the poorer regions
Unfortunately I have to agree with you on Barcelona and I would never live there. It is the pickpocket capital of Europe and a few years ago I was also attacked. Milan is much better but not the best of what Italy has too offer. It is the city with the most crime in Italy.
@joelfaulk Joe, Sicily is definitely NOT filthy. Yes, there is a garbage problem in the cities like Palermo and Catania. This has been a problem for years. I travel to Sicily a lot and I can see steps being taken to deal with the trash issue, but it's still a problem. The countryside is clean and very beautiful!
I have Sicilian roots and have been there several times. Sicily is my favourite region in Italy for its unique combination of culture, food, landscape and weather.
Palermo is the prettiest city by far but Catania is not bad either. More than Etna the scariest thing in Catania is the hot summer (I mean very very hot). Palermo has great weather and a unique bland of cultures but - boy oh boy - traffic is something else 😂
I second Trapani. Small city but great connections to the islands like Favignana and airport nearby. Also Palermo, Erice and Marsala are pretty close by.
I love Siracusa but the real gem is old town Siracusa Ibla and that’s pretty expensive to buy but I won’t buy there. I would opt for a property just nearby (easier to park and avoid the crazy traffic in summer).
If you want a laid back city I think both Modica and Ragusa are great options. Lovely historic city centres, beaches nearby and also the Comiso airport right next door (ok not many flights but nevertheless…).
Agrigento except for the Temples valley is just ugly. Also in the city centre there is not much going on and it’s pretty unremarkable. I have relatives there and I don’t look forward to visiting them 😂
My favourite spot is probably Noto. It’s a small city in the south east of the island. It’s an UNESCO heritage town. City centre is amazing. Beaches are nearby. Food is awesome. Great for families. Great people. And also due to the tourism is exceptionally well kept. Summer can be challenging with 40ºC+ easily, although the beach is just 15 minutes drive.
Been away from Italy for almost 20 years now, if I have to take into account price for square meters, services, connections and all I would recommend to buy in Sicily, Abruzzo, and Umbria (in this order) and potentially Friuli Venezia Giulia (near Trieste or the coast)
@vittoriopapa1979 - Thank you so much for these detailed tips!! I am French and lived in Italy 1 year (near Milan) before staying in the UK. I can't afford to buy here so Sicily is always on my mind. I can work remotly but worried when I have to travel that my house could get burgled. I think I should go for a gated place (which obviously would be more expensive), however, I am not sure they are many around in the places you listed, do you know?
@ hope that was useful. I live in Luxembourg and I can’t / won’t buy a property here either so I totally see where you come from. If you can work remotely, Italy is a great option. I have a very good friend from Ireland that bought a property in Abruzzo for a great price (I think around €80k - walk in condition) since she can work remotely for several weeks (90m2+ house with a plot of land with olive trees, with mountains view and 40 minutes drive to the beach and Pescara airport).
Back to your question I think you are right. If I were you I will look for an apartment (maybe a penthouse if budget allows) with a big terrace rather than a house. Cheaper to maintain, no garden to look after and with a communal entrance I believe it will be quite safe while you are away. (In small towns in italy the neighbours will keep on eye on you r property anyway). Also it could be rented out via Airbnb while you are not there (a few years ago I asked an agency in Noto and they asked for 20% for a full service - advertising, booking, cleaning, invoicing - it’s quite steep alright but better than leaving it empty.
Thank you for your feedback. It seems you agree with most of my options. I like Noto but prices are over 1800 Euros per sqm which of course is not very expensive but in comaprison to my top 5 is not as good value for money.I agree with Abruzzo and especially Umbria (very cheap property pretty much everywhere) and I love Trieste as a city but the rest of Fruili in particular cities like Udine, Gorizia and Pordenone but I guess each to their own.
Buying an apartment would be a safer option. The good news is that Italy is introducing a new crimes and penalties bill for those who illegally occupy a property which could result in prison sentence between 2 and 7 years. I believe there are about 20000 properties that are currently occupied by squatters in Italy. There are not that many gated communities and those that exist tend to be on the expensive side.
I would definitely not buy in Luxembourg and 20% is about standard in Italy.
Love these picks. You are right I hadn't heard of Bagheria .I'll definitely make it part of my research . Thank you very much!😍
Thanks again Maria. I am sure the vast majority of people on here have not heard of Bagheria.
How about top 5 in 7% tax rate?....
Will be doing this video in the not too distant future.
Here is my top 5 places to buy list;
1- Tbilisi
2- Antalia
3- Lviv
4- Plovdiv
5- Natal
Those places are a Lot cheaper and have great potentialfor the future
I agree with Plovdiv. Unfortunatelty Tbilisi is unstable at the moment. I will be doing a top ten of where to invest in property in the not too distant future.
Isn't Lviv under regular aerial assault of late? One could comprehend why real estate is cheap there.
Lviv I think is too risky at the moment due to the war although it could be a place to consider for the future.
@@runderwo No. I have spent about 3 months near that part of Ukraine. Early in the war they had a few sporadic missiles in the area.
I love Sicily but I have some concerns about safety, especially regarding Palermo. What do you think?
In actual fact there is more crime in cities like Milan, Rimini and Bologna than Palermo.
@@saveandinvestwithgiorgiolo8375 great channel btw 👍
Many thanks Andrei
@@andreionea1840 Palermo has taken great strides in dealing with crime! The young shop owners and restaurant chefs have really stepped up to get rid of organized crime. Is there petty crime, yes! But gun violence and other major criminal issues are dealt with quickly.
What does the market for detached houses look like?
I will do a separate video on this but generally villas in Sicily are also very good value for money.
The video keeps mentioning that many prices are down significantly from a few years ago; what is the reason for the fall in prices?
They went down mainly for economic reasons but Italy is in better shape now and prices are starting to rise again.
What about Noto?
I like Noto but Real Estate is not that cheap at an average of 1800 Euros per sqm
@emiliegray6737 extremely beautiful and Baroque!
True but I still think prices are a too high for what it offers.
Sicily is beautiful, but there is a trash problem. Hopefully, the Sicilian government will get a handle on it soon. I'm actually moving there this month!
May I ask where in Sicily you are moving to.
I'm moving to the province of Catania. Motta SanAnastasia
Wow you will not find many expats there. Property is very cheap.
How about earthquakes?
Messina and around are the most at risk.
The investment is unlikely to yield more than 4-5% net returns. High taxes are a significant factor, with the simplified 21% rental income tax being particularly burdensome since no deductions for expenses (e.g., property management, repairs) are allowed. Airbnb doesn’t seem like a viable option either. Even with a high occupancy rate of 240 days per year and an average rate of €80 per night, the net income-after taxes, property management fees, and maintenance-would be around €8,000. This is for a property costing at least €150,000 plus purchasing costs. Long-term rentals are also not attractive in Italy. Overall, I don't see a compelling opportunity here.
I would argue if you are getting 5% net yield in a Western European city with very low property prices and hence very little downside but good potential upside than that is an investment worth considering.
personally, since I cannot afford to pay bodyguards, I won't move to Italy, or Portugal, or any of these southern countries. Do you have any points on some safer countries? cheers from Switzerland
Have you ever been to Italy or Portugal? These countries are safer than countries like the US/Canada or the UK.
@@saveandinvestwithgiorgiolo8375 yes, i was mugged in Milano. almost beaten in Barcelona. So won't go there anymore. Can't imagina what scumbags are in the poorer regions
@@saveandinvestwithgiorgiolo8375 yes, I've been mugged in Milano, harassed in Barcelona. never going back there.
Unfortunately I have to agree with you on Barcelona and I would never live there. It is the pickpocket capital of Europe and a few years ago I was also attacked. Milan is much better but not the best of what Italy has too offer. It is the city with the most crime in Italy.
Murican meaning American.
I keep hearing Sicily is filthy. Is this true?
No
@@Kikerikiki Unfortuntely this is true.
@@Kikerikiki That is not exactly a ringing endorsement
@joelfaulk Joe,
Sicily is definitely NOT filthy. Yes, there is a garbage problem in the cities like Palermo and Catania. This has been a problem for years. I travel to Sicily a lot and I can see steps being taken to deal with the trash issue, but it's still a problem. The countryside is clean and very beautiful!
@@jamesingram7203 I agree Sicily is definitely not dirty. It has improved a lot over the last few years.