Appassionata: The five golden rules of buying a fractional ownership property

Overseas property, in particular, is ideal for fractional owners looking for a holiday home a cut above the rest. With a management company in place to deal with the maintenance and upkeep of the property, fractional ownership offers the capital growth benefits of a regular holiday home, but with less hassle and a far superior property.

As fractional ownership is still a relatively new concept compared with other methods of property investment, Italy-based fractional expert Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs of luxury holiday home company Appassionata here provides her five golden rules of buying a fractional ownership property.

The five golden rules of buying a fractional ownership property

1. Location, location, location – as with any property purchase, be sure that the location offers everything you desire, whether it’s mountain views, access to stunning beaches, fabulous local cuisine or an easy flight from the UK. If it’s all of the above that you seek, then look no further than Italy’s Le Marche region!
2. Value for money – ensure the purchase price is in line with the local market and offers value for money, with transparent annual maintenance charges. Check out the purchase procedure as well – it should be simple and straightforward, with clarity built in at every stage.
3. Property size – think carefully about how many bedrooms you need and the property’s other rooms and features. Bear in mind that over time your holiday needs may change, with extended family and friends all able to join you if you have a sufficiently spacious property.
4. Residency calendar – be sure to investigate how the property’s residency calendar works. It should be a simple system that is easy to understand, with a means of allocating weeks that is fair to all owners.
5. Confidence – ensure that you have confidence in the company that you are buying from. The fractional ownership company should engender trust from the start. Here at Appassionata our clients get to meet the whole team, which as we are a family business even includes the grandchildren. We like our clients to know that we are nearby should they need us, especially for their first visits when everything is new to them.

Appassionata currently offers three fractional ownership holiday homes – two nestled within the rolling hills of the Le Marche countryside, plus their latest property, Casa Tre Archi, which offers Italian urban living in its purest form, in the medieval town of Petritoli. Dawn was careful to look at all three properties through their potential fractional owners’ eyes before purchasing.

Attached to the ancient turrets and entrance arches of the town walls, Casa Tre Archi offers three bedrooms, three bathrooms and three levels of outside space, including a stunning roof terrace with sea views. Unique features abound, including beamed ceilings, old turret walls and travertine stone floors. Fractions are currently priced from £65,000 each for a one tenth share, which entitles the owner to five weeks’ usage per year.

For more information on fractional ownership and the wonders of the luxury Italian urban lifestyle, contact the Appassionata team on 0039 073 465 8775 or visit www.appassionata.com.