9th May 2008 Buying property in Italy is an appealing option for Britons due to the lifestyle offered by the Mediterranean country.
That is the opinion of Mark Slaviero, director of property advisory service Homes in Italy, who has also highlighted Italy's low cost of living.
Mr Slaviero indicated that both the price and standard of living in Italy are "very good" when compared to the UK, which is often referred to as "rip off Britain".
"When you go to the south of Italy it's very reasonable for food, eating out and the community tax is quite reasonable in comparison to the UK," he remarked.
A Place in the Sun Magazine conducted a survey earlier this year, which ranked Italy fifth in a list of the top ten destinations for overseas property buyers. It had moved up three places since previous research, but was still behind the most popular choices Spain and France.