What kind of home in Italy?

Italy has more than just farmhouses to offer. Say you're looking for a simple village house in fairly good condition…but you don't want to pay more than $150,000? You won't find one on the shores of Lake Como at that price, but look to Apulia and you'll be spoiled for choice. The point is that it's usually necessary to venture beyond the fashionable destinations to find sensible prices.

What kind of home? Villas and villettas, farmhouses, towerhouses, village houses, medieval townhouses, chalets in the mountains, apartments in the city or at the seaside-it's up to you. A palazzo if you wish… but if your heart is set on a medieval palace in Venice or Florence, you'll need bottomless pockets.

Apartment living is the norm in cities and many ancient properties have been divided into separate households. Another quick point about the word palazzo. We don't know why, but in modern Italy, this term is also sometimes used to describe new-built blocks of multi-story apartments.

An apartment in the heart of a medieval town will probably appeal to some romantics, but be aware that such properties can often be very dark-streets are sometimes so narrow and the buildings so tall that the light never reaches them. A property on a square (piazza) is always going to be more attractive to live in than a similar property down an alleyway-and they will be priced accordingly.

Size isn't everything
Apartments are small compared to U.S. sizes-and bedrooms are particularly tiny. Even in Milan, where apartments tend to be more spacious than in other cities, these are the typical sizes:

One-bedroom apartment: 540 square feet to 750 square feet
Two-bedroom apartment: 970 square feet to 1,400 square feet
Three-bedroom apartment: 1,400 square feet to 2,150 square feet
Four-bedroom apartment: 1,940 square feet to 2,690 square feet

Elsewhere in Italy, particularly in older residences, you'll often get even less space. We've seen properties advertised as "one-bedroom apartments" with less than 300 square feet of living space. Not all listings indicate the amount of floor space.

The cheapest area for property in Italy is currently Calabria, although property in the center of Tropea is no longer cheap, and a sea view and proximity to the beach will increase the price. The most expensive region, on average, is Tuscany, but some southern parts around Grosseto, and the northern Garfagnana and Lunigiana areas still have approachable property prices-although nothing like the prices in Calabria.

Sample properties in Calabria:

--Situated in a complex with pool and football pitch in San Nicola Arcella, near Scalea, this 1,023-square-foot two-bedroom home (see the photo) has a small garden front and back and comes with a view of the Isle of Dino. Price: 150,000 euro ($201,600).

-- A small single-story villa in a residential holiday complex in Tropea, less than 5 minutes' drive from downtown. The one-bedroom 530-square-foot property has a bathroom, open plan lounge with cooking area, and a patio. Price: 55,000 euro ($74,000).

Sample properties in Tuscany:
--Apartment in a restored farmhouse in San Vincenzo, set in a park of 5 hectares, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open plan lounge with cooking area, garden, and use of a communal swimming pool. Price 400,000 euro ($538,000). Properties found via The Property Organiser, tel +44 (0) 870-411-0031; Fax 0870-411-0032; website: www.propertyorganiser.co.uk.