The Attraction of Le Marche as a holiday destination and a location for buying property abroad.

In the world of overseas property, there are almost as many "new Tuscanys" as there are "new blacks" in fashion. But the previously undiscovered gem of Italy's east coast, Le Marche, could well be a genuine contender for the title. Set amidst a breathtaking landscape of snow capped mountains and Adriatic coastline, Le Marche is stepping into the limelight as an authentic Italian region offering everything from castles with sea views to rustic restoration projects among mediaeval hill top villages- with a climate to rival the best Tuscany can offer.

The main reason that the region previously failed to attract much attention is because it is separated from the western coast, along with its airports, by the Sibillini mountains, which form part of the Apennine range. Access to airports at major cities such as Rome was difficult-and involved a hair-raising three hour mountain drive. But all that changed when the budget airlines began operating flights to the region's capital. Now the seekers of the good life are moving in- and Brits are topping the list of those snapping up derelict properties and hoping to see a healthy return on their investment.

Jo Ralling is not a lady to shy away from a challenge- and nor, it seems, is her family. The TV production manager together with her parents and husband Geoff have just bought what they happily describe as a cowshed just outside the popular village of Amandola. The adventurous family pooled their financial resources to buy the £85,000 derelict stone built farmhouse, which sits on a hilltop looking out at the Sibillini mountains. They plan to spend a further £60,000 renovating the house, transforming it into a four bedroom, three bathroom house with a swimming pool which they hope to rent as a holiday let for £2,000 a week during the summer season. But the main motivation for the purchase was to allow the family to spend quality time together in an area they collectively fell in love with at first sight

Jo (38) says, "My parents were looking for a way to invest their money and we were looking for a project - so we thought an overseas home would be a good idea. We wanted something we could all enjoy- yet hopefully get a good return on our money, and we didn't mind a project because Geoff is a builder and we're happy to get our hands dirty.

We didn't have a huge budget so we began by looking in cheaper countries such as Croatia- we very nearly bought one but they just never felt right. One day I was flicking through a magazine when I saw a picture of Le Marche and thought it looked absolutely beautiful.

"We never really considered Italy before because we thought it would be too expensive but Le Marche wasn't so we went over to have a look. Before this I'd never heard of Le Marche but it really is a spectacular place- I really feel like I've discovered a secret gem. What makes it so appealing is that it is stunningly beautiful but you can still pick up reasonably priced renovation properties- they just don't exist anymore in Tuscany."

Linda Trevella, MD of Casa Trevella, has been selling properties in Italy for 17 years and says that during tha past two years there has been an explosion of interest in the area. She says, " The market has totally changed in Italy over the past few years. Initially, a lot of people started looking for holiday homes here because they were fed up with Spain. But now we are seeing a shift towards people moving here permanently, rather than just holidaying. And they are getting younger, too. It's not uncommon for people in their early thirties to be on our books. Le Marche has really boomed since the cheap flights began. That opened up this part of Italy overnight."

Property prices in the region have reacted accordingly, says Linda, with 50% increases being reported in the past year alone.

"The amount of property that we are selling in the area has doubled in the last two years but that doesn't mean it is expensive," she adds. "You can pick up properties for restoration from as little as £30,000 and from £45,000 you can get larger houses in much bigger plots."

Another bonus for many buyers is that Le Marche is still mostly undeveloped as a tourist resort- a point best demonstrated by the fact that most of the restaurants still close down in August so the owners can go on holiday.

Houses and Property for sale in Le Marche, Italy

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