Golden stone investing in Baroque architecture

For every house sold in the city, at least twenty are sold in the country. It is a surprising trend revealed by local estate agents right at the Southern tip of Italy, and indeed at the southernmost point of Sicily. Notwithstanding the unquestionable beauty of the Val di Noto, most buyers are drawn here by the charm of the Baroque architecture, with country retreats among the almond trees that bloom as early as January in greatest demand. Particularly enticing are farmhouses - old farms surrounded by hectares of land whose Structural Plan permits up to 300 square metres of property per hectare. Sufficient to build luxury homes with pool and stunning views, within a few minutes of the local town. “For a large estate, people don’t even hesitate to leave London,” Corrado Scarnato, from the Home Sud Home estate agents, whose core business also includes renovations, tells Ville&Casali. “In the Noto region, new foreign investors continue to be drawn to the countryside”, he adds, “who demand a sympathetic renovation in keeping with tradition using local materials combined with the latest technology. So local bricklayers have had to learn how to demolish and rebuild old farmhouses without detracting from the history of those stones. It’s a different story on the coast between Portopalo and Santa Maria del Focallo”, Corrado Scarnato continues. “Here, properties are smaller and building density therefore much lower. Sales are usually focussed on the local market”. The trend of many people returning to Sicily having left to study or pursue a career is also striking. Following the example of overseas investors, they are drawn to the idea of returning to Noto, perhaps to renovate the recently-inherited family mansion. “And those that come back”, continues Scarnato, “do so not to retire, but to launch new businesses, offering young people new job opportunities”. This vision is certainly one full of optimism, particularly in the countryside, where new trees are being planted after decades of neglect to restore it to its former glory. “People like the countryside but also the hills”. This is according to Giorgia Ferlazzo, engineer and office manager of Engel & Volkers Siracusa-Noto, in conversation with Ville&Casali . “The area surrounding the Villa Romana del Tellaro (Roman villa) is extremely popular, but is now being given a run for its money by the Buchini countryside. Anyone privileged enough to buy a property very close to Noto will benefit from an exceptional sea view while retaining authentic rural charm. Building density is low”, the engineer continues. “Just 100 square metres of property can be built per hectare. Investors who renovate and re sell turnkey demand €5,000 per square metre. Interest in Noto and the surrounding areas is now also growing among locals of Catania, who are buying as an investment to rent out. In contrast, investors from Malta, Germany and the rest of Italy (50% from Lombardy) are looking to buy their second homes here”