pianopiano's activity

Questions Asked

I would be very grateful for a link of pre dial budget phone numbers in Italy for phoning UK mobile to mobile. The ones you can call first before you enter the number.( ie without needing a card)  Thanks in advance

Fri, 12/18/2009 - 06:41

Comments posted

Answer to: Removal Van
Mon, 08/13/2012 - 18:55

Wondered if anybody knows of a van and man type service (Philip White doesnt seem to be operational now)?. We need to take some household stuff back to the Uk. Or alternatively someone who needs furniture bringing to Italy/le marche from the UK who would like to share costs??? Or anyone who has an empty van going back etc etc

Tue, 11/15/2011 - 18:04

"On the other hand, property taxes in France are much higher!!!!" Not for long it seems. And its the French method that they are looking at.....from  yesterdays Repubblica:  E ancora: si ipotizza una patrimoniale e/o la reintroduzione di una imposta sulla prima casa. Ma si parla anche di una imposizione "modello francese" che oltre all'Ici prevede pure una "tassa sull'abitazione" comprensiva di canone tv e balzello per la spazzatura. Calcoli del precedente governo, appena trasmessi alla Ue, stimano in 3,5 miliardi il gettito di un eventuale ritorno dell'Ici.

Answer to: Books on Tuscany
Mon, 10/03/2011 - 07:07

Would be interested if anybody knows whether there are still remnants of the Gothic Line in Tuscany, fortifications, bunkers, anti tank ditches, or indeed any of the other defensive lines and or existing records/archives of Todt constructions?

Mon, 06/20/2011 - 19:17

Its not so much the debt to GDP as the ability to pay it. The Italian economy is stagnating at best. Edward Hugh who writes a brilliant economic blog puts it in a nutshell here : http://www.creditwritedowns.com/2011/05/italy-sovereign-debt-crisis.html ".....the financial markets have only been thinking of how comparatively low the Italian deficit has been since the start of the crisis, rather than worrying their heads off about how a country with such a low growth rate and such a high pending elderly dependency ratio is ever going to pay down the already accumulated debt. Italy’s debt to GDP ratio is currently just short of 120%, while the population median age is 45. So let's just say Italy is Japan without the current account surplus." It's fairly certain that if Greece defaults, creditors will be extremely nervous about other high debt slow growth nations and whether their dosh is safe. One way or another i cant see them not restructuring, reprofiling Greek debt because it seems the least worst option politically to ignore the fundamental and seemingly intractable eurozone problems and instead continue to kick the can down the street ......but yes contagion is a real threat both financially from the bond markets but also socially throughout Southern Europe .....+40% youth unemployment Spain and Greece.......its a real mess and very difficult to see how it will all be played out regardless of whether the ECB/IMF stick a temporary bandaid on Greece or not. As for the rating agencys.......fat lot of good they were!

Tue, 02/08/2011 - 08:28

Ram, no one is arguing that these figures ARE a true reflection of whats happening in different regions and micro markets. Not even the agencys that compile them. as i say they are to be taken with a pinch of salt. I posted them in answer to Capo Boi, as they confirm his observation that the numbers of sales are bubbling up again after the last two yrs.

Tue, 02/08/2011 - 05:30

keep your hair on!smiley I agree that data like this should be taken with a pinch of salt. But they are compiled by independent agencys from actual sales and give the only  snap shot of how the Italian retail property market is perfoming as a whole. The methodology (so im told) is different to Halifax, Nationwide and the legion of Uk indices, in that the Agenzia Territorio compute yoy movements in square metre prices on recorded sales. So it will easily be skewed by low volumes. But it will give an indication of trends. However  as you say they are of little relevance to individuals selling their homes in local or foreign micro markets.

Mon, 02/07/2011 - 17:13

"First of all, I would like to say that other than the odd bottle of wine or meal, I have no financial interest whatsoever,  in any property or estate agency business. That said, just speaking around, there does seem to be a general feeling that the market has stabilised and confidence is again returning. I can't put my finger on anything in particular but it does seem to me that sentiment is improving. Transactions here (Sardinia) are certainly off the bottom and properties appear to be selling a little more quickly compared to the previous two years. I've been quite negative on the market for a number of years (you can check back on some of my old posts) but I wonder if the bottom has now been reached and the next move is upwards. I'd be interested in others thoughts.?" What you see is correct. Both Nomismas Autumn 2010 report and ISTAT point to an improvemnet in transaction numbers from the low, but nothing like pre crisis levels, click download for details on this page (beware it has an interest in property, but cant find on Nomisma site) http://www.keyitaly.com/blog/italy-property/2010/11/29/another-nomisma-report-the-storm-is-abating-in-the-italian-property-markets/ property fell by 2.5% in 2010 (compared to 6.8% in 2009), a reminder to some that thought Italy was immune to price drops. Some analysts predict a slight increase of 1.2% this year. Figures easily skewed with low volumes, Vedremo! That said, around here S Marche, some foreign buyers are returning (fewer Brits) for the stand alone market,  they seem to be looking for quality (especially high spec turn key) or value. The stuff in between, mid priced outdated restorations are being passed by unless the location is exceptional. Inevitably, buyers know its  a buyers market so are negotiating hard.

Mon, 09/27/2010 - 14:46

Thanks Karen, very clear with the exception of .........are mentre pensavo and stavo pensando interchangeable ie do they have exactly the same meaning or is there a time as you point out in your post above (3) when stavo pensando is more correct to indicate an action which is in the process of happening when something else happens? (what i am trying to establish is whether the gerund + stare (in imperfect tense) has a precise function in Italian which cannot be substitued by using the imperfect on its own?