Friday, May 7, 2010

Seven steps to help you buy the perfect property on Lake Como

‘Seven steps to Heaven’
7 essential items to look for if you are to find your dream property on Lake Como






1. All day sunshine

An essential consideration both for your own enjoyment and for the future re-sale value of your property. The Lake has very steep mountains on both sides of each leg, which naturally affect the time of day that the sun will rise and set over your property. The sun is much lower in the winter months, so make sure you consider this if you intend to use your property in winter. It may be in full sun all day in the height of summer, but that can change dramatically in the winter. Some villages do not see any sun from November to February!



2. Privacy/View

Whether you are looking at buying an apartment or a villa, your privacy will be important to you. Consider whether new developments will be built nearby that could affect you. You may have an uninterrupted view of the lake now, but can anybody build in front of you? Is the land in front of you build-able or is it agricultural? Your lawyer will be able to do a 'search' in the local commune for you to check this out.



3.Quiet

An apartment within a complex is often an ideal solution for a first time second-home buyer. You may view an ideal property during low season, which becomes a nightmare in high season when all the other properties in the complex are occupied by gregarious Italian families. Check out your neighbours and establish whether the other apartments are occupied full time or only in the summer. by potentially noisy holiday-makers. Consider whether being close to the pool is really ideal. It could be unbearable noisy in August.

A lakeside villa could appear idyllic when you view out of season, but remember that in high season and at weekends, the lakeside roads can become very busy with cars and motorbikes. Make sure that you establish just how busy the road is going to get.



4. Parking and outside space

Most people would consider parking space to be essential. Garages sell at a premium on Lake Como. You can pay up to €50,000 for a one-car garage. So check the property details carefully to make sure that if it mentions a garage or parking space, that this is included in the price. Lake Como is made up of many small lakeside villages and mountain hamlets. Narrow roads are common-place, and public car parks are few, as space is limited.


Some form of outside space is an important element in the choice of property. There is nothing worse than being stuck inside on a sunny day, with nowhere to sit out. Think carefully about your requirements for both sun and shade. The heat can be very intense in July and August and although you may want to eat outside, it would be unbearable without some form of shade e.g. an awning or a shady tree. Ensure that the outside space is actaully listed on the deeds and it not actually some form of communal space that you have to share with your neighbours, Check that the boundaries that have been enclosed are the legal boundaries of the property and not just an area that the current owner has decided to lay claim to.



5. Pool (or space for one)

An outside pool greatly increases both the value and the enjoyment of a holiday home. If the property does not already have a pool, check that it would be possible to add one on. A decent sized pool can be added on for around €30,000. If you intend to rent your property out, having a pool can double the rental income that you would receive e.g. a 2 bedroom apartment in a complex without a pool would rent for around €800 per week in high season. If it had a pool, you could get up to €1700 euro per week. It may seem unbelievable, but if you consider that there are many, many apartments for rent on Lake Como, but there are very few with swimming pool. The same applies to villas. Rental income is again far higher if you have a property with a swimming pool. There are still very few villas with pools on Lake Como, so they rent at a premium.



6. Proceedable

Once you have found your dream property, it is important to establish immediately that there are no potential hindrances to the sale. Many properties in Italy have been passed down through the generations, and often therefore end up being owned/shared by multiple owners. So it is important to make sure that all the parties are willing to go ahead with the sale. This is where it is essential that you use the services of a professional Property Finder or a reputable agent who speaks your language. In such cases this obstacle would have been examined prior to the property being put on the market.



7. Accessibility

There are two sides to the left 'leg' of Lake Como – the road from Como to Bellagio and the road from Como to Menaggio (and beyond). In terms of accessibility the Bellagio road is narrow and very slow. If you get stick behind a slow-moving vehicle, there are hardly any safe spaces to overtake. This is why the western shore is far more appealing. There are two roads to choose from – a lower lakeside road, which takes you all the way from Cernobbio to Laglio and a faster, top road, with tunnels by-passing some of the smaller villages. This makes certain parts of the western shore much more accessible and practical all year round. In reality anything after Colonno can get snagged up with long traffic delays in summer when coaches get stuck on the narrow corners. Consider carefully how long you are willing to travel from the airport and at what time of day you will be traveling. If you always arrive on the late flight into Malpensa for example, you could get as far as Argegno in only 40 minutes.

Photograph courtesy of http://www.dr-jonathan.com/
Property Villa Flario available through http://www.ultissimo.com/

Thursday, April 15, 2010

New Road links make Lake Como an even better investment opportunity

New road infrastructure for Northern Italy - a 50-year old project is finally born


50 years after it was first proposed, a new regional road system is being constructed linking the five provinces of Bergamo, Monza and Brianza, Milan, Como and Varese, by 160 km of new motorway-standard roads, including 60 km of tunnels and cuttings, and 5 km of bridges. The project requires a total investment of €5 billion. This includes €150m earmarked to reduce the environmental impact, including the planting of one million new trees.



The project aims to solve the problem of road congestion in the Lombardy area, speeding up traffic in and around Milan and reducing commuting times. The first phases will be opened in 2013 and the full project is due to be completed by 2015.



This is going to further improve the accessibility of Lake Como from Malpensa Airport, reducing the current journey time of 50 minutes to just 35 minutes. And travelers to Bergamo airport will benefit too from greatly increased ease of access to Lake Como. It is expected that this in turn will have a positive effect on property values the value of properties in the lake area, as it becomes more accessible. So now could be the perfect time to buy a home on Lake Como. Follow the link for more information on property purchases in Lake Como, where you can still buy a lake view property for under €250,000 - Ultissimo Lake Como Property Search

The chart below gives examples of the substantial reduction in journey times - for a larger version of this chart simply click here





The official launch of the project took place on Saturday 6th February, in front of local and national dignitaries who have been stressing the importance and necessity of this work for many years, in order to develop the Lombardy region. The project incorporates many technological innovations, including a new 'free flow' toll system.



Click here to view a map of the new road project

Thursday, April 1, 2010

A to Z of useful tips for travelling in Italy

Banks & cash machines:

Opening hours vary, but approx. 08.20-13.30 & 14.30-16.00 Monday to Friday. Most towns will have a cash machine outside the bank where you can obtain cash on cash cards and all Visa/MasterCard Credit Cards with your PIN number. If you wish to change money in the bank, you will be asked to show your passport.

Bars and Aperitivo time:

Most bars offer free nibbles (aperitivi) with drinks between 18.00 and 19.30. They are usually laid out on the bar for you to help yourselves and there is no limit to what you can take.

Buses:

Public transport is relatively cheap in Italy. Bus tickets cannot be purchased on the bus, but must be bought from a tabac/tabaccheria. A one-way ticket is 'solo andata' and a return ticket is 'andata e ritorno'

Coffee and Brioche:

The price of a coffee, cappuccino or brioche is set by law in each area. So if you stand at the bar to drink/eat you will pay a lot less than if you sit down (as this is not regulated). For example, in Lombardia (Lake Como), a coffee at the bar will cost you only 90 cents. If you want to drink a longer, weaker coffee, ask for a cafe americano. All coffees are served black in Italy unless you specify otherwise e.g. 'con latte' (with milk). Cappucino is usually served luke-warm, so that it can be drunk quickly. If you prefer it hotter, simply ask for 'multo caldo'.

Driving in Italy:

Always carry your passport and all documents relating to the car. Indeed always carry your passport with you as a form of identification. It is compulsory to carry an emergency triangle and a high visibility jacket in your vehicle.

The speed limit on Italian motorways is 130km/h, 110km/h on most dual carriageways and 90km/h on normal roads. Check the road signs carefully, as fines are heavy. Seat belts are compulsory both front and rear. Italy has strict drink driving laws, only allowing 0.5 milligrams of alcohol per millilitre of blood (UK 0.8).  All vehicles are required to keep their low-beam lights on at all times on motorways and four-lane highways. Scooters and motorbikes must keep their headlights on at all times and on all types of roads. High-beam headlights can be used only outside cities and towns and when no vehicle is approaching; otherwise use only low-beam. When a stationary vehicle is not clearly visible, parking lights must be kept on. Mobile phones may only be used if the phones are equipped with an earpiece. Important note – if an Italian driver flashes his lights at you, it is not a signal for you to go ahead. It is rather a warning that he is coming through and wants you to keep out of his way. If you are travelling to a ski resort in winter, it is obligatory that you carry snow chains.

Emergency numbers:

112 - local police station (Carabinieri).

113 emergency helpline – police, ambulance and fire

116 ACI (Italian Automobile Club) for roadside assistance

Hire cars:

Many hire car companies have very high collission waiver damage charges. If you hire cars regularly, you can save money by taking out an annual policy instead and paying a yearly fee of around £70. Also, many hire car companies charge you extra for the use of their high visibility jackets (even though it is law that you carry them). So save money and bring your own..

Hospitals:

Being a member of the EEC, you can obtain NHS-style treatment free of charge In Italy, on production of your European Health Insurance Card, which is available on-line from www.dh.gov.uk. You must take this with you to avoid being charged at the hospital. You may be asked to pay a percentage of the charge, as not everything is 100% recoverable.

Insurance claims:

If you loose anything whilst in Italy and need to claim back from your insurers, they will ask you for a police report. This is obtained from your local Carabinieri (police station) and is called a 'denuncia'. You will be required to make a statement and show your passport.

Mobile Phones:

As long as your phone is GSM it will work in Italy, but you may need to ring your service provider before leaving the UK in order to activate it. You will often pay substantial roaming charges to make and receive phone calls and texts when abroad.

Motorways:

There are tolls on all motorways, except in southern Italy from Salerno south, so it is useful to carry small change with you. Tolls can also be paid by credit card (use the Viacard lane). DO NOT use the Telepass lane as this is an automatic barrier for drivers with an automated device.

Paying by credit card:

When paying by credit card it is normally preferable to pay in the local currency, rather than let the shop/restaurant convert it back into your own currency. This way you pay the bank rate applicable on the day the transaction is processed by your bank, rather than a rate applied by the seller (which is usually less advanatgeous). If your credit card does not have your photograph on, you may be asked to show some other form of identification e.g. passport or driving licence.

Pedestrian Crossings:

Do not assume that a driver will stop if you step out - the black and white lines are purely for decoration in Italy - or so it seems!

Pharmacies:

Many drugs (including antibiotics) can be bought over the counter without a prescription. Basic medication such as aspirin can ONLY be bought in pharmacies and not in supermarkets.

Post Offices:

Stamps (francobolli) can only be bought in the post office or in the ‘tabac/tabaccheria’. Normal mail to the UK takes approx. 7 days to arrive in the UK, but there is also a faster version for urgent mail (2 days) – called ‘Priorita’, which costs a little more. You can also send things recorded delivery (quite expensive) – 'raccomandata'

Power supply:

The power supply in Italy is 220 volts, so you will need a 2-pin adaptor. Most domestic properties run off a 3 kilowat supply, so if you are staying in a private home or renting a villa or apartment, you will not be able to use your hairdrier and a large appliance at the same time e.g oven, as this will trip the system. The 'salva-vita' or trip swich is normally located by the front door, and will require pushing back up, if it does trip. If this does not solve the problem, then it has tripped at the main power box, which can normally be found outside in a grey cabinet labelled 'Enel'.

Queuing:

Do not expect Italians to wait in an orderly line for anything - it's every man for himself!

Receipts:

You are required by law to get a receipt for everything that you purchase, even a loaf of bread or a coffee. The Guardia di Finazia (finance/tax police) have the right to stop you and fine both you and the proprietor if you leave a bar, shop, restaurant etc. without a receipt.

Restaurants:

A typical Italian meal would consist of Antipasto (mixed meats etc), pasta course (primi), and a meat/fish main course (secondi). Portions do therefore tend to be smaller than in the UK/US and the main course is not normally served with vegetables (they are ordered separately as a ‘contorno’). Steaks are traditionally served rare, so if you like it 'well done' ask for 'ben cotto' or 'sensa sangue' (without blood). Always look out for the cover ‘coperta’ charge on the menu as this is an extra per person cost. Some restaurants will charge an extra percentage on top of the menu price for sitting outside (can be as much as 20%), so check the small print on the menu displayed outside the restaurant.

Many restaurants in tourist locations will offer a menu turistico (tourist menu) consisting of 2 or 3 courses, often including wine and coffee, at a set price. In all locations, you will also find menu di lavoro or workers menu. This is available to all and is usually like a tourist menu, at a set price (usually under 15 euros) and is available to all. There will usually be a separate part of the restaurant designated for this, without fancy table cloths and glass ware.

Safety:

Petty theft is on the increase in Italy, particularly in cities and in the airports, so never leave valuable items in your car and be very careful with your handbag/wallet. Thieves often work in twos with one distracting you while the other relieves you of your suitcase/wallet etc. Another favourite trick on motorways, is for a car to come along side you, signalling you to pull over and indicating that you have a problem, so that when you pull over, one of them can steal your belongings from the vehicle, whilst the other points out the 'problem' on your car.

Supermarkets:

There is a wide variety, ranging from corner shops to large hypermarkets. Wine, alcohol and cigarettes (only available from tabac/tabaccheria) are generally much cheaper than in the UK, and as you are purchasing them duty paid, there are no limits on quantities (as long as they are for your own use). Larger supermarkets are at their quietest at lunch time (12.30-14.30). Smaller ones will close during lunch time.

Swimming pools and lidos:

It is essential to wear some form of swimming hat. These can usually be bought locally in the lido itself. Some pools will not allow men to wear loose, baggy short-style swim wear

Telephone Boxes:

Some are coin operated but most take phone cards available from newsagents, cigarette shops (tabaccheria) and post offices. Remember to tear the corner off before use. To dial the UK simply prefix the number with 0044 and omit the first 0 of your number.

Tipping:

Tipping in restaurants is not essential in Italy, as a service charge (coperto) is usually added to the bill.

Trains:

Train travel is relatively inexpensive and quite reliable. There is 1st class and 2nd class travel. On EC trains (faster, more luxurious trains), you need to book a seat either online or at the ticket office. A one-way ticket is 'solo andata' and a return ticket is 'andata e ritorno' Remember to validate your ticket in the yellow machine at the beginning of the platform, prior to getting on the train. Not to do so would incur a fine. Sitting in 1st class with a 2nd class ticket is also a fine-able offence. Thieves operate on trains, so keep a close eye on your belongings, especially your passport. Timetables and online bookings can be found on http://www.trenitalia.com/. Remember to use the Italian names for your destinations e.g. Firenze instead of Florence.

In General:


It is worth remembering that Italy is very much a Mediterranean country in terms of attitude as well as geography; therefore don’t expect your telephone/central heating/car/plumbing to be repaired immediately. It is rare for things to happen immediately, domani (tomorrow) is possible, but dopo domani (the day after tomorrow) is more likely. Therefore patience is very much the keyword.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Spring has arrived on Lake Como



Why visit Lake Como for Easter or Spring time
Easter and Spring-time in general are the most beautiful months to visit Lake Como. It is both quiet and warm. Usually warm enough to sit outside in a t-shirt or light-weight top during the day.  As I type (March 15th), it is already 20 degrees here in Argegno on the western shore of the lake. All of the main attractions (villas and gardens) will be open in time for Easter and less busy than in the summer months. All of the restaurants and bars will have re-opened after their winter closure. The winter ferry timetables will have been replaced by the more regular spring ones at the end of March, making it easier to get around the lake. In short, everything is in full swing, but with fewer people and with an extra hour of daylight to enjoy it all when the clocks change on 28th March.

Where to stay
Accommodation is much cheaper than in the summer months – hotel rooms can cost up to 25% less, as April is not yet high or even peak season. Self catering apartments and villas are another great value choice, offering low prices and more flexibility on both arrival days and length of stay. You are not restricted to arriving on a Saturday or Sunday and havong to pay for a full week, when you only want a long weekend or mid-week break. Lake Como Properties are offering some very special Easter discounts on their self catering villas and apartments.

How to get here
Flights are also cheaper, out of peak summer season. Milan has 3 main airports to take advantage of a host of airlines - Malpensa, Linate and Bergamo. Each airport is well connected to public transport links to bring you directly to Como by either train or bus. And of course car hire is simple and the drive usually takes well under and hour.

Villas and botanical gardens
The first buds are peeping through the soil and the early spring blossoms will be in full bloom by the time Easter arrives. So this is definitely THE best time of the year to visit the stately gardens of Villa Carlotta (Tremezzo), Villa Melzi (Bellagio) and Villa Monastero (Varenna). Camellias, primulas and stunningly colourful azaleas and rhododendrons abound in these beautiful formal gardens.

Shopping and special Easter events
As well as the usual fantastic shopping in Como and the three times weekly market (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday), there are special Easter markets, starting on Holy Thursday, April 1st until Easter Monday April 5th there will be almost 200 colourful stalls drawn from all over Italy concentrate in Viale Varese, Viale Cattaneo and all around Porta Torre area (location of the weekly market)

Also in Piazza Cavour (the main lakeside piazza) you' ll find the traditional Easter Market from March 27th to April 11th, with many stalls selling handicrafts and woodwork items.

In nearby Lugano (Switzerland), the home of the chocolate Easter bunny there is a whole series of events over Easter weekend, again with colourful stalls throughout the city and folk music, as well as the traditional c Concert of the Civic Philharmonic Orchestra in Piazza Battaglini, on Sunday April 4th, at 10.30am.
Religious processions

Religious Events
Join an Easter Sunday or Holy Week procession, which take place in even the smallest villages along the lake. Solemn religious processions are held in many towns on the Friday or Saturday before Easter and sometimes on Easter Sunday. Many churches have special statues of the Virgin and Jesus that play a big part in the processions. The Good Friday procession starts in Como at 3pm.

Public Holidays
National holidays are Easter Monday (la pasquetta), April 25 (liberation day), May 1, and June 2 (Festa della Repubblica). On these days, most shops and services will be closed but many major tourist attractions are usually open.

So what's stopping you. Come and join us and enjoy the spring sunshine on Lake Como


Photographs courtesy of http://www.dr-jonathan.com/


x

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Why use a Property Search Consultant in Italy?





Why use a Property Search Consultant in Italy?

First of all, let me define the role – a Property Search Consultant, or Home Finder as they are sometimes known, spends time understanding your requirements and then searches for properties that meet your specification, acting on your behalf and providing extensive independent local knowledge. The Property Search Consultant will be able to look at the whole market, including properties that are being sold discreetly and are not available through individual estate agents.  They will not only find you a property, but they will usually ensure that you understand the buying process, act on your behalf in price and contract negotiations, find you a local English-speaking lawyer, help you to arrange a mortgage, open bank accounts and deal with other bureaucratic issues such as getting you a fiscal code. They save you hours of work (trawling the internet, visiting and registering with multiple agents, scouting around your chosen destination and ensuring that you only spend time viewing properties that meet your requirements) and they should ultimately be able to save you money. Read on to find out how...


The benefits of using a reputable Property Search Consultant to find your dream property in Italy

 A good Property Search Consultant will have either met you face to face or had several telephone conversations with you to establish your exact requirements before you start to view properties.  Key questions that ensure the search is tailored to your particular requirements should include:



Do you have a preferred area e.g. Lake Como, Umbria, Le Marche?

Is this an investment purchase, a holiday home or do you plan to relocate?

Do you prefer a rural location or is it important to be near a town or village?

Do you plan to rent out the property?

What style of property are you looking for – modern, historic, renovation project?

How important is it to be close to schools and hospitals? Shops and banks?  Restaurants?

Do you require a property with a swimming pool or any other amenities and what sporting or leisure interests do you hope to pursue?

What is your budget and time frame?

How do you plan to finance the purchase?



In this initial meeting or telephone conversation, the Property Search Consultant should be able to give you good local advice and make suggestions about the area in question. Their experience will assist you in clarifying exactly what you want and possibly even redefining some of your original criteria with their expert local knowledge.  One of the key challenges often is to ensure that you have realistic expectations of an area that you may only have visited as a holidaymaker previously.

All this will then be communicated to their local representative, who should be somebody actually living the area in question, (so if you are looking for a property on Lake Como, they should be living on Lake Como and not in Milan), speaking the local language and with extensive local knowledge, great property contacts and an excellent understanding of the local market, ideally from both a sales and rental viewpoint.

The Property Search Consultant will be unemotional and can steer you away from potentially expensive mistakes and wasted time, by providing a realistic view of the area in question. If you take a property search on Lake Como as an example, did you know that the two shores of the lake have very different attributes that would greatly affect any purchasing decision? And that the popular lakeside resort of Argegno is divided in two by the Telo valley – and one side never sees the sun from November until April? – quite an important element to consider if you were looking for an investment property on Lake Como.

Property Search Consultants are not estate agents. They do not have a specific list of property on their books and so can find the right shortlist of properties for you from a much wider range – basically anything that is on the market and, very importantly in Italy, properties that are not on the public market. This independence allow them to focus 100% on your interests, as they have no allegiance or commitment to any property seller or estate agent.

This also ensures that they can get you the best possible price as, unlike an estate agent, they are not acting on behalf of the seller.

The independence and expert knowledge of a Property Search Consultant works entirely for your benefit.  The service will be tailored to your specific needs and usually provides a complete service from when you first think about purchasing, through to ownership and management of the property beyond.  Not only should you save a lot of valuable time, because the search will shortlist only properties that meet your specific requirements, but you should end up saving money as well.  The fee charged by the Property Search Consultant should be no more than a local agent’s commission and the fact that you have someone acting purely on your behalf to negotiate the purchase terms can save you a great deal of money. 




Paul Belcher of Ultissimo, who have offices in both London and Italy says.........

'Our clients have found great value and reassurance in using our Property Search Service, especially on Lake Como where many of the best properties only change hands discreetly (Italians often do not want others knowing their personal business).  With fees lower than the local agents would usually charge, access to a much wider range of opportunities and a complete end to end service tailored to each individual client’s needs, the advantages of engaging Ultissimo to find your dream property on Lake Como are considerable.  We know the market well and we save our clients time and money.  And perhaps most surprisingly we only charge a fee when a client has found their ideal property – something we are happy to do as we work closely with our clients throughout and will not charge for our services if we cannot not deliver the ideal property at the end of the day! 

Ultissimo can be contacted by email
or by telephone on (0044) 020 3178 4975






Photographs courtesy of http://www.dr-jonathan.com/



...

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Why Invest in Property In Italy on Lake Como?


Why invest on Lake Como?

Lake Como has long been a favorite among A-listers, going all the way back to 1816 when the estranged wife of the Prince of Wales, Caroline of Brunswick made the huge mansion, Villa d’Este her home. The villa has since been transformed into an exclusive hotel to the stars.

Here are just a few of the many reasons for the increasing popularity of this lovely lake:

Apart from the obvious facts: stunning beauty; pleasant climate – sunny in the summer and generally mild in the winter; great food; great (well priced) wine; relaxed life-style etc:

It is only a 60-90-minute flight away from the UK, Belgium, Holland and Germany.

There are 3 international airports within easy driving distance (40 to 60 mins) - Malpensa, Linate and Milan-Bergamo. These Milan airports are served by all the major international airlines, as well as by low-cost European airlines, including Volare, Ryan Air, Easyjet and EuroFly, offering year-round daily flights.

There are excellent train and motorway links directly to Como.

There is a good selection of International English-speaking schools in Como and in nearby Milan and Lugano (only 30-45 mins).

Italy was listed number 2 after France by the WHO for its health care. A more recent Quality of Life Survey listed it 3rd after France and Switzerland. Health care is always an important consideration if you plan to spend any length of time in another country.

Although property prices have increased over the last 4 years (partly due to the ‘George Clooney effect’), there is still a massive potential for growth.

It is a popular holiday destination for tourists from the UK, Holland, Germany. Switzerland, USA and Australia.

The rental market has a long season from March to October with Christmas and New Year periods also popular.

It is within easy access of some excellent ski resorts with St Moritz, Madesimo and Bormio within 90 minutes drive, making it an ideal location for both winter and summer.

Existing investors at one Lake Como development have seen a 25% return on their investment by buying off plan. Rental incomes easily cover mortgage interest repayments.

The popularisation of the Lake in recent years due to filming on the Lake – Star Wars, James Bond, Oceans 12, A Month on the Lake and The X factor – to name just a few.

Lake Como coverage on TV investment programs including ‘A Million Dollar Home in the Sun’ (August 2008).

Lake Como is being hyped as the next St Tropez with many famous second home-owners already on the lake, including George Clooney, Donatella Versace, Rupert Murdock, Richard Branson, Jose Mourinho and Michael Schumacher. It is even rumoured that Prince Charles has a pad somewhere on the Lake

Why buy now?
Italian mortgage lenders are not as reluctant as in some other European countries to lend to foreigners for second homes and will often take forecast rental income into account.

Development land on Lake Como is very scarce, due to the topography of the area (steep rocky sides). Consequently any investment opportunities or new building developments are quickly seized upon by investors.

With such small land mass available for new projects and a continuing buoyant market, the future for property prices on Lake Como looks extremely promising and make it an excellent investment opportunity.

The following table provides actual rental incomes received during 2009 on a 4 bedroom property with a private pool which was purchased for €500,000 in January 2009

SeasonLowMedHighPeakTotals
Weeks available 21913952
Weeks rented0310821
Weekly rental €2,1002,9003,9004,900
Total income €08,70039,00039,20086,900