Buying a home in Piedmont (Piemonte), Italy is an excellent decision you won't regret. But you need to ask - in what part of the region should I buy?
There are four main areas that are interesting for buyers from outside of Italy: the Lakes (Maggiore and Orta), the Langhe, Roero and the Monferrato.
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The Langhe
The Langhe covers a huge area, from Alba down to the border with Liguria. It's split into two main parts: Le Langhe and alta-langa, or High-Langa. The alta-langa runs from Santo Stefano Belbo down to Ceva and Saliceto and is higher in altitude than other parts of the Langhe. It's a very diverse area. Northern areas (around Alba) are mostly vineyards, the rest a mix of agriculture and hazelnut orchards. Choose very carefully and make sure you get good, honest advice. Some areas are very isolated and a little grim. Start your search with the towns closest to Alba. Everyone wants Monforte d'Alba, Serralunga, Barolo, etc but it's very difficult to find good houses here and it's expensive. Consider the Mango area, for example. Still beautiful, but so much cheaper.
The langhe is the place to buy. It has more prestige and values are more robust. If you're thinking of buying to rent or B&B then there's no other choice. These types of business do much much better in the Langhe than in the Monferrato.
The Monferrato
The same as above. It ranges from incredible to not-so-good in some areas. Around Asti can be very desirable - beautiful scenery and a convenient place to live. Don't overlook it. The scenery is still amazing but very accessible and prices are lower than the Langhe. Business is not always as good here compared to the Langhe.
The Roero
This is a smaller area of vineyards, peaches, honey and strawberries. It has beautiful parts but it's generally very difficult to find independent houses. Most houses are built in lines, which do not always appeal to foreign buyers. I live in the Roero and love it.
Get the right advice before you buy a home
Before you buy, get the right advice. If you're working with us you'll get this. We are VERY choosy about where we look for houses. We see a lot of houses but very few make it to this Website. We know you're not interested in terrible locations and houses that look like prison blocks or are next to factories, so we're not going to waste your time with them. Fact is, there are few good houses on the market and lots of bad ones. We filter out all the junk for you. Remember Langhe.Property!
