The Italian Riviera, a magnificent stretch of coastline in Liguria, offers its visitors stunning locations such as the glamorous Portofino, or the Cinque Terre, and inland gems which have inspired poets and writers like Byron, Shelley and Hemingway. Liguria borders with France, Tuscany, and its coastal mountains separate it from Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna.
The capital Genoa separates the Riviera di Ponente, with famous resort towns like Sanremo, from the Riviera di Levante, which is famous for its fishing villages and breathtaking rocky coastline. The food of Liguria is representative of the area’s unique climate, which you would expect in southern Italy; in fact, Liguria enjoys a temperate climate unlike many other regions in northern Italy. Ultimately, the Italian Riviera and its combination of colorful villages, Mediterranean climate and fresh food will sting you with its beauty.
Italian Real Estate Lawyers (IREL) interviewed Antonio Barragan, who recently purchased his property in Liguria and who was keen to share his experience of purchasing a property in Italy.
Antonio, how did the decision to purchase a property in Liguria come about?
In my 20s, I spent a couple of years near Ventimiglia on the Italian/French boarder and was always surprised with the very high quality of life I enjoyed for such a low cost. In that area of Italy, you are minutes from skiing the Alps while living amidst medieval cathedrals, castles and the beautiful beaches of Liguria. The cuisine is delicious and the people are so kind and honest, which is refreshing coming from Los Angeles.
What were your expectations prior to purchasing your property?
When I discovered Attorney Marco Permunian in an interview on YouTube explaining services his firm offers, it instilled confidence that my family and I could realize our goal of purchasing a vacation (and possibly retirement) property in Coastal Liguria with IREL’s help. After signing our contract, our case manager Linda went right to work, showing lots of initiative, knowledge and quick communication.
What was the process of purchasing your property like?
IREL was a pleasure to work with. They demystified and simplified the entire Italian property purchasing process. From translating and patiently explaining the finer details to visiting properties, organizing inspections and background checks, researching for tax liens, they handled everything.
We were continually surprised at how much care IREL’s team took, from helping us negotiate the best possible price with the seller, to offing a service orchestrating cleaner, contractors and connecting and setting up utilizes and property tax payment with the local comune.
They truly made a process that can be overwhelming, very simple for me and my family.
What type of property did you purchase?
We purchased a 3-bedroom apartment in an ancient piazza, inside the medieval city walls. We chose it because it has great outdoor balconies and decks and is walking distance to our favorite beach, amazing restaurants, farmers market, great hiking trails and incredible historical sights.
What are your future plans?
We have now visited our new property in 2022 and again in January 2023. We are so elated with the result that we are planning on moving from California to our new home in Italy full time later in 2023.
Our thanks to Marco, Linda, Georgiana and the entire team for helping us make a dream into a reality.
If you have been intimidated by the idea of purchasing a property in Italy, don’t be. Just make sure you choose the right team to help you.
