Buying a home in the Monferrato hills
Hills that stretch as far as the eye can see, perched medieval villages that seem to hang on the horizon, ancient farmhouses and fine wine cellars: this is the landscape of the Monferrato, and this is where more and more investors are turning their interested gaze.
The second dream home for foreigners is a farmhouse in the hills. They know this well in Tuscany, where the phenomenon has been evident for many years, but they also know it in Piedmont, where the hills have been carefully revalued in recent years by foreign and Italian investors, also bringing increasing attractiveness for tourism.
These are areas where it is possible to live all year round with mild temperatures, where there is no shortage of services and where tranquillity reigns supreme. With this in mind, it is not surprising that the Piedmontese hills are being hailed as one of the new poles for elite cultural tourism.
It was on the 22nd of 2014 that the area of Monferrato, Langhe and Roero was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This recognition rewards the territory of the Piedmont hills not only for their undoubted aesthetic beauty, but also for the historical value of the tradition and the real wine culture so deeply rooted in the community.
The UNESCO World Heritage area is a serial one and includes six areas within the provinces of Alessandria, Asti and Cuneo and twenty-nine municipalities, covering an area of about 10,000 hectares where the bond with the land is at the heart. A recognition that has certainly helped this splendid territory to emerge from the tourism and - consequently - real estate point of view.
Most sought-after types of property in Monferrato
The most sought-after property is the stone farmhouse, the renovated farmstead, the Art Nouveau or period villa, or an independent property with a garden or with an important arable land. The watchword: quiet and
Precisely because the prices are almost half those of the Langhe, the revaluation in the medium-long term is undoubtedly greater, making the purchase of a farmhouse in Monferrato a decidedly a wide view of the hilly area.
This is the picture of the typical Piedmontese rustic house, free on four sides (or on three), with a private garden, three to four rooms, a view of the vineyards and the Alps, and easy access to the sea and the cities.
The most sought-after type of property is in fact around 150 thousand euro.
Prices and opportunities in Monferrato
The province of Alba turns out to be the most expensive area in the Langhe, so much so that the prices of real estate, farmhouses and cottages in Monferrato are as much as 40-50% lower. In fact, Monferrato suffers from an old penalisation of tourism development due to the strong industrial settlement of the past, but it has enormous potential in terms of tourism and food and wine development that is literally exploding in recent years.
Precisely because prices are almost half those of the Langhe, the revaluation in the medium-long term is undoubtedly greater, making the purchase of a farmhouse in Monferrato a decidedly interesting investment.
The typical client: who is buying in the Piedmont Hills today?
The attractiveness of the investment is mainly the prerogative of foreigners: suffice it to say that in 2021 about 70% of transactions were completed by foreign investors. Buyers are mostly European (Dutch, Danish, French, Belgian and German), interested in the quiet life, broad horizons and the possibility of a good retirement, while Americans and Asians are more oriented towards buying local wineries.
In fact, many foreigners are deciding to move to the Piedmontese hills to retire, but also to set up a receptive activity through the renovation of stone houses in the Piedmontese style of the 1900s: B&Bs, room rentals and widespread hotels are the main activities.
The trend of rural tourism is in fact booming and in this perspective the search for a farmhouse is a perfect investment to liven up and differentiate the tourist market in Italian regions with a strong artistic and cultural vocation.
The most sought-after areas between Langhe and Monferrato
The area in which the property search is concentrated lies between Ovada and Acqui Terme, Nizza Monferrato, Canelli and the upper Langa up to Calosso and the hills of Casale Monferrato, Alba and the Barolo and Barbaresco area.
While demand in the Barolo area is very high, supply is scarce. For this reason, demand is increasingly shifting to other neighbouring areas among forests and hazelnut grov...