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Villa Francesca – Trabia

€ 370.000

Trabia - 90019 - Contrada San Nicola

#86749641

10 Rooms
3 Bathroom
300 m²
1st

Exciting Development Opportunity Near Palermo; Large Villa on Building Land with Plans Approved to Build Three More Homes

A hybrid property in a prime coastal location, Villa Francesca is both a five bedroom home in its own right and an exciting development opportunity. Near Palermo, just 20km outside Sicily's magnetic capital city, less than 1,200 metres from the coast and 140m above sea level, the position gives you panoramic sea views over the seafront town of San Nicola l'Arena. Even better, with the island's main north coast motorway also running less than a kilometre away, the location's beauty is matched by offers excellent connectivity.

Set in parkland planted with lemon trees, the villa is already divided into two separate apartments, and the second parcel on offer is building land with planning permission already in place for for three additional detached houses.

The train station in San Nicola l'Arena brings you to Palermo in twenty minutes, while the motorway access allows you to reach the international airport in around 45 minutes. For investors seeking a development opportunity near Palermo, this combines the lifestyle appeal of coastal Sicily with solid commercial fundamentals.

The villa needs modernisation but the structure is sound. With five bedrooms across two independent apartments, covered verandas and mature gardens, it would in and of itself make an appealing family home or holiday rental. The real interest, though, lies in the development potential. The second lot on offer allows for the construction of three new 120 square metre villas, each with pools if you choose, and each on its own plot 1,500m2 in size.

Whether you're an investor looking to realise the full development, a buyer who wants the villa for personal use while selling the building land, or someone planning to build your own home in Sicily and sell the others, this property offers genuine flexibility in one of northern Sicily's most accessible coastal areas.

The Property

Villa Francesca stands behind a high tuff stone wall along Strada Vicinale San Nicola. An avenue lined with lemon trees leads to a central courtyard, where a large mulberry tree provides shade. The property is set back from the entrance, ensuring privacy while remaining easily accessible.

Built in 1967 in a traditional Mediterranean style, the villa has decorative ceramic details, stone features and mature planting. It's currently divided into two independent apartments, one on the ground floor and one on the first floor, connected by an external staircase. Windows on all sides ensure excellent natural light and cross-ventilation.

The ground floor apartment opens onto a patio with a nice arched portico. The shady space connects directly to the kitchen at the front of the property, making it a lovely spot for al-fresco dining. Inside, beyond the kitchen you'll find two bedrooms and a bathroom, as well as a box room that's currently used for storage.

Up the external staircase, the first floor apartment comprises a living room, a large kitchen-diner, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a substantial storage closet. The terrace at this level offers sea views and overlooks the surrounding landscape – and again, it opens directly off the kitchen with obvious convenience for mealtimes. This apartment is well-proportioned and receives natural light from multiple sides.

A basement level houses a cellar with storage space. Like most property of its kind in this part of the world, the villa doesn't have any central heating but it is fitted with air conditioning.

Beyond the immediate garden, the remaining 6,000m2 of land designated for development is currently planted with citrus groves. The property benefits from a private well with all paperwork in order, providing water for both domestic and outdoor use throughout the year. An irrigation system takes good care of the 2,500m2 garden, which is planted with lemon, olive and other fruit trees. There is plenty of space for off-road parking.

Surroundings

San Nicola l'Arena is a small coastal community known for its marina, which offers moorings and services for recreational boating. The hamlet has a handful of shops, cafes and seafood restaurants. It's a quiet spot for most of the year, with increased activity in the summer months. A range of nearby beaches, a mix of pebble and sand, can be easily reached by car in under a quarter of an hour.

For more substantial shopping and services, nearby Termini Imerese is the nearest large town. You can also find supermarkets, health facilities and some restaurants in Trabia, just a ten minute drive east. This is, in fact, the municipality in which the property stands.

The property is only five minutes drive from the main coastal road connecting Palermo and Messina, making it straightforward to explore the wider region. Sicily's capital is only half an hour away, and the city's international airport can be reached in three quarters of an hour. If you prefer to leave the car at home, trains from San Nicola l'Arena will bring you directly into the main Palermo Centrale station, from which you can easily connect to the airport if you need.

A little to the west along the coast you'll find the Capo Zafferano peninsula, with smaller coves and beaches. The nearest city is Bagheria, midway between San Nicola and Palermo. To the east, meanwhile the UNESCO-protected cathedral and atmospheric old town of Cefalù is around 40 minutes away. Inland, the Madonie mountains offer hiking trails and traditional villages with amazing views.

Potential

The existing villa is going to need some modernisation. While it's structurally sound you'll want to update the interior finishes, kitchen and bathrooms. You should be able to get this priced very competitively if you are using the same contractors who work on the bigger project of the construction work.

This is of course the more significant part of the exciting development opportunity near Palermo. 'Lot 2' is classified as functionally autonomous, meaning it can operate independently from neighbouring plots. The approved plans allow for three detached houses, each big enough to hold three bedrooms and spacious gardens. Including a pool and landscaping, we would put the build cost per unit in the region of approximately €160,000, but similar properties in this area sell for around €230,000. You will need to account for a €75,000 development charge, to be paid to the local council, but this still points to a significant profit.

There are obvious challenges to taking on renovation and construction work in a new country, especially if you are not a fluent Italian speaker. Many of our previous clients have greatly appreciated the help of our project management team, who can offer everything from informal advice to consultancy and even completely overseeing the work on your behalf. You could buy Villa Francesca remotely, get updated regularly on the progress of the site and arrive to take possession of two remodelled apartments and three pristine new villas.

If you are able to build and then rent, rather than selling, the proximity to Palermo and the appeal of the coastline could add even more returns to your outlay. Of possible interest to buyers eyeing Villa Francesca as this kind of vacation rental proposition, our sister company Solemar Sicilia offers property rental management services that handle everything from guest bookings to maintenance.

A professional studio has overseen the subdivision and is preparing the executive design for the building work, which means construction could begin relatively soon.