Buying property in Sicily
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To many people, the only reference point they have for Sicily is the few snatches of Savoca and Forza d'Agro, the towns outside Taormina, used in the filming of Francis Ford Coppola's original Godfather film. And aside from the rural beauty of the island, one legacy of this enduring movie is the perception of Sicily as overrun by the mafia, shady and dangerous as the Godfather himself. But in fact you're no more likely to rub shoulders with the Italian underworld in Sicily than anywhere else in the country. Instead you will spend all of your time enjoying the glorious weather and beautiful scenery of this diverse island.
Separated from the mainland by the Strait of Messina, the largest island in the Mediterranean is home to around five million people, the majority clustered along the coast. It attracts a wide range of holidaymakers and second-home buyers, but in general the Italian contingent largely outnumber the European and international visitors. This points to a healthy market for property for sale in Sicily , and a local confidence in the island as a second-home destination, but should also serve to highlight that this is not going to be a home-from-home purchase. The island is mostly undiscovered by UK buyers and holidaymakers, which is one of its main attractions. Unlike in Spain, you don't need to move further and further inland to assimilate with the locals, because Sicily remains truly Italian wherever you buy.
To truly enjoy the island you will need at least a basic knowledge of Italian, and you shouldn't expect a gaggle of estate agents aiming their business at British buyers. This relative lack of help prompted British couple Mel Gadsdon and Sue Wallworth to set up their company, Sicilian Secrets to help other English buyers looking to the island for a true taste of Italy. "We chose Sicily because it's got one of the best year-round climates in Europe. And all this warmth must be contagious because the Sicilians are the nicest, most welcoming and generous people you could ever wish to meet," says Sue Wallworth. But the other clincher was the complete lack of an expat community. "Quite simply there isn't one, and we have no intention of creating one."
They have been on the island for four years and have taken advantage of the 50 per cent rise in property prices since then to move to a new home with sea views outside the medieval town of Cefalu, in the north of the island. The town is close to Palermo, where Ryanair offers budget flights to the UK, and EasyJet is set to follow. Mel and Sue say you should expect to pay between €2,500 and €5,000 (£1,707 and £3,415) per square metre in this area, and you also shouldn't necessarily expect immaculate villas with pool and landscaped gardens. "Basically, Sicily offers foreign purchasers what it offers its own people - they have a 'take us as you find us' approach to property."
So aside from falling in love with the island, does buying a property in Sicily actually make financial sense? Jeremy Smith, director of Sicily Property Company, believes so. "Traditionally popular areas such as Taormina, Syracuse and Noto are enjoying development that is making the experience easier for non-Italian-speaking buyers," he says. "They have enjoyed considerable capital growth in the last couple of years; hotspots such as Ortigia have probably seen an average annual growth of 20 per cent."
And just because the island hasn't been overrun by foreign nationals and beachfront developments doesn't mean the savvy locals haven't propped up the market. Prices for a two-bedroom apartment in a city centre or seaside town start from around €120,000 (£81,975). And a villa can start from €145,000 (£99,000), although this obviously varies widely depending on location and size, and inexpensive villas will probably require some additional investment.
Rental potential also factors into price and brings the question of location to the fore. Taormina is probably the most famous seaside resort town, and its popularity is reflected in its prices. For example a two-bedroom apartment in the town might well cost €250,000 (£171,000), double that of properties a relatively short distance away, but can also command an almost year-round income of €800 (£545) per week according to Jeremy Smith. Whereas a two-bedroom townhouse in the Baroque southern town of Modica can be picked up for €80,000 (£54,645) but rented for only €300 (£205) per week.
The main point of entry to the east and south of the island is at Catania's Fontanarossa airport, served by daily British Airways and Air Malta flights from Gatwick. There is also a new airport nearing completion at Comiso in Ragusa province, which will open up the area in the next few years, and plans for an extension of the highway south to Ragusa (it currently runs from Messina to Catania), which will cut journey times by up to an hour.
IemmeEuropa estate agency is selling a large four-bedroom villa with separate one-bedroom cottage in Fiumefreddo close to Taormina for €3 million (£2.05 million). The renovated property is surrounded by a three-hectare garden with sea views and boasts both an indoor and outdoor swimming pool. Alternatively, Sicily Property Company is selling a new-build villa in a small development 20 kilometres south of Taormina in the town of Mascali for €400,000 (£273,000). The three-bedroom home is less than ten minutes walk to the beach with sea views to the east and views of Mount Etna to the west.
Along the west coast, served by flights into Palermo, towns like Erice, Marsala and Trapani are seen as emerging investment opportunities, especially, says Jemery Smith, the bagli, or former wine warehouses, that offer Tuscan hilltop villas for considerably less money. One of these, Baglio Catalano is on sale through Sicily Property Company for €1.2 million (£819,000). The 15-hectare property includes the large former winery and a private chapel with some original frescos, and 1,500 mature olive trees that offer considerable income. The property is six kilometres from the sea, with views across to the Egadi Islands, and 12 kilometres from Marsala, famed for its eponymous fortified wine.
If you are looking for a renovation project at an affordable price, Sicily Property Company is selling a rustic property in unspoilt countryside near Modica and just ten kilometres from the sea. The exterior is in good structural condition but the interior is still in its basic rural form, ripe for renovation, and for sale for €130,000 (£88,775).
Sicily need not be the only island to choose from when contemplating your Italian idyll. The Aeolian Islands lie to the north, of which Lipari is the largest. IemmeEuropa is selling a hilltop property on Lipari consisting of a four-bedroom villa and a guest house with three further bedrooms, all surrounded by terraces and a Mediterranean garden for €1.8 million (£1.23 million).
Sicily is one of the few remaining outposts of unspoilt Italian life that have yet to feel the full effects of the international property boom. Instead the island continues to rely on a steady stream of mainland Italians, and the savvy foreigners who have realised what treasures it hides.
Read our other articles about buying property in Italy:
well as our overseas news stories affecting the property market in Italy, the Homes Overseas Guide to Buying Property in Italy or view our range of property for sale in Italy.
First published in Homes Overseas Magazine Summer 2007.
Some information contained within this article may have changed since it was first published. Homes Overseas strongly advises you to seek current legal and financial advise from a qualified professional.
