Property Description

Sea-view property in Cefalù to buy

From a leafy hillside plot overlooking the tourist hotspot of Cefalù – officially one of the most beautiful villages in Italy – Villa Collina enjoys a fabulous, uninterrupted sea view. While there is cosmetic work to be done here, both indoors and out, the price tag is so far below the market value for that it will certainly not stay on the market for long. If you’re in a position to act fast the return on your outlay could be almost as spectacular as the panorama from your new balcony!

The two-bedroom detached house is structurally sound with a double roof and all necessary utilities. Whether you are thinking of a full-time relocation to Sicily, a holiday home in the sun or a savvy investment in the island’s rock-solid tourist industry, Villa Collina (the ‘house in the hills’) is a rough diamond that’s well worth your interest.

The Property

Unoccupied for years, Villa Collina is lost in overgrown gardens. Olive trees and chestnuts will need some pruning, but the eye of a savvy landscape gardener will unlock the potential of 4350m2 of outdoor space which includes an access road, parking and terraces. The plot is fenced and in an area which, while offering the perfect sea views of a much more remote property, is actually in close contact with its neighbours and just a fifteen minute drive downhill into the very centre of Cefalù.

The main living space is the first floor, which enjoys the best views of the turquoise Tyrrhenian Sea below. This is just 2.2km as the crow flies, although the 500m of elevation up this steep hillside keeps the house and garden feeling ventilated and fresh. On this floor you will find a kitchen, dining room, two bedrooms and a bathroom, connected by a small hallway. The dining room is a particularly nice space, opening through patio doors onto a long covered terrace perfect for relaxing in the warm afternoons or dining underneath the stars at night.

On the ground floor, which is partially subterranean as a result of the slope of the hillside, are a trio of storage rooms. There is potential here to add more living space, and even a self-contained apartment, but it is worth noting that the ceiling height is only 2,30m. We see this as the perfect area for a games room, perhaps a study and maybe a larder or – if you really want to throw yourself into the local vinoculture – a good cellar.

This sea-view property in Cefalù is already connected to the municipal electricity supply, and draws water from a cistern filled partially by tanker and partially by filtered runoff. The double roof is in good condition, and our survey rated the property as being in very solid state structurally. The main habitable space on the first floor measures approximately 60 m2.

Surroundings

Aside from the wonderful view, Villa Collina’s greatest asset is obviously its proximity to one of Sicily’s main tourist hotspots – Cefalu. With its immaculately preserved medieval old town and unique, UNESCO-protected Arab-Norman cathedral, the so-called ‘Pearl of the Tyrrhenian’ is no mere sandy strip.

Other treasures include megalithic sea walls, a remarkable washhouse dating back to the middle ages, and a ruined temple which stands atop the legendary ‘Rocca’. This towering fortified outcrop overhangs the community below, defining its iconic skyline as viewed from the famous two kilometre strip of pristine sandy beach.  With first class options for food and drink, this is a destination on the rise but still very much in touch with its cultural roots and unmistakably Sicilian identity.

In under an hour, by rail or road, you can reach Palermo, Sicily’s first city and home to nearly a fifth of its population. This burgeoning metropolis is home to some incredible architecture, famous outdoor markets and of course all the sights and smells you’d expect from an Italian city’s culinary scene.

If you like your day trips at a more sedate pace, the beautiful countryside and outdoor sports of the Madonie Natural Park, filled with a treasure trove of wonderful little villages waiting to be discovered, lies just inland.

Potential

Villa Collina has so much potential, bursting to be discovered afresh. We would urge prospective buyers not to be put off by the dated interiors or untended garden – with some decoration and a little elbow grease what lies beneath is, in truth, worth far more than the price being asked. Real estate in Cefalù does not change hands at these prices every day.

Our friendly and multilingual team have years of experience helping recent buyers with renovation work in Sicily, frequently on a much more demanding scale than this. We would be delighted to be at your side through the whole process, from the initial purchase to planning and realising the sparkling new holiday home with which you’ll finish.

Talk to us today about how to take advantage of the incredibly advantageous subsidies and tax breaks on offer to sup

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