Sea View Project – Collesano

€ 110.000

Collesano - 90016 - contrada pozzetti snc

#86689973

7 Rooms
0 Bathroom
150 m²
1st

Seafront Villa to Finish With Spectacular Views, Convenient for Cefalù and wonderful beaches at Lascari and Campofelice

There are many expensive properties along the Tyrrhenian coast of north Sicily, and then there are real opportunities. Sea View Project is definitely the latter. This is a blank canvas of a property where the hard work is already done – the load-bearing structure of a detached villa already sits on top of a hilltop with panoramic views across olive groves to the Tyrrhenian Sea.

This seafront villa to finish offers a great best-of-both-worlds proposition: complete design freedom with solid foundations already in place. The structure was completed around 1995 and despite decades of exposure to the elements, shows no obvious structural damage. With approximately 150m² of building space across two floors and nearly 18,000m² of land, you could create a substantial family home, a holiday rental property, or even a small agricultural project.

The location splits the difference between accessible and secluded. You're only a few minutes' drive from Lascari, twenty minutes from the beaches and restaurants of Cefalù, and an hour from Palermo and its international airport. Yet there are no direct neighbours, just rolling countryside and that remarkable view.

For buyers with vision and a realistic budget, this represents excellent value. You'll need approximately £200,000 to complete the building to a high standard, plus the purchase price. That's a serious investment, but compare it to what you'd pay for a finished property in this area with these views and this much land. If you're prepared to oversee a project (or work on it from a distance with our excellent project management team) to create something customised just for you, Sea View Project deserves your attention.

The Property

The building occupies a commanding position on top of a small hill. A little terrace flanks it, then the ground drops away fairly quickly, giving unobstructed views over the Gulf of Termini Imerese. Both upstairs rooms have sea view balconies.

The ground floor covers approximately 100m² and the first floor around 48m², giving you roughly 150m² of total space. The internal heights are generous – approximately 4 metres at the ridge – which means you'll have options when it comes to ceiling design. Large openings ensure excellent natural light throughout.

Because only the load-bearing structure is complete, the internal layout is completely flexible. There are no partition walls yet, so you can configure the space however you need. The structure dates from around 1995, and whilst there's visible damp from direct exposure to weather, we see no obvious structural damage.

One technical note: a ventilated crawl space with igloo blocks is recommended, given the available heights. This is standard practice for Sicilian construction and will help manage moisture.

There's visible subsidence of the terrace on the left side of the building. This will need to be checked during renovation work – it's the kind of issue that's common in properties that have stood empty for decades, and experienced builders will know how to assess and remedy it.

The plot is roughly triangular, measuring 240m from its northern point to its southern tip, and 120m wide at its broadest part. It slopes from about 280m above sea level at its highest point down to 260m at its lowest. The southeastern corner follows the SP128 road from Lascari to Collesano.

Across the land you'll find olive trees, almond trees, peaches and Mediterranean scrub. The surroundings are mostly orchards and olive groves, with some open meadow to the south. The land has been long abandoned and will need clearing before you could put it back into production, but the bones are good. The steeper front section would suit terracing if you wanted to create formal gardens or planting areas.

The property is not connected to the municipal water main, but there is a private spring which feeds an above-ground concrete cistern and a spring. However, we're not completely confident that this will reliably meet the water needs of the finished home – we suggest getting an expert technical opinion. More on this situation when we discuss the project's potential.

Access is via a dirt road connected to the provincial road. The last stretch needs some simple repairs, easily carried out with mechanical means – this isn't a major obstacle, just routine groundwork.

Surroundings

The property sits along the SP128 road, which connects Lascari to Collesano. Technically it's in the municipality of Collesano, but practically you're closer to Lascari – about 5 to 7 minutes by car. Lascari is a compact coastal town of around 3,600 people with basic amenities including small shops, a couple of restaurants and the essentials for daily life.

For more substantial shopping – supermarkets, building supplies, white goods – you'd head to Campofelice di Roccella, which is a similar distance away and offers better variety. Both Campofelice and Lascari have railway stations if you want to explore the coast without driving.

Twenty minutes west brings you to Cefalù, one of Sicily's most appealing coastal towns. The Norman cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the medieval centre is remarkably well preserved, and the beach stretches for 2 kilometres. You'll find proper restaurants here, not just tourist traps, and the town has maintained its character despite the visitors.

Head the other direction, inland from Lascari, and you're immediately in the foothills of the Madonie Natural Park. The villages up here – Gratteri, Collesano, Isnello – have a different character entirely. Quieter, more traditional, with remarkable views across the hills. They're worth exploring, particularly if you're interested in walking or mountain biking.

Palermo is about an hour to the west. This is Sicily's capital, a city of considerable character with Arab-Norman architecture, excellent street food, and the kind of slightly chaotic energy that either appeals to you or it doesn't. The international airport at Punta Raisi handles direct flights to most major European cities.

The view itself is one of the property's best features. You're looking north across the coast, with the Aeolian islands of Alicudi and Filicudi visible on clear days. To the east you can see Capo Zafferano and Monte Pellegrino. Behind you, the hills of the Madonie. It's an evocative position, and genuinely private – no direct neighbours to speak of.

Potential

All systems need to be built from scratch, which of course gives you maximum design freedom. Water, electricity, heating, cooling, photovoltaic – you can configure everything exactly as you want it. There's no infrastructure to work around or compromise with.

To complete the house to a high standard, including all finishes, you're looking at approximately £200,000. This would include addressing the damp issues, installing all systems, fitting out kitchens and bathrooms, flooring, plastering, windows, doors – everything needed to make it habitable and comfortable. A swimming pool would add another £30,000 or so if that's of interest. The land is currently unfenced – enclosing it in simple fashion would set you back about €30 per metre.

These are realistic estimates based on current Sicilian construction costs, but they're estimates nonetheless. Your final costs will depend on your choices – materials, finishes, fixtures. Budget conservatively and expect some variation.

On the issue of the water supply we mentioned before, if the existing spring isn't going to prove a steady source, we think that a technician would advise you to drill a new well. This should cost approximately €6,000–7,000, including excavation, pump and accessories.

Managing a construction project from overseas is achievable but it requires either presence or delegation. We offer comprehensive project management services designed specifically for international buyers. We handle contractor recruitment and negotiation, coordinate site visits, manage communications with suppliers and craftspeople, and provide accurate progress updates. It's particularly valuable if you can't be here in person during the work. Several of our clients have successfully completed renovation projects this way – we'd be happy to introduce you.

The property could work as a permanent residence, a substantial holiday home, or a rental investment. The views and plot size would appeal to the holiday rental market, particularly if you invested in decent finishes and perhaps that pool. The rental management services offered by our sister company Solemar Sicilia could handle everything from marketing to maintenance if that's the route you wanted to take.

The 18,000m² of land opens other possibilities. You could develop a significant agricultural project – olives, citrus, vegetables. You could create extensive gardens. You could simply leave most of it wild and enjoy the privacy. The quantity of land at this price point is difficult to find on Sicily's north coast.

This obviously isn't the simplest purchase you could make in the area, and if you want something you can use in a hurry it wouldn't be the right choice for you. But for a laid-back buyer who wants to find real value in an often-costly market, it's an opportunity to create something substantial in a beautiful location at a fraction of what finished properties cost in this area.

If you're new to developing like this in Sicily, you might find it very useful to take a look at our guides to building your own home and renovating property in Sicily. These should give you a very comprehensive sense of what the journey will look like. After that, we're here to answer all of your questions!