Scarcity is not a return
The finest seaside homes are few and new ones are rarely built: protected coastlines, protected pinewoods, tight restrictions. This scarcity is a reason to desire them, but it is not a guarantee of return. Anyone buying a seaside home should start from an honest question: do I want it to live in or to make it pay? The two answers lead to very different choices, and nobody can promise both.
Three coasts, three characters
Liguria
Villas perched on the cliff, apartments on the harbour, steep access, narrow terraces. At Portofino, Paraggi, Santa Margherita and Camogli you buy position and quiet, but also complexity: stairs, moorings, salt air that wears out windows and railings, strict environmental restrictions.
Versilia
In Forte dei Marmi the villas in the pinewood are a few steps from the sea, and the town lives almost all year round, not only in summer. Proximity to the beach, however, depends on concessions held by third parties: always check how the sea is reached and who holds the concession. In the hills of Pietrasanta and Camaiore there are larger, quieter homes at some distance from the water.
Sardinia
Porto Cervo, Porto Rotondo, Baja Sardinia: pink granite, Mediterranean scrub, villas close to the coast with strict landscape restrictions. Logistics count (flights, ferries, transfers), as do upkeep in the months when the house is closed and privacy, which in these places is part of the value.
See it out of season
In August every seaside home seems perfect. To understand what it is really like, visit in winter or spring, when the wind rises from the sea, damp works in the walls and the town empties. Check the access road after rain, the exposure to the prevailing winds, the condition of terraces and windows. Ask how many shops and services stay open all year: for anyone using the house in more than one season, daily life depends on them.
The costs you do not see
A seaside home has continuing expenses: maintenance, garden, pool, caretaking, insurance, utilities, local taxes. If it is far from where you live, someone has to check it after storms and before the summer. These costs should be estimated realistically, alongside the purchase price.
If you plan to let
A seasonal let can offset part of the costs, but it should not be taken for granted. Real occupancy depends on the place, the house, the price and the season. Whoever lets gives up some personal use, must respect national and municipal rules and rely on serious management. There is no guaranteed return: our advisors do not promise one, and we are wary of anyone who does.
Questions to ask yourself
- How many days a year will I really use the house?
- What will I do with it in ten years, and will it be easy to resell?
- How much time and energy will I devote to management?
- Are the permits and concessions in order and transferable?
Tax and planning rules change and vary from one municipality to another: before deciding, it is wise to speak with your accountant and the notary.
