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Amanda Lamb talks about owning her apartment in Puglia
Jonnie and Jasmine help James and Wendy Leiter decide whether to raise their family in Somerset, where Wendy has a new job, or Italy, where James fancies a new start.
Having taken voluntary redundancy, James Leiter finally has the chance to make the life changes he's always dreamt about. He wants to spend more time with his five year old daughter Lauren and wife Wendy, is looking at starting his own business and wants to make an even bigger change- a move to Italy.
For Wendy though, the choice is not so clear cut. While she likes the idea of Lauren growing up multi-lingual she has just been offered a new job and Lauren has just secured a place in a great school. For her their current home in Somerset offers a lot more for the family.
Home properties - Somerset
Somerset “Land of the Summer People” in the heart of South West England, offers a wealth of countryside, coast, three areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (the Quantock Hills, the Blackdown Hills, the Mendip Hills) and also a National Park (Exmoor National Park). Steeped in history and legend, this is the ancient home to King Alfred and King Arthur and was an inspiration to the romantic poet, Coleridge. Chocolate-box villages, quaint market towns and thriving attractions are all nestled among the five famous hill ranges and the Levels and Moors. The area's beauty attracted the Leiter's for a reason, and with job offers and school places guaranteed it's a safe bet, but will this be enough to encourage them to stay?
Away properties - Pistoia, Italy
Located in the Province of Florence, the city of Pistoia is situated at the foot of the Apennines in the valley of the Ombrone. The housing market in the area has been in an upswing since 1997, after a long period of recession in the mid 1990s. House prices have appreciated by 73% (48.5% in real terms) since 1998. Overseas property hunters have been driven there by the thought of having Florence on their doorstep, the cobbled streets and rolling hills and of course the food and weather. But will James and Wendy be joining the growing number of ex pats?
One busy Londoner explains now owning a share in an Italian property is the perfect antidote to her hectic lifestyle
With prices down 30 per cent, now is the time to buy a home in lovely Tuscany
There's more to the Italian lakes than Como and George Clooney
Setting up any company is a risky and complex business particularly in a foreign country. To many people looking to move abroad, a B&B seems an obvious source of income and B&B’s are becoming increasingly popular in Italy with official figures showing demand for them going up by about 10% each year...
Our experts answer your rental questions: I have a gîte in Brittany that I would like to rent out but am unsure of a few things when it comes to asking for payment. How much should I ask for as a deposit, when should I ask for it and when should the remaining balance be paid (I’m guessing before the guests arrive, but how long before)? Also, should I take a refundable deposit to cover breakages or damage and typically under what circumstances could I justify keeping some of that deposit?
As with many other areas of legislation there, the process of both planning to build your own property in Italy or simply buying an existing property in Italy can be fraught with difficulties, red-tape and bureaucracy, but...