• Ski sector celebrates increase in travellers for first time since 2007/08 (Crystal)
• Italy attracts 47.7 million annual visitors (WTO)
• Luxury sea and ski Italian holiday home from just £65k (Appassionata)

Travellers looking to escape the grey skies of the UK this winter are currently eyeing up southern Europe and, as ever, Italy is one of the top destinations for those looking for some winter sun.

“Italy is incredibly popular as a winter holiday destination,” comments Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, founder of fractional ownership company Appassionata, who moved to Italy with her family in 2004. “Here in Le Marche there is so much to do during the winter months. The coastline offers some stunning scenery and extends for over 100 miles, making it perfect for walking, hiking and cycling holidays.

“The slopes of the Sibillini Mountains are also extremely popular, with everyone from amateurs to wannabe pros donning their snow boots and grabbing their skis or snowboards. We find that, for many of our owners, the combination of sea and ski provides the ultimate winter holiday experience.”

The owners Dawn refers to are those who have purchased shares in Appassionata’s luxury fractional ownership properties, which include stunning rural houses such as Casa Leopardi, complete with a roaring fire that is perfect for snuggling in front of with a book and a glass of wine from grapes grown on the estate as twilight falls on a winter evening.

Appassionata’s latest fractional ownership property – the three bedrooms, three bathroom Casa Tre Archi – is ideal for those looking to head south for some winter sunshine. The spacious property boasts outdoor space on three levels, allowing owners to maximise their time in the sun. In the medieval hilltop town of Petritoli, the townhouse is perfectly located for local shops and restaurants while also providing easy access to the Sibillini Mountains and the coastal town of Pedaso, which is famous for its fabulous seafood restaurants, large fish market and some of the best mussels in Italy. A one tenth fraction in Casa Tre Archi, which entitles the owner to five weeks’ exclusive use per year, costs from £65,000. Just one share remains available at this special offer price.

Overall, Italy attracted 47.7 million visitors in 2013, according to the World Tourism Organization. While big cities such as Rome and Milan and well-known areas such as Tuscany attracted their fair share of tourists, those seeking out the ‘real Italy’ are increasingly heading to Le Marche and many of them are looking to ski during the winter months.

In fact, for Brits looking to ski overseas, the 2012/13 season marked a turnaround in the market, with a 1% increase year on year in the number of skiers travelling abroad. It is the first time the sector has seen an increase since its 2007/08 peak, according to the Crystal Ski Report, but with countries such as Italy doing all they can to court tourists over the winter months, it seems that the 2013/14 season might be an even better one.

For more information on fractional ownership and the wonders of life in Le Marche, contact the Appassionata team on +39 33154 13225 or visit www.appassionata.com.

• Nationwide property sales up 4.1% (Nomisma)
• Foreign-owned small businesses up 44% (CAN)
• 5.1% increase in organised international travel projected (ISNART)

It’s fair to say that Italy has had something of a bumpy ride over the past few years. Although the path to economic prosperity is proving to be a long and winding one, there are numerous rays of hope for the boot-shaped country, with the most recent figures indicating that Italy’s property market could finally be on the up once more.

Recent data from the Nomisma economic research institute has shown that both residential and commercial property transactions in Italy increased during Q1 2014. Nomisma’s Real Estate Market Report registered an increase in nationwide sales of 4.1% for the quarter compared to the same period in 2013. The news has been welcomed by those in the property sector, as Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, founder of fractional ownership company Appassionata, confirms,

“The past few years have been tough for Italy and it’s great to see property sales figures heading in the right direction again. There are some real bargains on the market right now and there is a buzz of excitement about the sector once more.”

Dawn certainly knows her stuff when it comes to Italian property. Since moving from the UK to Italy in 2004, she and her family have purchased and renovated four fabulous Italian properties, carefully coaxing luxury fractional ownership holiday homes out of the rubble of former buildings. Their company, Appassionata, has just released its latest offering to the market – the three bedroom, three bathroom Casa Tre Archi, which is available from £65,000 for a one tenth share, with owners entitled to five weeks’ usage of the property per year.

Dawn and the Appassionata family team are representative of a rising trend of foreigners who are driving forward Italy’s economy. Figures from the Unioncamere and Infocamere chambers of commerce and the Rome unit of the National Confederation of Artisans and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (CAN) show that small businesses owned by foreigners surged by 44% between April and June this year. As well as European business owners such as Dawn, Moroccan entrepreneurs have a strong presence (accounting for some 63,000 of the 325,000 non-European-owned entities), as do Chinese businesspeople (accounting for 46,000 companies).

Foreign income from tourism is also boosting Italy’s economy, with the US, Australia and China all providing plentiful long-haul visitors according to figures from the Bank of Italy and the Centre National Tourist Unioncamere-ISNART, with an increase of 5.1% in organised international travel forecast. Visitors from the US during 2013 accounted for a total of 30.61 million overnight stays in Italian accommodation – 9.5% of the total number of foreign overnight stays.

Appassionata’s fractional ownership holiday homes contributed to this figure, with Dawn listing American owners amongst those who have purchased fractions,

“Our fractional ownership holiday homes are truly international when it comes to their owners. We have owners from as far afield as the US and South Africa, as well as numerous countries closer to home.”

With foreign entrepreneurial spirit and foreign income flowing into Italy in such quantities, adding to domestic efforts to enhance the country’s economic situation, it is hoped that the road ahead may be a little smoother for Italy over the coming years.

For more information on fractional ownership and the wonders of life in Le Marche, contact the Appassionata team on +39 33154 13225 or visit www.appassionata.com.

• Italian hilltop towns draw tourists from around the world (Appassionata)
• Italy is favourite country for second year in a row (Conde Nast Traveller)
• Hilltop living available from as little as £65,000 (Appassionata)

Italy has been crowned the favourite country for the second year running by Conde Nast Traveller readers. Everything from its beaches to its shopping has impressed visitors, with food and culture receiving particularly high ratings.

World-class cities like Rome and Milan are a delight to visit, but those wishing to look a little deeper into the history of this fascinating country need to head out into the countryside, where ancient hilltop towns provide glimpses of a past steeped in rich tradition.

Italy’s iconic hilltop towns were built for defensive purposes. Settlers could sit upon the hilltop and see anyone who approached with enough warning to ready their town’s defences. Early hilltop towns were built with stone and wood, until the Middle Ages brought thick stone walls, watchtowers and sturdy gates into the equation. The Renaissance then added churches packed with works of art to even the most remote of hilltop towns, creating a wonderful voyage of discovery for future generations.

Italy’s ancient hilltop towns remain of interest to this day. Tourists can’t get enough of them, as Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, owner of fractional ownership company Appassionata and hilltop town connoisseur, observes,

“Hilltop towns have an incredible charm that draws tourists to them and captures their hearts and imaginations when they visit. There is something about the thick stone walls, cobbled narrow streets and ancient architecture that brings the past to life, giving visitors a sense of days gone by that no museum can quite match.”

It is in the medieval hilltop town of Petritoli in Le Marche that Appassionata has developed its latest luxury urban factional ownership holiday home, Casa Tre Archi. In fact, the town’s ancient defences actually form part of the house, with the curved watchtower wall creating a delightful feature in the living room and roof terrace. The house is named after the three arches, which provide entry into Petritoli and from which it was most heavily guarded in years gone by.

With the need for armed defence thankfully now ancient history, Petritoli’s arches are open and welcoming to visitors from around the world, as more and more people discover the delights of hilltop living. Casa Tre Archi’s prime position affords owners views of the surrounding Le Marche countryside from the property’s generously proportioned roof terrace, while three bedrooms and three bathrooms provide room for the whole family. Fractions are available from £65,000 for five weeks’ exclusive usage per year.

For more information on fractional ownership and the wonders of life in Le Marche, contact the Appassionata team on +39 33154 13225 or visit www.appassionata.com.

• Property prices 35% lower than neighbouring Tuscany (Magic Marche)
• Urban fractional property causing a stir from £65,000 (Appassionata)
• Direct enquiries up 300% in H1 2014 (Magic Marche)

“The best of Italy all wrapped up in one place.”

This is how local estate agent Jane Smith, of Magic Marche, sums up Italy’s stunning Le Marche region, and it’s easy to see why. With everything from snow-capped mountains to Blue Flag beaches, interspersed with rolling hills dotted with medieval towns and scattered with olive trees, grapevines and fragrant lavender bushes, the area cannot help but charm upon sight. The cuisine blends fine dining with a farm to table countryside ethos that existed long before the concept began to trend. The organic wine is soft on the palate and gentle on the head.

While wild horses roam the region’s two national parks, the descendants of ancient Italian families still promenade through the narrow, picturesque streets of hilltop towns, making their way between charming churches and tiny delis over which foodies the world over would be green with envy.

The town of Petritoli is typical of the unspoilt, essential ‘Italian-ness’ of the region. Out of its 2,500 permanent residents, only six full time families are from the UK – testament to the undiscovered nature of Le Marche. Those who know the area feel privileged to have experienced it.

Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs owner of fractional ownership company Appassionata and Petritoli resident explains,

“Le Marche is one of those little pockets of the world that you want to both shout about to everyone you know and keep secret at the same time, so that it remains so perfectly unspoilt.”

Dawn and her family moved to the region in 2007, setting up a business that has managed to do just that, thanks to the fractional nature of the luxury holiday homes that Appassionata painstakingly renovates. The arrangement allows families to own their own slice of Le Marche (at a fraction of the usual cost of buying a second home), with each owner using their property for five weeks of the year. Le Marche avoids being overrun with holiday home owners, yet a few lucky families from around the world get to experience the area’s delights (at the same time as making a property investment that they can pass down through their family).

Owners of Appassionata’s luxury properties hail from around the globe, including South African, Swiss, Italian, Scottish, Irish, English, American and French nationals. Magic Marche’s Jane Smith has experienced a similar level of international interest. The company’s direct enquiries were up 300% during H1 2014 and though 70% of enquirers were from the UK, others ranged from as far afield as the Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, the US, Switzerland and the UAE. Le Marche is also a popular area for domestic holidaymakers, with many Italians retreating from the heat and overcrowding of summer in Italy’s cities to revel in its glorious countryside and coastline.

With property prices some 35% lower than in neighbouring Tuscany, according to Magic Marche, and fractional ownership providing holiday home owners with far more luxury than they could individually afford, it is perhaps unsurprising that Appassionata’s latest offering, the three bedroom, three bathroom Casa Tre Archi, has already sold three fractions, despite the renovation work on the property having only just been completed.

With plentiful outside space, including a roof terrace with views of the rolling countryside, and a curved, turret feature wall in the living room that is actually part of Petritoli’s ancient fortifications, the property is certainly packed with delights. Fractions are available from £65,000.

For more information on fractional ownership and the wonders of life in Le Marche, contact the Appassionata team on +39 33154 13225 or visit www.appassionata.com.

Buying and renovating a property overseas is a bold move, particularly in a country where you don’t speak the language and have never lived before. It’s a dream that many don’t dare to pursue, but for those who do, the results can be incredibly rewarding.

Interestingly, a recent survey from Gate-Away.com has found that British buyers are more likely than any other nationality to take the plunge and tackle a renovation project, with 25% saying that they’re willing to refurbish a property.

Brits were also revealed by the survey as the individuals most attracted to moving to Italy. The number of them thinking seriously about doing so jumped by 11% between H1 2013 and H1 2014, following a 31% jump from H1 2012 to H1 2013.

This was precisely what happened in the case of the Appassionata team. British interior designer Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs fell in love with Italy almost a decade ago and, back in 2007, packed up her husband, offspring and a suitcase full of antiques in order to take on the renovation of a cluster of tumbledown farm buildings, redeveloping them as two incredible, luxury fractional ownership holiday homes.

The road hasn’t always been smooth but it’s certainly been a fascinating journey. Now, Dawn shares her expert insights with all those considering renovating a property overseas, helping them to avoid the unexpected pitfalls in order to turn a dilapidated building into an enchanting holiday home that they will be proud to sell on for a profit.

The 5 golden rules of renovating overseas property for profit:

1. Pick the right spot – any holiday home has to be viewed through the potential user’s eyes from day one, so consider your target audience. Is the property just for your own usage or will you be renting it out? Or even developing it as a fractional ownership property? Access to an airport or train station, restaurants, cafés, shops, beaches and stunning local scenery are key appeals to holidaymakers, so make sure you choose a property in a spot which offers as many of these as possible.
2. Ensure clean title deeds – this is hugely important, so be clear from the offset that the property you buy and renovate has clean title deeds. If not, it’s best to keep searching. Don’t let your heart rule your head and purchase a property without clean deeds just because you fall in love with it. Such a move could cost you serious amounts of time and money, so be sure that the paperwork is in order and that your legal representative is happy with the documents that you have.
3. Know the local government – do your research and purchase a property in an area with a local council that is easy to work with and quick to make decisions. This can make a huge difference, especially when you are planning to renovate the property as you may require additional planning approval for any changes you make to the building. Be sure to check what you will need planning permission for as well, as rules overseas will differ from those in the UK.
4. Wait for the wow factor – make sure that the property feels right. It has to have that certain something that means you know it is the one. I drive my husband crazy with my insistence on this sometimes, but he always knows I’m right when we finally find the perfect property and I get that feeling!
5. Do the maths – remember that the property purchase is a business venture. Look at the asking price and the amount of work that will need doing and do the maths. If you can’t make a profit to cover all of the time and energy that you invest, then it may not be the right property for you. Be sure to include the cost of your time and set aside a contingency fund to enable you to weather the unexpected.

Following these 5 golden rules has certainly paid off in Appassionata’s experience. Their first Italian renovation – a crumbling farmhouse that the team transformed into the stunning Casa Giacomo, saw nine of its ten ownership fractions sell within just eight months of the house being launched. The equally beautiful Casa Leopardi sold seven fractions within seven months in 2013.

The latest Appassionata property to be renovated by Dawn is the urban fractional townhouse Casa Tre Archi, in the ancient Le Marche town of Petritoli. Following a thorough yet sympathetic renovation, the three bedroom three bathroom property has sold two of its ten fractions already, with a third sale pending.

Clearly, those looking to live the Italian holiday home dream need to act fast if they are to turn their dreams to reality. The remaining fractions in Casa Tre Archi are available from £65,000, which entitles the owners to five weeks’ exclusive usage of the property per year.

For more information on fractional ownership and the wonders of the luxury Italian urban lifestyle, contact the Appassionata team on 0039 073 465 8775 or visit www.appassionata.com.

• Tourist numbers up by as much as 40%, according to tour operators (ENIT Italia)
• 21% of travellers dream of connoisseur holidays (Virtuoso)
• Stunning Italian property available from just £65,000 (Appassionata)

“Italy has everything – stunning beaches, snow-capped mountain ranges for winter sports, world-class cuisine that is both healthy and delicious, a culture steeped in art and intellectual pursuits, a sun-drenched climate… It really is one of the most attractive countries I can think of when it comes to a holiday destination.”

So speaks Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs of luxury holiday home company Appassionata, based in Italy’s Le Marche region. And Dawn is certainly not alone in her view. The ENIT Italia survey has shown that tourist numbers were well up over the summer 2013 season, with individual tour operators reporting increases of as much as 40%.

Without question, Italy remains a top global holiday destination. From Rome’s ancient architecture, to the shopping streets of Milan, to the rural splendour, quaint medieval towns and beautiful beaches of Le Marche, Italy has such diversity that it never fails to charm and delight those who venture within its borders.

Food and wine are high up on the list of Italy’s attractions, with Virtuoso’s eighth annual Travel Dreams Survey recently identifying family pasta making lessons as one of the dream holidays for connoisseur travellers, who made up 21% of the survey’s respondents. Deb Gale, owner of a 1/10^th share of Appassionata’s stunning fractional ownership property Casa Leopardi, nestled snuggling between the sparkling sea and the misty mountains, explains,

“You cannot help but love the food, the wine, the restaurants and the markets but images of our daughters and a recent fresh pasta making lesson in our farmhouse kitchen at Casa Leopardi lingers even longer.”

Those looking for town life will no doubt be drawn to Appassionata’s latest offering: the three bedroom/three bathroom Casa Tre Archi, in the picturesque and unspoiled town of Petritoli. The townhouse enjoys outside space on three levels, including a generous roof terrace with room for owners to dine at a leisurely pace as the sun lowers over the rolling countryside. Family-friendly, Blue Flag beaches await those who care to venture out, while holidaymakers who prefer to relax in town can stroll through Petritoli’s pretty piazzas.

With shares available from just £65,000, entitling owners to five weeks’ usage per year, Casa Tre Archi provides the perfect way for those who want a second home in Italy to buy one without breaking the bank. The fractional ownership model also removes the stress from owning a holiday home overseas. Owners arrive to a house that is clean, well maintained and ready for them to simply drop their bags and begin having fun, while those who own their second home outright usually arrive to an overgrown garden, general maintenance and a list of outstanding minor repairs.

For more information on the benefits of fractional ownership and the joys of Italy as a holiday destination, contact the Appassionata team on 0039 073 465 8775 or visit www.appassionata.com.

• Confidence in property market improvement jumps 5 percentage points (Bank of Italy)
• Investors confident as interest on Italian debt touches record low of 2.666%
• International tourist arrivals increase 2.9% in 2013 (World Tourism Organization)

Italy’s estate agents are feeling cheerful. Well, 43% of them are at least. That’s how many forecast that their country’s housing market is going to improve in the next two years, according to a Bank of Italy survey conducted in May 2014. The figure has jumped from the previous survey’s confidence level of 38% back in the fourth quarter of 2012.

The survey marks a turning point for the Italian property sector, as Fabio Longo, director at Sankaty Advisors Inc, explains,

“The Italian real estate market has stronger fundamentals than other southern European markets and Italian banks’ provisions are improving… We see Italy as a core source of opportunities.”

The projected improvements to the property market are just one reason why Italy is looking strong for H2 2014. Another reason is the boost the economy has received of late thanks to Italian debt touching record lows of 2.666%.

With investor confidence driving economic improvement, the feeling is one of a starkly different environment than Italy has experienced over recent years. Gone are the concerns that Italy may need to join Portugal and Greece in receiving an international bailout. Instead, investors are now casting an appraising eye over Italy’s offerings. Patrick Jacq, bond strategist at BNP Paribas, comments,

“The fact that these rates continue to decline and there is no reversal shows that nobody sees issues that are likely to push yields higher.”

With its facts and figures in order, Italy could well be shaping up for a good H2 2014, but the country’s essential appeal is not quite so black and white, as Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs of luxury holiday home company Appassionata explains,

“Over the last 10 years I’ve seen Italy experience the good times and the not so good times and it really feels as though the country has turned a corner now. Italy has so much to offer – a rich history, friendly culture, world-class cuisine, beautiful weather – it’s almost impossible to sum up the country’s charms in words. It’s more of a feeling – Italy just gets under your skin somehow and makes you yearn to keep coming back – it did us!”

The observation is certainly true so far as Italy’s visitor numbers are concerned. World Tourism Organization data shows that international tourist arrivals increase by 2.9% from 2012 to 2013, when 47.7 million visitors made Italy their holiday destination of choice.

With H2 2014 shaping up so well, many of those tourists are seeing now as the ideal time to invest in a second casa within Italy’s borders. The Le Marche region, where Appassionata is based, offers a taste of Italy that is unspoiled by mass tourism. Indeed, those purchasing a fraction of Appassionata’s Casa Tre Archi can enjoy traditional Italian town life for five weeks of every year from just £65,000.

The three bedroom, three bathroom Casa Tre Archi offers immediate access to the cafés, shops and piazzas of the medieval town of Petritoli, while still being within close proximity to several of the area’s pristine Blue Flag beaches. Three levels of outside space allow owners to soak up the sunshine as they gaze over Le Marche’s rolling landscape, with a glass of locally produced wine in hand, perhaps contemplating how lucky they were to have invested in Casa Tre Archi just before Italy’s economy surged back to life and drove prices up.

For more information on fractional ownership and the wonders of the luxury Italian urban lifestyle, contact the Appassionata team on 0039 073 465 8775 or visit www.appassionata.com.