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If so then a new Channel 4 documentary needs you!

The producers of a new Channel 4 series are seeking individuals or couples who are about to make a major decision about the direction of their lives. Such decisions might include a major relocation to a new country.

The ground-breaking new series will attempt to examine the impact that these type of decisions have on the people affected and those closest to them, and help solve the dilemma that is being faced using a theory called ‘wisdom of the crowds’

For one week a group of people representing a diverse mix of the UK population will consider the decision and try and help the participants through their problem by imparting advice, eventually offering a solution to help get them on the right track.

The theory behind the show is that a large and diverse group will make an intellectually superior decision than one person alone because of the different factors and experiences that they can bring to the decision making process.

Intrigued? Get in touch on 0203 465 9073 or email takepart@thegardenproductions.tv. You can also follow the show’s production team on twitter at @takepart_garden 

Tropea Blues Festival dates have been announced and the team is busy finalizing the casting which may, if all goes according to plan, include a major surprise for all blues lovers.

This year the festival will start on the 10th of September 2012 and have an activity every night up to the 15th of September.

We'll list all details about the event as they become available, including artists, playlists etc. For information in Italian see the association's site here www.tropeablues.com/

I wonder if John Tropea (http://www.johntropea.com/) has been yet?

Please find below a series of pictures taken last weekend in Zambrone showing the quick progress at our exclusive development "Residence dei Fiori".

Currently villas are being completed within 6 months of ordering. The interior pictures show the finishing colors and tiling as requested by the buyers.

We believe this to be one of the most interesting developments in Calabria today. We have three bedroom villas availble for just over €200.000 with convenient and fully guaranteed stage payments. The last 10% of the sum, for example, is normally payable upon completion of the pool and other common areas and facilities.

Italian bank mortgages are available on this development to UK, US and Eu citizens (subject to credit rating) and developer finance is available to all a no extra cost. For further information please refer to the project page here: zambrone villas

Today I got updated by our consultants on the mortgage situation in Italy for this year, and thankfully this year looks rosier than 2011.

We have the "all-clear" for UK and US citizens wishing to buy a property in Calabria with an Italian mortgage and the same is expected to apply to northern European countries.

Mortgage levels will typically be around 60% of the property valuation. So, for example, to buy a €200.000 property with a 40% downpayment and a  60% mortgage the bank requires a reasonable €2700 monthly pre-tax disposable household income.

IANAA (I am not an account) but according to the Italian Consumers Association since 2011, Italian tax residents have to declare any income from rental income and pay a flat-rate 21% tax rate instead of adding it to your income as previously (and pay up to 42%). This is applicable only to private owners who don't have an Italian VAT number (Partita IVA).

I would expect that by declaring any occasional rental income from a second home in the country where you are tax resident you would also be complying if there is double taxation treaty - which is the case between UK and Italy, see http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxtreaties/in-force/italy-dtc.pdf. Italian income tax (IRPEF) is covered, and the flatrate is an optional substitution to IRPEF.

Here is the link to the Italian Consumers Association: http://www.aduc.it/comunicato/affittare+casa+vacanze+regole+consigli+dell+aduc_19028.php

You may also want to review the article from a few years back: holiday home tax crackdown.

I hope this goes some way to helping all of you on the way to threading the right way in the minefield of international taxation.

Dennis.

IANAA (I am not an account) but according to the Italian Consumers Association since 2011, Italian tax residents have to declare any income from rental income and pay a flat-rate 19% tax rate instead of adding it to your income as previously (and pay up to 42%). This is applicable only to private owners who don't have an Italian VAT number (Partita IVA). You will probably need the expert advice from an Italian tax consultant to submit the Italian tax return correctly. Here is the text:

"L’agevolazione prevista per la cedolare secca infatti è destinata solo alle persone fisiche titolari di immobili che affittano e percepiscono canoni che potranno scontare una imposta minore e pari al 21% e che scenderà al 19% nel caso di case ed appartamenti locati a canone convenzionale concordato e situate nei comuni individuati dal Dl 551/1998, all’articolo 1, lettera a e b) (bassa densità abitativa) e in quelli ad alta tensione abitativa. Rientrano anche i cosiddetti gli affitti stagionali o case vacanze ossia contratti di affitto di durata inferiore ai 30 giorni e che potranno godere della cedolare secca a partire dal 2011."

I would expect that by declaring any occasional rental income from a second home in the country where you are tax resident you would also be complying if there is double taxation treaty - which is the case between UK and Italy, see http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxtreaties/in-force/italy-dtc.pdf. Italian income tax (IRPEF) is covered, and the flatrate is an optional substitution to IRPEF, so for some this may be the more convenient option as it does not entail another tax return. Dennis.

Video interview with Avv. Paolo Zagami who as an independent lawyer has represented a number of InCalabria clients.

Whilst at InCalabria we are purely a Calabrian property sales company, our service does not end when you have signed the contract. We assist with everything we can help with (within reason) and we have a large network of associated professionals we can rely on for all manners of requirements you, the homeowner, may have. 

As for rentals, this is not a core activity of our company. That does not mean we don't know how to let an apartment (we do), where to advertise it and how much to charge.

How to let a property

If your property is part of a condominium the preferred avenue for management of things local would be the condominium management. They already work for you, probably there is an administrator, a cleaner, a gardener,etc, all people who are on site, know the place and have an interest to ensure things run smoothly and enforce the condominium rules.

The local management of the property consists, essentially, of key management and cleaning. If the administrator can manage the keys to your apartment at a set price per year or per rental and send a cleaner after your clients have left you are halfway there. If the administrator is not interested you may want to change administrator - easily done if there are several homeowners that want to let their property.

A normal agreement would be to pay a fee for each "check-in", for example €20 and €20 more payable by the tennant if they come after working hours. The tenants also normally pay the final cleaning (€40) and laundry costs (€10 pp) locally to the administrator.

Where to advertise your property

All InCalabria clients and our registered forum users (currently over 2500 registered users), can advertise for free on our Calabria Rental website (rentcalabriaproperty.com). Home owners upload content, photos and manage their bookings- all for free. It has proved very useful to an owner to have a free site where you can collate all the important information on your property and be able to send this to interested parties, as you may not use other paid-for portals for ever but are likely to change according to which one is performing the best, leading to a lot of moving of information.

One thing the paid for portals do very well, of course, is to attract a large audience for your property. Ensure you list your property with only stunning pictures, comprehensive description (you are the best person to "sell" your property!) and competitive prices, particularly during the first years.

Successful sites are:

• ryanair.alwaysonvacation.co.uk
• www.homelidays.co.uk
• www.villarenters.com
• www.homeaway.com
• www.holiday-rentals.co.uk
• www.holidaylettings.co.uk
• www.subito.it (only from Italian IP address - but very effective)
• and of course, our very own and free www.rentcalabriaproperty.com

(Have I missed an important site? Let me know, I'll be happy to add it to this list.)

Important markets are all those markets that can reach Calabria with a single (low cost) flight, see our overview of flights to Calabria. In July and August Calabria is very popular with northern Italians, so do advertise in Italy in Italian!

How much to charge

Have a good look around on what's on offer in your area, and position yourself slightly lower. Once you have built up a number of satisfied clients, good reviews and testimonials, perhaps some returning clients you can try upping the price a bit every year.

Things to keep in mind are the unique selling points and features of your property and set the price accordingly:

1. Location (near sea, sea views, countryside, towncentre). Distance to airport, beach, bars, restaurants etc.
2. Property features (number of bedrooms, bathrooms, air conditioning, internet access, tv etc)
3. Development features (pool, bar, restaurants, etc)

Generally speaking, for an attractive property in a location with nice views, pool and reasonable accessibility the average price should be around €500 per week totalling €10.000 gross income in a 20 week season. Said property could be priced up to €900 per week during the peak (middle of august) and down to €350-€400 in April and October, except school holidays.

For our clients on the west coast of Calabria we made a report with rental prices in the area, based on 2008 data.

I will be happy to read your rental experience, opinions and tips on our InCalabria Forum as well as answer any questions.

Dennis Onstenk
InCalabria.

Spring is in the air, Capo Vaticano, March 2012. Picture by Dennis Onstenk.

Santa Maria Bay.

During the summer of 2012 you can now fly Ryanair on any one of the five weekly flights between London and Lamezia:

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Thank you to forum user "travelcalabria" for the update.

Below an overview of Ryanair routes from Lamezia Terme for 2012.

 Some of our email addresses will be temporarely unavailable due to server migration, in case of doubt use the incalabria.com domain for email: info@incalabria.com