# The Absolute Cheapest Places To Buy Small Apt/House



## dr_italia

Hello;

I am currently living a mobile lifestyle but I really find it tiring. I have a pension of about 950 Euros, and 9000 Euros in savings. 

I can go back to work in States and fairly easily save up 20-25k Euro. 

I have Italian and USA passports ( Dual Citizenship) . I don't know if I can get an Italian mortgage with , say, half down . on a 40-50 Euro property. 

I think most people worry about shops and such nearby, I'm the opposite, I would love 
someplace where no one bothers me as long as I can get internet, electricity and water. If I could get somewhere pretty where I have to go the a cafe to get internet I could probably deal with that. 

In the USA you can go into the mountains of California and get small, run down houses for 15K in the colder Northern California. 

I'd prefer to find out the locations that are cheapest rather than discouraging replies stating that he only home worth having is a middle class home of 150K or more, and I should work for 10 more years to get one. People have been happily living in 3x5 meter cottages for millennia.


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## NickZ

dr_italia;1039244 I don't know if I can get an Italian mortgage with said:


> Basically zero chance on the mortgage. Between the low amount of the loan and the lack of an Italian credit rating you've already been denied by most lenders. Age and lack of Italian employment income would make the rest say no.
> 
> I can't tell if your budget is 25K-30K in move in condition or before reno work?
> 
> Either way if you avoid the touristy areas then you should be spoiled for choice.
> 
> Understanding the issues you'll face. Many of the cheaper places will require a car. You need to budget that. Internet will be by cell phone providers at best.
> 
> If you're really willing to accept a smallish place your budget is high enough to find a monolocale (small studio) in many smaller provincial towns.
> 
> NB touristy areas aren't just the areas the non Italian tourists flock to.


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## dr_italia

Thanks for your reply. I really want to get out from under paying landlords. 

*I can't tell if your budget is 25K-30K in move in condition or before reno work?
*
> I guess this is really two issues:
1) Conveniences and finishing I would like to have
2) The legality of using a place as a residence. 

As long as I have hot water, refrigerator, and the place doesn't smell horrible (mold
etc) I don't care much about run-down floors, dirty walls etc to be honest. 

I know how to use tools and can do a lot of things like installing windows on my own. 
i'm not qualified to do electrical wiring and the like. 
*
Understanding the issues you'll face. Many of the cheaper places will require a car. You need to budget that. Internet will be by cell phone providers at best.*

I can get a donorcycle, I mean motorcycle as well. 

*If you're really willing to accept a smallish place your budget is high enough to find a monolocale (small studio) in many smaller provincial towns.*

This is encouraging, even the Northern rural areas like farm areas near the Mortirolo have small places like that? 

*NB touristy areas aren't just the areas the non Italian tourists flock to 
*

You mean I must avoid two types of places, places foreign tourists like and and places Italian tourists like as well?


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## NickZ

Hot water at most means installing a new heater. If there is an old one it's likely outdated and expensive to run.

Italians tend to take kitchens with them so you should expect to install a basic kitchen. Sink to stove and fridge.

I just glanced at casa.it. I see smallish places in Umbria starting at 14K. That's Umbria which isn't exactly unheard of . If you read Italian surf the sites aimed at Italians.

Tourists will happily pay more then your budget for a weekend place. There are areas that a tumble down house needing ALOT of work will be more then your budget because the second home types will pay.

OTOH similar or even far nicer homes can be found in other areas in your budget.

Just understand the small places will be cheap because most Italians don't want them. They are either too small for a family. Or in small towns with no work. You need to accept that these aren't the types of homes that get flipped. You buy and tend to keep the place no matter what.


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## BBCWatcher

dr_italia said:


> I can go back to work in States and fairly easily save up 20-25k Euro.


I like that idea. More capital would be helpful if you're set on buying.

I would also check in Puglia when you're ready.


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## pudd 2

dr_italia said:


> Hello;
> 
> I am currently living a mobile lifestyle but I really find it tiring. I have a pension of about 950 Euros, and 9000 Euros in savings.
> 
> I can go back to work in States and fairly easily save up 20-25k Euro.
> 
> I have Italian and USA passports ( Dual Citizenship) . I don't know if I can get an Italian mortgage with , say, half down . on a 40-50 Euro property.
> 
> I think most people worry about shops and such nearby, I'm the opposite, I would love
> someplace where no one bothers me as long as I can get internet, electricity and water. If I could get somewhere pretty where I have to go the a cafe to get internet I could probably deal with that.
> 
> In the USA you can go into the mountains of California and get small, run down houses for 15K in the colder Northern California.
> 
> I'd prefer to find out the locations that are cheapest rather than discouraging replies stating that he only home worth having is a middle class home of 150K or more, and I should work for 10 more years to get one. People have been happily living in 3x5 meter cottages for millennia.


hi here in abruzzo small houses are becoming cheaper by the day due to the new tax emu , as manny peple have kept houses for ther children when there parents have died now some people are payingf tax on 3 houses 
only the other day i was told of a ready to move into small houe for twenty thousand eros and ther will be lots more to follow


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## Oritana Linda

Hi there!
I will not be discouraging, but realistic! I jumped in with both feet at the deep end myself and find myself in huge amounts of trouble right now, but if I hadn't taken a chance I would not have been here....
With your budget I would say:
Move into a small town where you do not need a car or motorcycle, as we are paying for an 13yrs old Opel Corsa 180Euro / year in taxes + ca 1000Euro/year for insurance.
Electricity bill just hit us with triple figures from last year, heating can be very expensive wheter its Gas or Electricity.
To get a mortgage is impossible, or as near impossible as it can be! But if you get yourself into a small place which needs work you can get many things done extremely cheap especially since you speak Italian. 
Best of luck and I think Puglia is a good bet since it is the warmest place, as in heating needed less...


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## rickzullo

Interesting discussion. I'm renting in Rome now, but my wife is pregnant and we're considering a similar type of move--buying a small (two bedroom) place in a smaller town within 2-3 years. She is from Sicily, but has also lived in Tuscany before moving to Rome. Puglia is appealing to us, but we're also considering moving back to Sicily. Anybody have any thoughts on Sicily? I know there are huge problems with the infrastructure, but that can be said all over the south (or even Italy in general).


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## NickZ

Why not stay in Lazio? Take out the railroad map and look at all those towns. From Cassino in the south all the way north into Tuscany/Umbria many of those small towns aren't exactly expensive.

If you don't mind a bit of quake risk and higher altitude then check all the towns along the highway to Pescara

Plus don't forget to include all costs. If you pick a town that requires you to drive everyplace or one that is colder then those costs will offset any savings over time.


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## joyce ann karlsson

Hi dr_italia ! I agree with u pertaining to living conditions. You can get cheap property from Better property Abruzzo for a few hundred euros or in puglia at professionscasa.it-


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## marcuzzo

I think the cheapest properties are in the more mountainous areas, Lazio, Abruzzo, southern Marche and Umbria, are all in easy reach of Rome, you can still find properties for €15000, however they will need considerable work doing on them, what may seem to be a good buy, can be a money pit, have the property looked at by a professional before you sign anything, a few hundred euros spent beforehand could save many many thousands later...


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## pudd 2

marcuzzo said:


> I think the cheapest properties are in the more mountainous areas, Lazio, Abruzzo, southern Marche and Umbria, are all in easy reach of Rome, you can still find properties for €15000, however they will need considerable work doing on them, what may seem to be a good buy, can be a money pit, have the property looked at by a professional before you sign anything, a few hundred euros spent beforehand could save many many thousands later...


verry good advise , take your time and seek advise from a neutral party if you are in doute


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## seems

I'm sorry if it's considered spam and feel free to remove my message if it breaks any rules, but I'm an Italian expat in the UK and I am a professional translator - if you need any researches on Italian websites or translations, feel free to contact me


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