“Oil and wine hold particular appeal for prospective buyers on the tourist property market”,Luca Giovannelli, owner of Casaitalia, explains to Ville&Casali . “Interest is growing in farmhouses that come with their own small olive grove, allowing potential buyers to produce their own oil and even gift it to friends. Buyers, who mostly come from overseas, generally want to mix with the locals and therefore seek out vibrant towns where they can integrate into the community. Particularly popular are Spoleto, Trevi and Spello ”. The second-homemarket in the belt of olive groves between Spoleto and Assisi is dominated by foreign buyers, predominantly from northern Europe but also from the USA. “They tend to live in the property for a couple of months of the year and then let us manage it for the rest of the time. The problem is that premium quality properties in a hilly location, boasting spectacular views of the countryside, without street lights or industrial buildings in view and just 15-20 minutes at the most from a historic town and amenities, and one and a half hours from the airport, are starting to run short ”. We are in one of the most beautiful parts of Umbria, within easy reach of Spoleto, Assisi, Spello, Montefalco and Perugia, with excellent transport links thanks to the E45 motorway and just one and a half hour’s drive from Rome. Here, Casaitalia sold a renovated, 250-square metre 5-bedroom and 5-bathroom farmhouse with pool and garden measuring half a hectare situated between Spoleto and Trevi for €450,000. The property also has the potential to generate a significant rental income. According to Carolina Russo from Servizi immobiliari in Spoleto, while for some “the property of their dreams is a 200- 300-square metre two-storey farmhouse dating back to the 13th or 14th century, boasting a panoramic pool, outside space and a plot of land or garden, Italians generally want a new villa or apartment with garden, and have a budget of €300,000-€400,000 to spend.”

THE CHARM OF SAN FRANCESCO. The most sought-after location, for mystical, spiritual and touristic reasons, is the religious citadel of San Francesco (Saint Francis). As Marco Serena, owner of Coldwell Banker of Assisi, attests, the vast majority of buyers - some 70-80 percent - again come from overseas. “Demand is highest in the countryside hamlets of Porziano, San Presto, Santa Maria di Lignano and Costa di Trex: classic sandstone farmhouses with external staircase and traditional loggia. The stables used to be below, with the house above, which was heated by the warmth of the animals ”. Demand is also on the rise because the property market of neighbouring Tuscany is saturated and up to twice as expensive. Houses ripe for renovation boasting 4-5 (up to 20) hectares of arable land, olive groves, a spring or swimming pool are also available. “The Region of Umbria is also offering cash incentives to cultivate truffle grounds”, adds the expert. The price of a 350-450-square metre property with outbuildings typically ranges from €350,000 to €700,000. “There is no shortage of Italians (20%) from Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto who choose to invest in this area of outstanding natural beauty”.