Vintage Italian Postcards

Thursday, May 26, 2011

The cost of property

The cost of property in our area, North Umbria is, after a two year slump, recovering. Easter saw a steady trickle of prospective house buyers anxious to secure bargains before the prices took off again. How about booking a property weekend based at La Preghiera, discussions, site visits, questions and answers.

Maybe property isn’t for you, but perhaps religion and history is. St Francis, lived and worked just down the road in Asissi, and passed up and down the Tiber Valley between his workplace and the isolated monastery of La Verna. We have many churches and religious buildings in the area and the church of La Preghiera, built on Roman, if not Etruscan, temple foundations is often used for the most wonderful and romantic weddings. The site www.weddingsumbria.com gives full details and suggestions whilst accommodation in La Preghiera or Villa Moscatelli will provide rooms to satisfy the most discerning traveller.

Not too far from La Verna is Caprese Michaelangelo where the great man was born. He learned his trade from a small man in Perugia, Perugino. Giotto, Piero della Francesca, Fra Angelico, Rafaello and Lucca Signorelli all lived and laboured in our area and may well have banged on the door of La Preghiera looking for work. They were only, then, journeyman painters after all, and would undertake commissions for bed and board. Art treasures from the time of the Etruscans up until today are scattered throughout Umbria in galleries and churches. An artistic weekend could just be the boost you need to continue the year.
If not religion, or even art, then maybe architecture. The evidence remains within twenty kilometres between Sansepulcro, Citta’ di Castello, Gubbio, Umbertide, Perugia and Cortona. Etruscan, Roman, medieval, renaissance, empire, fascist and modern, both secular and ecclesiastical architecture, local churches and monasteries, castles and keeps.

George Clooney, they tell me: if he escapes the falling pianos; lives up the road, in Venice, and will soon start on a mass murder film about the serial killer of Florence. The Monster of Firenze, but I don’t know if Georgie is a goody, or a baddy. Maybe we’ll see some comparative location shots on www.reelstreets.com one day where they already have some 500 films examined with about 14,000 stills.

Something for everyone in fact, and La Preghiera itself was started before records commenced and was finished a few years before Columbus set sail to find the Americas which the Chinese had discovered seventy years before, probably in 1421. Have you read the book?

Monday, May 23, 2011

British Pound leapt up 5 cent against the Euro this Week




The Pound has jumped back up from a 13 month low of 1.10 up to 1.15, benefiting from higher levels of UK inflation (leading investors to increase their expectation of a currency boosting interest rate hike from the Bank of England) as well as Euro weakness, as the Greek debt crisis hits the headlines with renewed vigour. This difference enables us, through our currency partners, to obtain an extra €10,700 (12/5/11) for a client looking to transfer £200,000 to buy a house in Europe, or for any other reason. Email us for details.






Or, you could go to the High Street banks, and get the worst rate possible, and then a further undisclosed charge when the back office processes the transaction. Better by far are the British Post Office, clear clean rates, no hidden charges, cash in your hand, and a saving of over £800.00 on a € 10,000 exchange!



Aussie Dollars at all time high against the Euro.



Considerable savings to be made by trading your Dollars now if you are planning a holiday in Umbria or anywhere else in Europe. Highest rates now being achieved by our banking friends. Contact us for money saving details. You don’t need to book a holiday with us at lapreghiera.com or villa moscatelli.com or even buy a house from us at propertiesumbria.com or get married through weddingsumbria.com in order to benefit from safe and regulated currency transactions, not handled by the High Street banks, and not through high-rental City of London firms.

Tha cost of property in Umbria





The cost of property in our area, North Umbria is, after a two year slump, recovering. Easter saw a steady trickle of prospective house buyers anxious to secure bargains before the prices took off again. How about booking a property weekend based at La Preghiera, discussions, site visits, questions and answers.



Maybe property isn’t for you, but perhaps religion and history is. St Francis, lived and worked just down the road in Asissi, and passed up and down the Tiber Valley between his workplace and the isolated monastery of La Verna. We have many churches and religious buildings in the area and the church of La Preghiera, built on Roman, if not Etruscan, temple foundations is often used for weddings. The site www.weddingsumbria.com gives full details and suggestions whilst accommodation in La Preghiera or Villa Moscatelli will provide rooms to satisfy the most discerning traveller.



Not too far from La Verna is Caprese Michaelangelo where the great man was born. He learned his trade from a small man in Perugia, Perugino. Giotto, Piero della Francesca, Fra Angelico, Rafaello and Lucca Signorelli all lived and laboured in our area and may well have banged on the door of La Preghiera looking for work. They were only, then, journeyman painters after all, and would undertake commissions for bed and board. Art treasures from the time of the Etruscans up until today are scattered throughout Umbria in galleries and churches. An artistic weekend could just be the boost you need to continue the year.

If not religion, or even art, then maybe architecture. The evidence remains within twenty kilometres between Sansepulcro, Citta’ di Castello, Gubbio, Umbertide, Perugia and Cortona. Etruscan, Roman, medieval, renaissance, empire, fascist and modern, both secular and ecclesiastical architecture, local churches and monasteries, castles and keeps.



George Clooney, they tell me: if he escapes the falling pianos; lives up the road, in Venice, and will soon start on a mass murder film about the serial killer of Florence. The Monster of Firenze, but I don’t know if Georgie is a goody, or a baddy. Maybe we’ll see some comparative location shots on www.reelstreets.com one day where they already have some 500 films examined with about 14,000 stills.



What are other tourist/tourism sites saying/doing/writing ……latest tourist news

Tha cost of property in Umbria





The cost of property in our area, North Umbria is, after a two year slump, recovering. Easter saw a steady trickle of prospective house buyers anxious to secure bargains before the prices took off again. How about booking a property weekend based at La Preghiera, discussions, site visits, questions and answers.



Maybe property isn’t for you, but perhaps religion and history is. St Francis, lived and worked just down the road in Asissi, and passed up and down the Tiber Valley between his workplace and the isolated monastery of La Verna. We have many churches and religious buildings in the area and the church of La Preghiera, built on Roman, if not Etruscan, temple foundations is often used for weddings. The site www.weddingsumbria.com gives full details and suggestions whilst accommodation in La Preghiera or Villa Moscatelli will provide rooms to satisfy the most discerning traveller.



Not too far from La Verna is Caprese Michaelangelo where the great man was born. He learned his trade from a small man in Perugia, Perugino. Giotto, Piero della Francesca, Fra Angelico, Rafaello and Lucca Signorelli all lived and laboured in our area and may well have banged on the door of La Preghiera looking for work. They were only, then, journeyman painters after all, and would undertake commissions for bed and board. Art treasures from the time of the Etruscans up until today are scattered throughout Umbria in galleries and churches. An artistic weekend could just be the boost you need to continue the year.

If not religion, or even art, then maybe architecture. The evidence remains within twenty kilometres between Sansepulcro, Citta’ di Castello, Gubbio, Umbertide, Perugia and Cortona. Etruscan, Roman, medieval, renaissance, empire, fascist and modern, both secular and ecclesiastical architecture, local churches and monasteries, castles and keeps.



George Clooney, they tell me: if he escapes the falling pianos; lives up the road, in Venice, and will soon start on a mass murder film about the serial killer of Florence. The Monster of Firenze, but I don’t know if Georgie is a goody, or a baddy. Maybe we’ll see some comparative location shots on www.reelstreets.com one day where they already have some 500 films examined with about 14,000 stills.



What are other tourist/tourism sites saying/doing/writing ……latest tourist news

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Easter parades on Good Friday


Easter parades on Good Friday are prevalent in all the towns and cities in Umbria, starting in the evening, at about 9 o'clock.
Large bonfires are lighted along the route or the procession, and impressive hooded monks with loud rattles accompany the religious icons and the shrouded Christ.
The solemnity and large numbers of participants, the medieval streets and candles on the windows all instill a feeling of awe to the spectators, and it is well worth a visit to absorb the true atmosphere of this celebration.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Недвижимость в Италии, Тоскане и Умбрии



Bыбирая недвижимость в Италии, прежде всего нужно определиться с регионом.

Объекты недвижимости и образ жизни в регионах принципиально различаются.

Как утверждают эксперты, итальянский рынок недвижимости от кризиса пострадал незначительно, благодаря консервативности экономики страны.


Очень привлекательными регионами для инвестиций в недвижимость Италии считаются Тоскана и Умбрия.
В Умбрии стоимость квартир начинается от € 800 за квадратый метр, где на россиян приходится 13% общего числа покупателей недвижимости (третье место после представителей Великобритании и Италии).

До 2008 года цены в Тоскане и Умбрии уверенно росли на протяжении двух десятилетий, однако кризис внес свои коррективы, и сейчас цены в регионе на 20% ниже своих пиковых значений.

По мнению экспертов, Италия интересна тем, что практически все регионы являются ликвидными с различной степенью интенсивности.

Инвестиция в квадратные метры Италии может быть сейчас выгодна еще и потому, что курс евро по отношению к доллару и рублю снижается. "В 2010 году мы не ожидаем роста цен на недвижимость в Италии - в первую очередь это связано с проблемами в Евросоюзе. Сейчас из-за падения курса евро цены уже снизились как минимум на 10%. Поэтому те покупатели, которые хранили деньги в долларах или рублях, на запланированную сумму могут купить объект побольше, чем если бы они покупали четыре месяца назад",- считает президент международного агентства недвижимости Gordon Rock Станислав Зингель.

Недвижимость в Италии можно купить и в кредит. По данным международного ипотечного брокера Lowell Finance, ипотечный кредит в Италии иностранцам можно оформить сроком на 5-30 лет, получив максимум 60% оценочной стоимости недвижимости. При этом плавающие процентные ставки составят 3,5-4,2%, фиксированные - 4,75-5,5%.

Cоотношение ежемесячного платежа по ипотеке и ежемесячного дохода должно составлять не более 35%. Оформить кредит можно только после получения прав собственности на объект.

К списку обязательных документов относятся идентификационные документы: загранпаспорт, свидетельство о рождении, браке и т. д. Для подтверждения дохода необходимо представить трудовую книжку, справку в свободной форме с места работы с указанием занимаемой должности и оклада, справку 2-НДФЛ за два года, подтверждение других видов дохода, если такие есть. Для владельца бизнеса или руководителя компании необходимо представить учредительные документы и отчеты о деятельности компании за последние два года. "Если заемщиком выступает руководитель компании или владелец бизнеса, то обязательным требованием является юридическое заключение о подлинности представленных сведений. Если есть аудиторская отчетность о деятельности компании, то нужно еще заключение аудиторской компании о ее подлинности. Если такое невозможно (например, для общества с ограниченной ответственностью), то необходимо обратиться в независимую юридическую компанию для получения подобного заключения",- рассказывает Кирилл Долгинский.

Также нужно представить выписку с банковских счетов, рекомендательное письмо от банка (лучше от двух) и информацию о текущих кредитных обязательствах - для этого в обязательном порядке требуется представить выписку из бюро кредитных историй. В банке нужно предъявить оригиналы документов и их переводы на английский и итальянский языки официальным переводчиком. Заемщику потребуется открыть счет в итальянском банке, в котором оформляется кредит, при этом на счете должна быть размещена сумма в размере около двух ежемесячных платежей. К дополнительным расходам при оформлении кредита относятся оплата административного сбора банка (1-1,5% суммы кредита), оценка объекта (как правило, в диапазоне €40-800) и страхование недвижимости (до 0,4% суммы кредита).

Помимо расходов на оформление кредита заемщику нужно быть готовым и к другим тратам:
регистрационный налог (до 7% стоимости объекта)
кадастровый и ипотечный налоги (до 3% стоимости)

www.propertiesumbria.com
www.lapreghiera.com
www.villamoscatelli.com

Sunday, March 06, 2011

Clooney Brings Italian Murder Mystery to Theaters



With a villa on Lake Como and a former Italian showgirl as a girlfriend, it can be safely assumed that George Clooney has a soft spot for Italy. Now, with a new movie deal on the table, he’ll get to spend more time in the country, filming The Monster of Florence on location.

Clooney has signed on to bring a famous Italian murder mystery to the big screen. The Monster of Florence is based on a book that recounts the true story of 8 couples who were found murdered around Florence between 1968 and 1985.

Clooney will play Douglas Preston, author of the 2008 book about the mysterious killings. Preston moves to Italy to investigate the murders and teams up with Mario Spezi, an Italian crime journalist. While Preston and Spezi are trying to find the real "Il Mostro," they find themselves accused of crimes by Florence police.



The screenplay is still being adapted, which means Clooney has downtime to spend with Elisabetta Canalis before he has to report to Florence for filming this fall.

http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy/george-clooney/clooney-brings-italian-murder-mystery-theaters

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Eurochocolate festival in Umbria




Once again, time for the delicious Eurochocolate festival of Perugia 2010 which takes place in the ancient centre, for 10 of the sweetest days imaginable, from 15-24October 2010.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Giorgio Armaniwas - Designer of the Year


Giorgio Armani was named as International Designer of the Year at the GQ UK Men of the Year Awards in London on Tuesday.

Mr Armani's close friend, the film director Martin Scorsese, presented the award, saying that Giorgio Armani had succeeded in his own desire to “make the world a little more beautiful every day.” Martin Scorsese also said that he himself wore Armani clothes because of their casual elegance, fluid lines and sense of absolute timelessness. He reminisced about the two weeks he spent with Giorgio Armani making the documentary “Made in Milan” and said they were among the best weeks of his life.

Mr Scorsese said that there were two eras in Hollywood – BG and AG, “before and after Giorgio” - and pointed to the film “American Gigolo” as the one in which Armani's costume designs changed the way actors dressed forever. He also said that Armani had invented the concept of dressing actors for the red carpet.

Giorgio Armani's sponsorship and charity work were also mentioned and Mr Scorsese said that the designer had not hesitated to support the World Cinema Foundation which restores and preserves neglected films from around the world. Mr Scorsese said that Armani had been a great friend of the cinema and was a “towering original”. He thanked his friend for his “incomparable sense of beauty”.



http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy/fashion/armani-international-designer-year