10 Things to consider when buying a villa in Sicily, Italy
Sicily villa buying tips and advice
1. Access to Airports – It is of course completely up to you where you decide what is important and what is not, when buying a villa, apartment or any other type of property or accommodation in Sicily, Italy. Being near to an international airport though can certainly be a big benefit. Catania International airport and Palermo airports give you access to Sicily from a number of European destinations and even if a few airlines stop flying into these airports, there are enough airlines such that getting to Catania or Palermo should be fine. Areas such as Siracusa and Taormina thus should always be relatively straightforward to get to.
2. Language - It is perhaps common-sense in many ways, to learn some of a language if you plan to buy property and live in a certain country. Just to re-iterate this point, learning at least some Italian can only help. For buying property you will have to ensure you have a lawyer very carefully check the wording and ensure translations are clear to yourself. You will find it hard perhaps to learn Italian to understand all documents etc but at least you will 
find it easier to ask questions and also it simply adds to the quality of the experience if you can communicate more easily.
3. The pace of life can be very slow in Sicily so if you want peace and an easy going laid-back lifestyle then Sicily could be perfect. If on the other-hand you are looking for wild and vibrant party towns then Barcelona, Ibiza, Ayia Napa (Cyprus) might be places which are more suited.
4. The hot weather - We all love sunshine and temperatures in the mid twenties (Celsius) but what about in the mid-thirties and also into the forties? In August in Sicily it can get real, real hot. A lot of people head for the mountains in the peak of summer to cool down or head abroad to places such as the UK for a week or two where it is a sure thing to find cooler weather.
5. Sicilian culture and mentality is not always easy to deal with or understand, so be prepared for a cultural change and a different way of thinking and doing things. People often do not wish to queue like they would in the UK; people sometimes sound as though they are arguing but it's just a loud way of discussing things sometimes; many businesses close down for most of August so that they can escape the hot weather. Just be prepared for a different lifestyle.
6. Relying on rental income - has been the downfall of many people in recent years who have bought in Spain. Rental income can never be guaranteed often, even when companies say they offer it. As with any property purchase worldwide, make sure you have a good financial plan in order - preferably one which does not rely solely on rental income.
7. Renovation - Because of the pace of life in Sicily, it takes times to get things done sometimes and as mentioned, in August you'll struggle for anyone or any business to help you as many things close down for a month, including businesses such as Gyms. If you want to renovate just be prepared to allow a lot more time for getting things done, than you might otherwise normally do.
8. Added costs - Not specific to Sicily but still worth mentioning is that you should always allow extra money for hidden or forgotten costs.
9. August- Do not forget that August is always the month when things slow down drastically as the heat kicks in, companies close down for 1 month and people take month long vacations. Do not expect to get much done in August.
10. Taxes - The situation for taxes and other fees largely depends on where you are resident and some other factors. Make sure you take good legal advice if you are at all unsure.
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Also consider: Learn about The Messina Bridge development and 10 Reasons why Taormina might be the place for you.
