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Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Old Aug 17th 2007, 5:55 pm
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Default Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Hi!

New to the site, and soon to be new to Italy! We're moving from Brussels to Parma and would be keen for some information:

Property - we'd be looking to rent an apartment for the first six months with a garden (we have children and cats) - any tips for the best areas, agencies, and what sort of prices? If we were looking to buy a property a bit outside of Parma after this, what are the best areas for being green but within easy reach of the city?

Children - what's Parma like for kids? Is there a lot going on?

Any other tips or information would be gratefully received!
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Old Aug 30th 2007, 7:40 am
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Old Oct 9th 2007, 2:37 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Originally Posted by K4TY
Hi!

New to the site, and soon to be new to Italy! We're moving from Brussels to Parma and would be keen for some information:

Property - we'd be looking to rent an apartment for the first six months with a garden (we have children and cats) - any tips for the best areas, agencies, and what sort of prices? If we were looking to buy a property a bit outside of Parma after this, what are the best areas for being green but within easy reach of the city?

Children - what's Parma like for kids? Is there a lot going on?

Any other tips or information would be gratefully received!
Dear K4ty

Just found this site today and wanted to reply. I've lived in Parma since 2000.
I presume you've already made the move but if haven't and still want some advice, I may be able to give some pointers. Rent is coming down because of the housing boom but contracts are long and agencies expensive.

Parma's nice and provincial, small enough to orient yourself in a short time, and with fewer social problems that the average town, which kind of makes up for the severely blinkered attitude some folks have here!

I don't have kids (yet) but I don't here many friends with kids complaining. What you may find hard is breaking into the social scene, so accept every social invite you get, and network, network, network...
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Old Oct 11th 2007, 6:09 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Hi Gabsta,

Thanks for your reply. We've not moved yet, decided it was better at the end of the year so still at the planning stage. Any practical advice would therefore be very welcome!

Whilst the organisation I'm going to work for provide some relocation advice, we don't seem to be getting answers to a lot of our questions...

If you've got any tips as to nice areas or places particularly to avoid, that would be great. Also if there are some nice villages nearby within an easy commute where it might be easier to find something with a garden.

Thanks!
K
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Old Oct 22nd 2007, 4:00 pm
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Cool Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Hi there, new on this forum and not even british...but I've just moved to Parma myself, from Brussels as well and i suppose with the same organisation...so if I can be of any help don't hesitate.
talk to you and no need to stress
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Old Oct 25th 2007, 6:09 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Hi Zaoui,

Yes, help would be greatly appreciated! Did you find accommodation easily and did you do it independently or through said organisation? It's hard to know quite where to start, although I am planning a trip end of November to have a scout around. We're open to any helpful tips!
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Old Oct 26th 2007, 7:53 am
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Default Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Hi there,

I've only arrived on 15th Oct. last, so for now I'm in a temporary accommodations (I've choose 3 months) as I intend to find an accommodation myself without going through an agency or the normal 4+4 years contract.
I've found it myself and it's cheaper than the ones proposed by the say organisation. It's via an agency tough, they don't really speak english (I don't speak Italian) but we've managed to communicate .
So far I've visited a few places and I have to say prices are high for low standard, but in Italy everything is negotiable...
If you read Italian, the newspaper "corriere de la serra" has a special accommodation supplement on saturdays + in the "organisation" a lot of adds are circulating (not only on the website apparently) and words-of-mouth seems to be the best strategy.
Don't hesitate to ask anything as I don't really know what more specific information to give you? Or if you want we can exchange email address and communicate more easily?
You're right to come to have a look at the place for yourself, it's always best.

Best of luck for now. talk to you
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Old Oct 29th 2007, 12:45 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Sorry am a bit late replying to your message...been busy with work.

will you be working in the centre of Parma or at the outskirts?
Parking is an issue in the city centre (although permits are available, if you can swing it) and in winter they have the "blocco del traffico" (limited traffic access to the centre) due to smog.

I live about 10km from Parma in a place called Ponte Taro (download google earth to see it). Life is Ok but very provincial!!! Local places for local people and all that. I prefer living out of the city because I work part-time at the Interporto so i'm only three minutes away from work by car.

"Good zones" in the city are subject to taste and upbringing, although generally the area around the station (on both sides) is a total no-go and most of the city centre is either run-down or really expensive, it changes street by street.

New residential areas are springing up all the time in the suburbs, but if you don't have a car yourself and you have kids, you may have problems with public transport.

Do you speak italian by the way?
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Old Oct 30th 2007, 7:55 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Hi!

Thank you both for your replies!

Will be working in the centre of town, but would prefer living on the outskirts in a greener area. Both happy to zip around on bicycles, if we're not too far out, but also think we'll get a car to do some exploring!

Unfortunately we don't (yet!) speak Italian, which makes things that bit more difficult, although I do have colleagues who are happy to liaiase/translate things for me.

Zaoui - my email address is <SNIP> in the dropdown menu if you click my username It would be great to get details of the agency you used as we'd be keener to have a short term lease than a 4+4. It would give us more time to look around for something more permanent. I'll try to get hold of the recommended paper as well.

I've now got a visit planned for the end of November so hope that I can get some places lined up to see! The creche and school are sorted out so it would be great to nail this as well!!!

Thanks both for your help!

Last edited by jdr; Oct 30th 2007 at 8:04 pm. Reason: removed email address
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Old Oct 31st 2007, 1:10 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

try looking at www.casa.it for some ideas (very rough ideas) of rent. you should look for "affitti". i think a house with a garden is going to be quite a tough call, but i don't know what your max monthly rent would be? do you have an idea?

parma operates a bike loan system in the centre by the way and has quite a good park and ride system going so you may well find that you can look a little further out of the centre (places like Felino or Sala Baganza or Vigatto - look on google earth).

i have no experience of short lets i'm afraid so i'm not much help there.

it would be good to get a car just because of shopping! plus when the weather is nice, you will want to go to the sea, i can promise you that, or at least to an open air pool, of which there are plenty.

by the way, the Comune di Parma (local council) organize italian classes for foreigners and they are free. check out the web site of the comune:
www.comune.parma.it (obviously in italian.

cheers for now
G
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Old Nov 6th 2007, 1:54 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Originally Posted by K4TY
Hi!

Thank you both for your replies!

Will be working in the centre of town, but would prefer living on the outskirts in a greener area. Both happy to zip around on bicycles, if we're not too far out, but also think we'll get a car to do some exploring!

Unfortunately we don't (yet!) speak Italian, which makes things that bit more difficult, although I do have colleagues who are happy to liaiase/translate things for me.

Zaoui - my email address is <SNIP> in the dropdown menu if you click my username It would be great to get details of the agency you used as we'd be keener to have a short term lease than a 4+4. It would give us more time to look around for something more permanent. I'll try to get hold of the recommended paper as well.

I've now got a visit planned for the end of November so hope that I can get some places lined up to see! The creche and school are sorted out so it would be great to nail this as well!!!

Thanks both for your help!
Sorry but your Email address has been removed (I suppose) look like we can't exchange Email on this forum...you can find me on the organisation website, under staff directory, I'm in PPR, Isabelle.
Few websites that can help a bit as well: www.expatsinitaly.com; www.lifeinitaly.com. Italian classes at the Commune are for employees only; car insurance is really really expensive in Italy, and Parma is not a car-friendly city (which is great for biking though), shops deliver groceries for a small price....
Talk to you soon
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Old Nov 6th 2007, 3:37 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Originally Posted by zaoui
Sorry but your Email address has been removed (I suppose) look like we can't exchange Email on this forum...
Email address can be exchanged but I think it was removed for privacy issues. Posting ones email addresses on a public forum opens one up to tons of spam as spam bots search the net for addresses. The best thing would be to pass such personal information such as email addresses via the private message system.

Sue
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Old Nov 6th 2007, 3:40 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Originally Posted by Sue
Email address can be exchanged but I think it was removed for privacy issues. Posting ones email addresses on a public forum opens one up to tons of spam as spam bots search the net for addresses. The best thing would be to pass such personal information such as email addresses via the private message system.

Sue
Hi sue,

yes indeed I do understand (if there is no script to protect Email)..how can we use the private message system (not familiar with this forum)?

Cheers
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Old Nov 6th 2007, 9:28 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Originally Posted by zaoui
Hi sue,

yes indeed I do understand (if there is no script to protect Email)..how can we use the private message system (not familiar with this forum)?

Cheers
Click on the username and a dropdown menu will show, take your pick of email or private message.

Click on FAQ`s in the top beige strip top of the page for more info about the site.

Last edited by jdr; Nov 6th 2007 at 9:31 pm.
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Old Jan 8th 2008, 10:36 am
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Default Re: Moving to Italy, Parma - help!

Originally Posted by K4TY
Hi!

Thank you both for your replies!

Will be working in the centre of town, but would prefer living on the outskirts in a greener area. Both happy to zip around on bicycles, if we're not too far out, but also think we'll get a car to do some exploring!

Unfortunately we don't (yet!) speak Italian, which makes things that bit more difficult, although I do have colleagues who are happy to liaiase/translate things for me.

Zaoui - my email address is <SNIP> in the dropdown menu if you click my username It would be great to get details of the agency you used as we'd be keener to have a short term lease than a 4+4. It would give us more time to look around for something more permanent. I'll try to get hold of the recommended paper as well.

I've now got a visit planned for the end of November so hope that I can get some places lined up to see! The creche and school are sorted out so it would be great to nail this as well!!!

Thanks both for your help!
Hi I too am moving with my family to Parma in the next couple of months. It would be great to pool information if possible. I assume K4TY that you have moved now, how did it go? I'm about to send an email wanted ad to a bunch of estate agents, if you have found a property is there anyone you would recommend?
Thanks.
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