Buying a home in the most sought-after areas of Italy such as Tuscany, Lake Como or Sardinia can seem prohibitive for some investors.
Actually, it is cheaper than they might think, according to Italian property site Gate-Away.com.
As many people already know, with the economic downturn property prices in Italy have fallen dramatically: a great Italian second home has never been more affordable.
But what many home buyers don't know is that they can purchase a corner of la dolce vita in one of the most popular regions for little money.
A good example is the Lunigiana territory in Northern Tuscany - an excellent alternative to the 'Chiantishire' more familiar with British buyers, it offers a number of charming places to house hunt.
Take the medieval hamlet Bagnone, for instance - a completely renovated and characteristic three-bed home with a lovely 10m2 terrace for €120.000.
Lake Como needn't be reserved for majestic villas. Investors that look just 1km inland will find bargain properties in idyllic villages. In Gravedona for example one can buy a small apartment in a renovated house with rare lake view for €85.000.
Equally, popular Sardinia isn't just a synonym for the most expensive areas of the Emerald Coast. For as little as €25,000 you can pick up a country house in the island's centre, while under €100,000 can get less you could also consider a two-bedroom apartment or semi-detached house by the sea in a well-known northern village like Costa Paradiso.
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