Why did you choose your Italian location?

[alma]

If we decided to move permanently to Italy we would have an awful dilemma as our holiday home would be too small and a bit too far from shops etc for permanent living. However we are completely in love with it and our neighbours and I couldn't bear to leave it. We just seem to belong there and have been completely welcomed by the local people.

[Noble]

alma has brought up something that until very recently, I had not thought about. We have a big house and a small house, and some land. We are high up and the winters are cold, so as we get older we may want to move...BUT we have so many Italian, good kind friends and neighbours now, so how will we cope with departing from here....or even confessing that we want to move at all?? Something to think about when planning your permanent purchase perhaps?

[Violetta]

Absolutely, Noble. The decision was made for us as our old house was so incredibly expensive to heat in the winter and we both agreed it would be insane to fork out so much money for a basic essential such as heat when we were older and on a lower income. (This is yet another reason why I urge everyone to experience a winter in Italy before deciding where to buy.)
The other thing too about a house that you're going to grow old in, you possibly won't need as much space as you initially think you will. It isn't the case where we are as property isn't particularly cheap but we have friends in France who've retired to simply massive houses merely because they appeared better value for money than the UK equivalent. Look hard at that large house and consider what you'll do or where the money will come from if you ever need a new roof or have to undertake any other major repairs.

[Robert Stoner]

I have not yet bought but am in the process of deciding on the location. My partner had a house in Umbria in a previous life and that was our starting point. We also looked at other areas, took holidys there, but they were discarded on grounds of climate, transport links, avoidance of dependence on the use by budget airlines of a particular airport together with a general sense of well being with an area. So we have decided on the Lake Trasimeno area of Umbria. Even finer tuning now needed to get closer to a final decision, given the current financial situation there is no immediate to decide.

[Violetta]

Robert, that's a good area, no doubt, for communications. Very sensible not be totally reliant on the cheapie airlines but from there you can get up to Pisa or down to the Rome airports really easily, plus Firenze if Meridiana flies anywhere near you in the UK. We find being within striking distance of both the A1 intersection at Chiusi AND the train station (only two changes to St Pancras) a godsend. Re when to invest in property, I've just come in from having tea with an Italian estate agent friend who said, and I quote, "now's a good time but it's only going to get better".

[Gala Placidia]

Robert, you are on the right track. As Violetta says, communications is a vital issue. Not only airlines but also trains or buses. You have to be able to get to your home without needing a car, if possible. I realised that when my husband broke his foot a couple of years ago and could not drive. This can happen to anyone. Medical facilities, easy banking, shopping and all those daily considerations have to be taken into account as well.

[elliven]

Got to know our town when taking groups of holiday-makers to cheap but crumbling monastery with a pool!.Sadly crumbling now renders dangerous. However found a house 10 min from the town but surrounded by olives and south-facing with views and being where we are without the price premium of Tuscany etc. Being one hour from Rome I find a real advantage coupled with the rural tranquility. Local people very kind and friendly, couldn't ask for more!
Suggest prospective re-locaters think outside of the Toscania-Umbria box and consider renting at first. On wish list - instant facility with Italian, ah well!

[patch2277]

Wow, what a great thread; thanks Caveman. Once again a very thought provoking batch of info from people who have been there and done that.