# Roccaspinalveti... whats it like ?



## StephanieAl

Hi there, Im new to this forum and this is the first thread ive started. Im flying to Pescara on saturday to go and view a house in Roccaspinalveti, its west of san salvo and SW of vasto. Ive googled r
earthed myself around the village and although there are around 15000 residents, it doesnt look much of a pretty village. That doesnt matter to me as the house is cheap , beatiful and i can always drive for some life and visit nearby older towns/villages. 
Does anyone know where there are nice spots near by ? has anyone been to Roccaspinalveti ? can anyone tell me more about the surrounding areas ? the village its self is lived in by mostly farmers and much of the land is worked on. I guess the fact that its not so pretty is reflected in prices there but i need to know i can chip off to some spots for a bit of culture, people watching and drool over beautiful buidings.
Yours excited :fingerscrossed:


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## Bevdeforges

I'll admit to being not at all familiar with Italy - but on looking up Roccaspinalveti I couldn't help but notice how, um, remote the town seems to be. Be wary of buying a place simply because it's cheap. And take some time during your trip to explore the area around to see just how much "culture, people watching and drool over beautiful buildings" is on offer within a reasonable drive. If it's really an area of working farms, the neighbors may not be too impressed with a foreign "tourist" in their midst.
Cheers,
Bev


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## NickZ

StephanieAl said:


> Hi there, Im new to this forum and this is the first thread ive started. Im flying to Pescara on saturday to go and view a house in Roccaspinalveti, its west of san salvo and SW of vasto. Ive googled r
> earthed myself around the village and although there are around 15000 residents, it doesnt look much of a pretty village. That doesnt matter to me as the house is cheap , beatiful and i can always drive for some life and visit nearby older towns/villages.
> Does anyone know where there are nice spots near by ? has anyone been to Roccaspinalveti ? can anyone tell me more about the surrounding areas ? the village its self is lived in by mostly farmers and much of the land is worked on. I guess the fact that its not so pretty is reflected in prices there but i need to know i can chip off to some spots for a bit of culture, people watching and drool over beautiful buidings.
> Yours excited :fingerscrossed:


You've got an extra zero in the population. 

Looks like Vasto is more then a hour away by car. Rome would be close to three. So the question is how much are you willing to travel? 

The other question is what do you consider nice spots. You're closer to the mountains then the beaches. The "cultural" cities (Rome,Florence,etc) are easier to fly to from London then to drive from this area.

In other words don't consider this area if your goal is day trip into Rome or other western cities. Do it if you expect to spend most of your time at home or near by. Go to the beach. Or into the mountains.


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## pudd 2

i know this area verry well the roads are not good verry often in frana (landslip ) as the prvios poster said its miles from any where plus its verry high at 700 mts above sea level so verry cold and lots of snow but no ski resorts so not much incentive to keep the roads clear 
its not near a good hospital or aiport on those roads it would take you nearly two hours to get to pescara 
but dont bee in a hurry and place your dreams on a internet imamage , come here with a open mind and as i all ways say boots on the ground is the best way to find the house of your dreams 
i know this from exsperiance though coming here to abruzzo 14 years ago with images of dream houses and villages , only to be shown houses the italians did not want down grey roads miles from any ware and half the houses on the agents site at that time were even not for sale 
so come with a open mind not a preconcepted dream , ypou have lots of time and choices as therte are thousands of houses for sale at cheap prices , mind some cheap for a resion 
good luck come enjoy the food the wine the country side but take your time enjoy abruzzo


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## Newstart2016

Did you buy the house in Roccasplinaveti?
We are going out to look at property around the area next month 
Any comments you have would be welcome 
Thanks


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## pudd 2

Newstart2016 said:


> Did you buy the house in Roccasplinaveti?
> We are going out to look at property around the area next month
> Any comments you have would be welcome
> Thanks


just a silly question were in nofolk as we left norfolk 13 years ago to start a new life here in abruzzo and have not regreted it for a minute , i hope my question has not ofended you any way if you need any tips pr advise dont be afraid to ask :welcome:


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## Newstart2016

*A million thanks*

Thank you so much for getting back to me. ...my partner will be delighted to hear there is someone else from Norfolk in Italy..
He has some reservations but as I have lived there before and happy to jump in with both feet...
So yes please any advice you can give us would be great fully received....
Thank you once again


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## Div59

Hi.... New to this site/forum but I am enjoying the stories being shared. Me and my partner have a house just on the edge of Roccaspinalveti town and get over there 4/5 times a year. I have always found everyone pleasant and willing to help. Yes, it can be difficult driving to and from areas with road problems, but always managed. Roccaspinalveti is a wonderful little town and has all you need. The people living around the area do work the land, but that is what attracted us, seeing their life style which is better than driving the M25 for 5 hours a day to get to the office.


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## pudd 2

Div59 said:


> Hi.... New to this site/forum but I am enjoying the stories being shared. Me and my partner have a house just on the edge of Roccaspinalveti town and get over there 4/5 times a year. I have always found everyone pleasant and willing to help. Yes, it can be difficult driving to and from areas with road problems, but always managed. Roccaspinalveti is a wonderful little town and has all you need. The people living around the area do work the land, but that is what attracted us, seeing their life style which is better than driving the M25 for 5 hours a day to get to the office.


what are the roads like in the winter are they kept clear , and is there skiing nearby


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## Amblepup

As someone who has owned a property for 7 years in Abruzzo, not wishing to kill your dream, just heed advice from Pudd. A cheap house may be tempting. The building/renovation costs could end up costing more than the house, rules are strict re this work and I know people who have to keep re doing work and a cost of around 20.000 euro a year and after 3 years, still no completion of works. Many have had over estimated prices for their work. The place sounds quite isolating, think of being snowed in, a probably limited GP visiting 1-2 times a week, petrol spent having to go to supermarkets, post offices, banco mats, hospitals, etc., 
Do not feel rushed and you will loose out on a bargain
You can in a lot of cases, negotiate half the asking price
Find recommendations from locals re builders, not those attached to agencies
If Italian language is not that good, get yourself a translator not attached to an agency
Sorry to be negative about agencies, seen other and myself exploited with unhappy experiences. There are absolutely loads of beautiful homes fo sale as owners desperately wanting to sell 2nd homes. Take your time, there is no rush in Abruzzo, homes are not selling fast.


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## Newstart2016

*Doing the right thing*



Amblepup said:


> As someone who has owned a property for 7 years in Abruzzo, not wishing to kill your dream, just heed advice from Pudd. A cheap house may be tempting. The building/renovation costs could end up costing more than the house, rules are strict re this work and I know people who have to keep re doing work and a cost of around 20.000 euro a year and after 3 years, still no completion of works. Many have had over estimated prices for their work. The place sounds quite isolating, think of being snowed in, a probably limited GP visiting 1-2 times a week, petrol spent having to go to supermarkets, post offices, banco mats, hospitals, etc.,
> Do not feel rushed and you will loose out on a bargain
> You can in a lot of cases, negotiate half the asking price
> Find recommendations from locals re builders, not those attached to agencies
> If Italian language is not that good, get yourself a translator not attached to an agency
> Sorry to be negative about agencies, seen other and myself exploited with unhappy experiences. There are absolutely loads of beautiful homes fo sale as owners desperately wanting to sell 2nd homes. Take your time, there is no rush in Abruzzo, homes are not selling fast.


I am just sorting out everything to buy a house stuck on a hillside in Molise ~ yes it is isolated, needs work, but we feel in love with it... Even buying in this country things can go wrong and it is not straightforward... My bungalow here has taken 14 months to sell and we have dropped the price £20,000 finally just to move on... Life is all about living...so if you find a place you fall in love with ...then go for it... Yes beware of sharks both estate agents and builders but you find them anywhere ! And if you don't speak Italian you will need a lot of help.... We can't wait to get our place now,,, and are going in albeit starry eyed but they are wide open... And I have lived in Italy before so I know what I am dealing with .. Good luck in your quest for your dream


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## pudd 2

Amblepup said:


> As someone who has owned a property for 7 years in Abruzzo, not wishing to kill your dream, just heed advice from Pudd. A cheap house may be tempting. The building/renovation costs could end up costing more than the house, rules are strict re this work and I know people who have to keep re doing work and a cost of around 20.000 euro a year and after 3 years, still no completion of works. Many have had over estimated prices for their work. The place sounds quite isolating, think of being snowed in, a probably limited GP visiting 1-2 times a week, petrol spent having to go to supermarkets, post offices, banco mats, hospitals, etc.,
> Do not feel rushed and you will loose out on a bargain
> You can in a lot of cases, negotiate half the asking price
> Find recommendations from locals re builders, not those attached to agencies
> If Italian language is not that good, get yourself a translator not attached to an agency
> Sorry to be negative about agencies, seen other and myself exploited with unhappy experiences. There are absolutely loads of beautiful homes fo sale as owners desperately wanting to sell 2nd homes. Take your time, there is no rush in Abruzzo, homes are not selling fast.


A verry good post this take heed its the truth 
this is coming from me whos lived lived here for 12 years 
cant sau any more than what has been said above


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## maggie888

Agree with previous posters. Rocca is quite isolated, especially since the landslide of the winter before last. Having said that I do remember it has a couple of good supermarkets and a few restaurants. You might be better looking at the towns between the SS86 and SS650. The latter is a good straight run down to San Salvo and then 10 minutes the back way to Vasto. Try Palmoli, San Buono, Tufillo, Dogliola, Lentella, Fresagrandinaria. We bought a couple of years ago in Carunchio and couldn't be happier. The house was VERY cheap, fully centrally heated, and only needed cosmetic work like new tiles and a shower screen in the bathroom. We can be in San Salvo in 20 minutes. We can see the lights of Rocca from our terrace, but to get there takes us a good 40 minutes on the back roads. We have made good friends from the agency that sold us the house (don't think I'm allowed to say who) and they have been super helpful. So it is possible to buy a cheap cheap house, just take your time looking at the area and various towns till you find one you fall in love with.


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## JulieBO

StephanieAl said:


> Hi there, Im new to this forum and this is the first thread ive started. Im flying to Pescara on saturday to go and view a house in Roccaspinalveti, its west of san salvo and SW of vasto. Ive googled r
> earthed myself around the village and although there are around 15000 residents, it doesnt look much of a pretty village. That doesnt matter to me as the house is cheap , beatiful and i can always drive for some life and visit nearby older towns/villages.
> Does anyone know where there are nice spots near by ? has anyone been to Roccaspinalveti ? can anyone tell me more about the surrounding areas ? the village its self is lived in by mostly farmers and much of the land is worked on. I guess the fact that its not so pretty is reflected in prices there but i need to know i can chip off to some spots for a bit of culture, people watching and drool over beautiful buidings.
> Yours excited :fingerscrossed:




Just wondering did you ever go to Rocca? What happened? What did you think of the place?


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## GeordieBorn

The OP has not been on here since Jan16, so I doubt you will get a reply. The replies to their post are a very good description of the place one of the posters lived very nearby.


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## PauloPievese

Not far away, a marked highway in Gargano


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