Casa Salvatore – Bagheria

€ 120.000

Bagheria - 90011 - Via Sant'Agata

#86840331

13 Rooms
4 Bathroom
200 m²
3rd

Bagheria Townhouse to Renovate, with Three Autonomous Apartments, Panoramic Rooftop Terrace and Top Floor Sun Room

Casa Salvatore is a four storey Bagheria townhouse to renovate, on the corner of two quiet streets. A huge property to be able to buy at this price, and with abundant character, it is highlighted by the third floor terrace and sun room, a fabulous open space, flooded with natural light, that deserves to be the heart of a warm and happy family life. The views over the rooftops and bell towers of Bagheria give a tremendous sense of open space, and was the first reason this property caught our attention.

The three floors underneath are each configured as independent apartments with private entrances from the communal stairwell. This opens the possibility of redeveloping the old building into three private houses which could be sold on, a complex of vacation apartments that might share the top floor as an enticing leisure facility, or a giant home that could afford separate spaces to different branches of the same family or close friends.

The building stands at the junction of Via Sant’Agata and Via Scoppa, a quiet corner of Bagheria’s historic centre, close enough to the pedestrianised shopping streets and the town’s excellent restaurants to walk, but removed from the bustle.

The low asking price represents remarkable value for such a large building in a well-connected Sicilian town. The work that will need to be done is decorative and systems based more than structural, and we think that the capital gains would return the outlay several times over.

The Property

Casa Salvatore is a corner property with a dual aspect, facing north and east. Its four floors are connected by a shared staircase in good condition, with polished white marble steps that reflect the light as you climb. Each of the three private entrances opens off this stairwell. Tall ceilings throughout the building add to the sense of space and character.

The ground floor front entrance is into a little hallway, from which you reach the first apartment. Once inside you find a double bedroom to your right, unexpectedly bright thanks to a large French window onto the street outside. Beyond this is a living room, and at the rear a long, narrow bathroom. This apartment has been unoccupied for some time and the effects will need to be remedied: rising damp has affected the walls and plasterwork, and it will need the most thorough intervention of any floor in the building.

The first floor is noticeably brighter and follows a classic layout. The entrance leads into a generous dining room with a balcony overlooking Via Scoppa. An old-fashioned kitchen is still in place, and will need to be updated. The sleeping area has one double bedroom with its own balcony and a smaller adjoining room that could serve as a dressing room or study. The bathroom is split into two: one section for the WC and basin, the other for the shower. This apartment will need modernising throughout, but we haven't found any structural concerns.

The second floor was last renovated roughly 25 to 30 years ago and the floors and ceilings remain in good condition. A bright double bedroom with a balcony is on the right hand side of the entrance hall, while to the left you'll find a comfortable living room that's enhanced by its own balcony. The bathroom, characteristically long and narrow shape as you often find in Sicilian buildings of this period, could use some new fittings but is fully functional. One could comfortably live on this floor while renovating the others, and then give it a final touch up to complete the process.

The third floor makes Casa Salvatore stand out. An open-plan space dominated by large glazing on two sides, it is calm, airy and filled with light. It has a fitted kitchen and a bathroom, as well as giving access to the external terrace. Part of this level was enclosed after the construction of the property and will need some paperwork to be updating. We would be happy to help you find a reliable lawyer specialising in cadastral regularisation. You might also choose to revert the terrace back to its original footprint, creating a private solarium with panoramic views across Bagheria’s skyline.

Surroundings

Bagheria is a town of nearly 40,000 people, historically known as the “City of Villas” for the grand summer residences built here by Palermo’s aristocracy. Villa Palagonia, with its famous garden of grotesque sculptures, is a short walk from Casa Salvatore. The town has a strong identity rooted in Sicilian tradition, but it is also a place with real momentum: a pair of Michelin-starred restaurants speak to how seriously the local food culture is taken, and classic favourites like the Antica Focacceria and Trattoria Don Ciccio are part of daily life here.

Via Sant’Agata is a narrow, quiet side street typical of the old centre but noticeably less tight than some of its alleyways. There is some on-street parking if you have a small city car or a scooter. A good supermarket, popular with international residents, is about five minutes away, and the pedestrianised centre of town is a short walk in the other direction.

Bagheria’s train station is roughly ten minutes away on foot. Regional trains reach the centre of Palermo, Sicily's biggest and most important city, in under fifteen minutes - making this a very realistic base for anyone who works in the capital or simply wants easy access to all that Sicily’s largest city has to offer. The beautiful coastline of the peninsula that surrounds Bagheria, from Aspra in the west, around Monte Catalfano in the north to Porticello and Sant'Elia in the east, is a treat to explore on foot, by bike, driving or – ideally – by boat. Falcone-Borsellino international airport is about 45 minutes’ drive away.

Potential

The defining advantage of Casa Salvatore is its flexibility. With independent access to each floor, the building can be divided into separate units – an ideal configuration for anyone interested in running a holiday let or B&B in Sicily. Short-term rentals are a growing market in Bagheria, driven by the town’s proximity to Palermo and its own cultural attractions, and a Bagheria townhouse to renovate at this modest purchase price could offer an excellent return.

All four floors will need new plumbing and electrical systems, some kind of system for heating and cooling, new window frames for improved insulation, and new bathrooms – at the very least in the lower two apartments. The external facade is structurally sound, though sections of plaster have worn off the second and third floor balconies, which will need repair.

A realistic budget for a full renovation, including rectifying either the documentation or the layout of the extended third floor, would be somewhere approaching the asking price of the property. It could be less, on a tight budget, depending on the specification and finishes you choose. Even fitted to luxury standards, however, the total spend would be well below market value for a triple-unit property of this size in such a centrally located town. The low asking price leaves substantial margin for a renovation that could be genuinely transformative.

Equally, if you are considering moving to Sicily to live and work remotely – or commute into Palermo by train – this is the kind of property that could give you a spacious home with room to spare for guests, a studio or a home office, all for a fraction of what you would pay in most of northern Europe.

Our project management experience is significant and well-regarded. Our team would be very pleased to advise you on renovation work, from an informal consultation right up to taking full responsibility for the process. If you're not a confident Italian speaker or won't be on the island in person during this stage, this will offer invaluable peace of mind and it's undeniably true that a local accent can help in price negotiations, too. If you’d like to discuss what’s possible for this affordable Bagheria townhouse to renovate, please don't hesitate to get in touch.