# Moving to Tuscany



## atalia

Hi there,
My husband and I currently live in The Algarve, Portugal. After seven years here we are looking for a change. I just wanted opinions on life in Tuscany. My husband works remotely therefore we can live anywhere within the EU.
Both of us love the region but have only experienced it from the holiday viewpoint. What is the reality?
Cheers,
Maria.


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## pudd 2

quite flat full of rich english expats not the real italy any more . and verry expencive even the floretines cant aford to spend much time in caffes and returants not a patch on abruzzo


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## atalia

pudd 2 said:


> quite flat full of rich english expats not the real italy any more . and verry expencive even the floretines cant aford to spend much time in caffes and returants not a patch on abruzzo


Had a feeling of this looking at the property prices. Will look to Abruzzo. Any advice.
Thanks for your reply BTW


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## pudd 2

atalia said:


> Had a feeling of this looking at the property prices. Will look to Abruzzo. Any advice.
> Thanks for your reply BTW


my advise on abruzzo would be rent for awhile or stay a week here and a week there Abruzzo is quete a large region . espeshaly the chieti region and changes from polulated with good roads and good acees to air ports and hospitals . to back of beyond wildeness with bad roads 
we were verry fortunate when we first came here 
we were piced up at the airport by a scout of a house agency and carted round the out of way ruins they wanted to shift 
In conversation i said i was a carpenter , ah said the rep il take you to the village of wood PRETORO and that is were we setled and retird to , we have pleasent sumers and mild winters , and are 20 mins from the sea and 30 mins from the sea paradiso


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## sheilamarsco

like pudd2 says abruzzo is a large region with very diverse scenery north in the teramo area has spectacular scenery and is largely undeveloped and rural think italy 40 years ago!! depends what you want but the region is gorgeous.


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## atalia

sheilamarsco said:


> like pudd2 says abruzzo is a large region with very diverse scenery north in the teramo area has spectacular scenery and is largely undeveloped and rural think italy 40 years ago!! depends what you want but the region is gorgeous.


Hiya and thanks both of you for replying.
I have been looking at property on the internet and it is really cheap compared to Tuscany. I have seen one in Teramo region.
Has either of you bought a period house and done it up? Seems to be a lot of "palaces" for sale.
Cheers, Maria.:fingerscrossed:


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## pudd 2

atalia said:


> Hiya and thanks both of you for replying.
> I have been looking at property on the internet and it is really cheap compared to Tuscany. I have seen one in Teramo region.
> Has either of you bought a period house and done it up? Seems to be a lot of "palaces" for sale.
> Cheers, Maria.:fingerscrossed:


as i said please stay a while in each area before you choose one or think of a property . as for ease to do up a house i would say a BIG no no , i have been in the building trade for 45 years and i have had my own firm , and run halfe milion jobs and grade two listed at that , but here in italy they treat you like you are a child rip you of and make it hard for you take it from me have the t shirt done that been there 
buy a house ready to go cheaper in the long run and less stressfull 
and since the new taxes , they are getting cheaper as the locals need to get rid 
For what it costs for planing and building regs to the comunes .you are half way to buying a move in ready house


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## sheilamarsco

i bought an old farmhouse and converted the downstairs agricultural area into a fabulous apartment it wasn't cheap so i now rent it in the summer to recoup and pay for the next lot of renovation. i think the best is to rent for a while and see which area suits the properties are much cheaper than in tuscany and the scenery fantastic but it depends on whether you are thinking to live here permanently or just a holiday home.


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## atalia

*Hello again*

Yet again, thanks for your replies. We currently rent out two small apartments on our land for the summer. Although not making a living from them, they certainly pay for all the animals expenses (I have quite a lot!).
My idea was to buy a ready-to-go house and then do a re-fit one as well. I have found that renting out property where you also live to have its down-side. Lack of privacy for both parties and so on.
I do dream of an old farm house with land. So maybe buy a holiday rentable with pool, live in that and buy one with land out in the countryside.
Ideally it would be good to rent with option to buy. That is happening a lot here in Portugal. people cant sell, so they are willing to rent.
I looked at Pretoro and it looks very nice. 
May I ask, what region are you in Sheilamarsco?
I should have mentioned, my son is eighteen, so no real worries about him and schools. My husband has his company in the UK still but only visits about every six weeks or so. I finally just want to write "The Book".
I think we would both like to be within striking distance to the coast. Also an International airport is important for the hubby, Simon.
So maybe that might narrow things down for suggestions from you both?
It is great that you are taking time out to answer my queries. I have done the same on the Portugal and NZ forums. I think it helps coming straight from people who are experienced.
So thank you to you both,
Maria.


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## sheilamarsco

pretoro is lovely i stayed there for a month while i was looking to buy so that might be worth a look but i fell in love with my house and the view of the mountains near bisenti so moved to the north of abruzzo. i live above the apartment that i rent out in the summer and don't mind the guests plus the extra money is very nice. they're only here for about 10 weeks all in all so it's not too intrusive. i have two and a half acres of land surrounding the house including an olive grove so it's quite labour intensive as i am here on my own and have been considering downsizing now that i'm getting on in years. there are many houses for sale now so you should be spoilt for choice it's just a matter of deciding which area you prefer. wherever you go in abruzzo you are never far from the mountains or the sea. good luck


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