Hi all,
My husband and I are planning to move, at some point in the not too distant future, to Italy. We have been drawn to the area of Abruzzo and Le Marche, but naturally we want to do some rsearch before we take the plunge.
Can anyone therefore answer, or give me some advice, on the following questions?

1. Is it better to rent or buy a property in Italy?
2. If you buy a property in need of renovation, are there any time constraints on when the renovation must be started and completed? And do you have to live on site during the wor, ie in a mobile home etc?
3. In Abruzzo or Le Marche, are there plenty of amenities, such as shop, supermarkets etc? Is there are major town or city in Abruzzo or Le Marche?
4. If you are outside the city, in a more rural area, what is the internet connection like (if any?)
I have loads more questions (as you can probably imagine), but I'll limit it to these few for now.
If any of you lovely people can help and give me some guidance, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks everyone!

i would say rent for a while till you get a feel for abruzzo as it chances a lot from north to south , south and north beeing the wild and a bit unstable lands
with cheap verry cheap houses , why is that ask you self

take your time and look about , boots on the ground , dont comit your self till you are sure

internet varies but we have fast broad band from italicom verry good for streaming films ect
AS for renovation I would not recomend it , as the buratts can make it verry hard
there are a lot of propetys needing tender love and care , that you can live in whille you make them to your taste

we have lived here for 13 happy years now . and know how important it is to choose the area to live in abruzzo , as several of our freinds have lost their houses to land slides and are not covered by insurance

buy in haste repent at your lesure

Thanks linseed oil. Food for thought indeed. I'm guessing that renting is the way to go for us, but I haven't seen too many houses advertised for rent on the internet (save for holiday lets of course). I hadn't even thought of landslips (just one more thing to consider).
We have previously made a life for ourselves abroad. We currently live in Belgium and have done for the past 15 years. So figuring out how to do what and where doesn't faze us, but we'd rather get as much info as possible.
I don't suppose you happen to know where to look for rental property? Sorry if I sound like a bit of a dimboid 😕

I agree with Linseed We have rented in Abruzzo for three years as our house was damaged with the L'Aquilla 2009 earthquake. we rent a villa on a long term lease very cheaply 250E a month. The decision we made was that it is better to rent than restore our house.
Internet is very good better than anything we had in the UK I use transmitted broadband.
Go for a house which does not need too much work as it can be expensive we have known so many people who have spent more on the house then it will ever be worth.
The rural lifestyle does not suit everybody and with a rental term you can pack up and go, if you buy from the off then you might have a house that takes years to sell
Good luck

On the subject of renting you just drive around and look for the Affitisi signs they are everywhere.
We live in the middle of the mud slide area and it is annoying rather then a reason not to come. This year is the result of some freak weather caused problems and it is certainly not a regular feature maybe once in twenty or thirty years so the locals tell us. The roads have taken a battering, the major roads are being repaired as we speak, the minor ones will take time but this is Italy and the slow pace of life is why we love it here

Thanks superman2 Very informative! The slow pace of life IS a reason to come, I guess 😀