Living abroad: Northern Italy

at home in the mountains

Michael Rasmussen, winner of the Tour de France’s King of the Mountains jersey for the past two years, feels naturally at home in the Italian Alps. We caught up with the Danish cyclist at his adopted hometown near Lake Garda in northern Italy

words by Camilla H Tjellesen

When Danish cyclist Michael Rasmussen decided to move to Lake Garda seven years ago, it was an idea that had been brewing since he was a teenager, when he first experienced the region’s glorious scenery on a training tour with his cycling club. “I was 15 years old, cycling in the mountains. I just knew I wanted it to be my home,” he says.

Rasmussen, whose sporting nickname is ‘Kyllingen’ (Chicken), has always had clear life goals: he wanted to be a professional cyclist and to live by the mountains near the Italian Lakes. At 31, he has successfully managed both.

“It’s mainly because of my career that I moved here. I have the mountains right outside my door, and the summer is longer here, so conditions are perfect for training,” he explains. “I’ve also come to love Italy and its culture. It’s very difficult not to fall in love with the laid-back attitude, the wonderful food and the countryside.”

When he’s not competing in the big contests, Rasmussen lives in Castelnuovo del Garda, a historical 15th-century town to the south-east of the lake, with his wife Cariza Munoz and their young son Milo.

“We’re a few miles away from the lake and the tourists, but still close enough to go there when we feel like it,” he says. “It’s very lively in the summer, but completely dead in the winter, which I actually quite like.”

Buying property in a different country can be quite an overwhelming experience, so how did Rasmussen cope? “There are some differences compared to how it’s done in Denmark,” he explains. “It’s a lot more bureaucratic here – it’s something that you have to get used to. Except for that, I didn’t experience any difficulties at all.

“The property market is quite different here compared to Scandinavia. In Italy you either own something, or you rent it. There is no social housing; everything is done privately. You’re not as protected as you are in Denmark,” he explains.

In terms of the language barrier, Rasmussen was determined to learn Italian as soon as he decided to move: “It doesn’t work if you live in Italy and all you can say is ‘pizza’ or ‘spaghetti’. It was something that I just had to get over and done with. I went to a language school straight away, and learning Italian came really easily.”

Rasmussen is clearly a man who succeeds at whatever he sets his mind to, whether it’s a gruelling cycle race, or starting a new life abroad. “I guess I’m just a very determined person,” he says. He might have been nicknamed ‘Chicken’, but there is nothing cowardly about the way he has thrown himself into his new life.

Northern Italy buyer’s guide

Buying a house in a peaceful Italian village may sound like heaven, but before you pack your bags there are a few things the experts advise you to consider…

Despite Italy’s reputation as a land of bureaucratic excess and red tape run riot, Italian estate agents don’t have anywhere near as much liability as their Scandinavian colleagues.

“It’s very important to be careful when deciding on which property you want to buy in Italy. You’re not as protected if something goes wrong with the estate agent as you are in the Scandinavian countries,” says Rina Cignitti, who is a consultant specialising in Italian property for the Danish estate agent Livingstones.

“You should always ask for a condition report. It’s not compulsory in Italy like it is in Denmark, but it’s highly recommended, especially if you’re looking to buy an older house,” she adds.

Another thing that many people don’t know before they start looking for their dream house is that the prices can be deceptive. Henrik Steen Hansen, customer adviser for HusiItalien, a Danish company which has advisers in both Denmark and Italy, warns: “In Italy there is an official purchase price and an actual purchase price, and the actual price that you pay can often be 25% to 50% higher than the official price.” Something else to be aware of is that, in Italy, both the seller and the buyer are obliged to pay the estate agent a fee of between 2% and 6% of the sale price.

Since Italy, and especially northern Italy, is becoming so popular with Scandinavians, there are quite a few specialist agents operating all over the region. These agents will make sure that all the paperwork is correct, and work closely with the Italian solicitors. “It’s important to have a good solicitor in Italy assisting you when you’re buying property,” advises Cignitti. “When you hire Livingstones or other similar companies you get the whole package and you don’t have to worry about extra fees, the language barrier or getting the paperwork done.”

Going through specialist agents in Scandinavia also means that you don’t have to worry about being present when the deal is done, as their Italian representatives will have the authority to do that for you.

The price of property in northern Italy is highly dependant on location and condition. You can generally find real bargains in the smaller mountain villages, since the Italians often prefer to stay close to the bigger cities. If you buy something older, which may require a little extra work, prices tend to be in the region of €150,000 to €200,000. Besides the area around Lake Garda, other hot spots include Riviera dei Fiori, the coastline near the French border, Piemonte and the Adriatic coast.

“Northern Italy is popular with Scandinavians because it has the sun and the beaches in summer, and the ski resorts in winter,” says Steen Hansen. “You can also live close to some of Italy’s most famous cities, such as Venice, Milan and Verona.” If, like Michael Rasmussen, you have an Italian dream of your own, just make sure you consult a reputable specialist before you buy.

Estate agents who specialise in Italian property
www.livingstones.dk
www.husiitalien.dk
www.house-in-piemonte.com
www.sivkraft.se
www.tidblad.se