Ofena in Abruzzo

[pudd 2]

why ofena there are a lot better safer places to buy a house in abruzzo a lot of agent are pushing ofena to get shot of propertys , if you buy a place it whil take for ever to get it repaired and cost a fortune to bring it up to code . ask somone who has bought threre before the eartqake if they would buy again and you will get your answer not the one you want perhaps . go explore abruzzo the are a lot better areas which are not dying as aquila is at the moment

[the duncs]

Originally Posted by pudd 2

why ofena there are a lot better safer places to buy a house in abruzzo a lot of agent are pushing ofena to get shot of propertys , if you buy a place it whil take for ever to get it repaired and cost a fortune to bring it up to code . ask somone who has bought threre before the eartqake if they would buy again and you will get your answer not the one you want perhaps . go explore abruzzo the are a lot better areas which are not dying as aquila is at the moment

Okay - starting to get the message! The research I had done indicated that Ofena wasn't hit too badly and it isn't on the list of towns with significant damage as are many villages to the south and east of Aquila. I am an Engineer, so probably not as daunted, however no point in unnecessarily buying into a problem.
I was looking for something small, with character, in need of renovation, and cheap. I've got three weeks in Abruzzo in July, but any narrowing down I can do now is good. Any suggestions on a circuit to explore?

[flawed]

Originally Posted by the duncs

Thanks Barry.
Can't find how to send a private message. Can you send one to me so that I can reply? Thanks
Andy

Click on the person’s name, like I am flawed, then it comes up with some options, pick profile, and then send message is in the options.


The old thread was shut down, "moving to Ofena", but you can still read the old posts.
Ofena was one of nearly 50 towns affected by the earthquake in La Aquila. Houses around Italy is a fraction of the size it was when we bought in March 2009 as the earthquake killed business
A lot of property is still on the market that we looked at back in 2008. We bought through houses around Italy, no real problems. I would use someone other than Romolo for a building report though. We didn't have a lot of damage and payed to fix it ourselves. Some people are still waiting on permission and funding.
I think I read somewhere that their fees are higher. Our house was 53000 Euro but cost something like 64500.00 all up with fees and taxes.
We love our place, it has heaps of potential, seems basically sound and we have a big garden. We are looking forward to living there. Ofena is a quiet town. Main action is at the bar and Stephania makes great pasta and antipasto. we are close to the alimentari and there is fruit and veg truck, a fish man, and a guy that sells cheese antipasto pasta oil etc. also a lavendarie truck which comes regularly. We shop in San Pio, at Coal or go to Pescara to Auchan. Bus service is a mystery still. I think there is one in the morning and one in the afternoon. If you can get to the main road (about 5klms) there is a bus roughly hourly. That is my main complaint, as I wish the public transport was better. I think Capestrano is better serviced. Ofena is at around 500 metres I think, so while it snows there it doesn't hang around. We use bottled gas and kero for heating. Summer can be really hot, at times. The Tirino river is beautiful and runs through the valley, there is also spring fed lake.
It is about 30mins to LAquila and 50 to the beach in Pescara and about 2 hrs 15 to Rome. There is quite an expat community in Ofena, I have met some lovely people and I am sure they will help you find out more.
Our local contact there is Gianni Mariani he is a lovely man, who has assisted us in so many ways. He lives in Carrufo, and runs a B&B

I have met Pam and Tony, and Gil and Guy from England. Barry and Gerta from Canada and a nice young couple in the film and television industry from the UK.. Judy and her husband are planning to move over in October this year. There are heaps of others, Mia and her sister from Finland, Claire and her husband from France, Bruce from the US. You will find them on moving to Ofena.

Barry is right about being careful about what you buy as some property appears to be ok but adjoins other property that is damaged, which makes it unliveable.
Pam put up a link to an article about the earthquake damage and the reason some buildings were so damaged. Building codes have been tightened since the earthquake and everything has to be approved by the commune.

Wish you all the best with your search
Lynda

[Barry]

Originally Posted by the duncs

Okay - starting to get the message! The research I had done indicated that Ofena wasn't hit too badly and it isn't on the list of towns with significant damage as are many villages to the south and east of Aquila. I am an Engineer, so probably not as daunted, however no point in unnecessarily buying into a problem.
I was looking for something small, with character, in need of renovation, and cheap. I've got three weeks in Abruzzo in July, but any narrowing down I can do now is good. Any suggestions on a circuit to explore?

If your going in with your eyes open and are willing to take on the work then Ofena or Carrufo or Villa Santa Lucia would be ideal. You should be able to get almost any type of property at a good price.

[pudd 2]

Originally Posted by the duncs

Okay - starting to get the message! The research I had done indicated that Ofena wasn't hit too badly and it isn't on the list of towns with significant damage as are many villages to the south and east of Aquila. I am an Engineer, so probably not as daunted, however no point in unnecessarily buying into a problem.
I was looking for something small, with character, in need of renovation, and cheap. I've got three weeks in Abruzzo in July, but any narrowing down I can do now is good. Any suggestions on a circuit to explore?

hi iam not biased against ofena and area ,but ihave had two freands who bought in that area against my avise both have lost their houses and wont be compensated as they are not residents , anorther freand bought a house nearby before the quake and is still waiting to get his proget done as AQ is snowed under with paper work and residents take first place and most of the trades men are tyed up fixing the residents houses . If i was to make a sugestion where to start your serch i would say in the center of the chieti region near the town of Chieti , it is one and a halve hours to each north and south border of abruzzo . AS abruzzo is midle of the road to italy chieti is the midle of the road to abruzzo , both in location and road structure hospitals airport sea port we have work here so its alving area the italians buy houses here not just english and americans , ulike AQ were the young are leaving the villages , this is why houses are so cheap there, there is always a reason for cheap houses , i better stop now before i get atacked by AQ IF you are interestrd i know of house for rent in this area not mine i might add i hope some of this makes sense and dosent seem to biased

[the duncs]

Originally Posted by pudd 2

hi iam not biased against ofena and area ,but ihave had two freands who bought in that area against my avise both have lost their houses and wont be compensated as they are not residents , anorther freand bought a house nearby before the quake and is still waiting to get his proget done as AQ is snowed under with paper work and residents take first place and most of the trades men are tyed up fixing the residents houses . If i was to make a sugestion where to start your serch i would say in the center of the chieti region near the town of Chieti , it is one and a halve hours to each north and south border of abruzzo . AS abruzzo is midle of the road to italy chieti is the midle of the road to abruzzo , both in location and road structure hospitals airport sea port we have work here so its alving area the italians buy houses here not just english and americans , ulike AQ were the young are leaving the villages , this is why houses are so cheap there, there is always a reason for cheap houses , i better stop now before i get atacked by AQ IF you are interestrd i know of house for rent in this area not mine i might add i hope some of this makes sense and dosent seem to biased

Thanks for this. It is really good to get a few opinions. I shall take a look at Chieti. I am also trying to find if there is a register of damage to houses so I can look up if a building has been inspected and categorised. Any ideas?

[the duncs]

Originally Posted by flawed

Click on the person’s name, like I am flawed, then it comes up with some options, pick profile, and then send message is in the options.


The old thread was shut down, "moving to Ofena", but you can still read the old posts.
Ofena was one of nearly 50 towns affected by the earthquake in La Aquila. Houses around Italy is a fraction of the size it was when we bought in March 2009 as the earthquake killed business
A lot of property is still on the market that we looked at back in 2008. We bought through houses around Italy, no real problems. I would use someone other than Romolo for a building report though. We didn't have a lot of damage and payed to fix it ourselves. Some people are still waiting on permission and funding.
I think I read somewhere that their fees are higher. Our house was 53000 Euro but cost something like 64500.00 all up with fees and taxes.
We love our place, it has heaps of potential, seems basically sound and we have a big garden. We are looking forward to living there. Ofena is a quiet town. Main action is at the bar and Stephania makes great pasta and antipasto. we are close to the alimentari and there is fruit and veg truck, a fish man, and a guy that sells cheese antipasto pasta oil etc. also a lavendarie truck which comes regularly. We shop in San Pio, at Coal or go to Pescara to Auchan. Bus service is a mystery still. I think there is one in the morning and one in the afternoon. If you can get to the main road (about 5klms) there is a bus roughly hourly. That is my main complaint, as I wish the public transport was better. I think Capestrano is better serviced. Ofena is at around 500 metres I think, so while it snows there it doesn't hang around. We use bottled gas and kero for heating. Summer can be really hot, at times. The Tirino river is beautiful and runs through the valley, there is also spring fed lake.
It is about 30mins to LAquila and 50 to the beach in Pescara and about 2 hrs 15 to Rome. There is quite an expat community in Ofena, I have met some lovely people and I am sure they will help you find out more.
Our local contact there is Gianni Mariani he is a lovely man, who has assisted us in so many ways. He lives in Carrufo, and runs a B&B

I have met Pam and Tony, and Gil and Guy from England. Barry and Gerta from Canada and a nice young couple in the film and television industry from the UK.. Judy and her husband are planning to move over in October this year. There are heaps of others, Mia and her sister from Finland, Claire and her husband from France, Bruce from the US. You will find them on moving to Ofena.

Barry is right about being careful about what you buy as some property appears to be ok but adjoins other property that is damaged, which makes it unliveable.
Pam put up a link to an article about the earthquake damage and the reason some buildings were so damaged. Building codes have been tightened since the earthquake and everything has to be approved by the commune.

Wish you all the best with your search
Lynda

Thanks Lynda.
By the way I think there might be a restriction on what I can do (being new to the forum) and private messages might be one. I don't have the same options come up as you do.
Maybe I should set up as a building inspector in Abruzzo help with the backlog! It seems that to encourage people back in you need a transparent system of house inspections. Just a thought.
Andy

[Barry]

Originally Posted by the duncs

Thanks Lynda.
By the way I think there might be a restriction on what I can do (being new to the forum) and private messages might be one. I don't have the same options come up as you do.
Maybe I should set up as a building inspector in Abruzzo help with the backlog! It seems that to encourage people back in you need a transparent system of house inspections. Just a thought.
Andy

Your not a politician or a fireman so you can't do building inspections!
Actually the old houses are of very simple construction so repairs tend to be more brute force then highly technical. One other point is that being in a National Park you can't do things to the exterior of a house that isn't in keeping with historical details. Our neighbor put in a fancy new aluminum door and they came around and told him it would have to go or, as he ended up doing, covered in wood to keep it in character.

[Barry]

Dino is keeping Rita on her toes!



PrimaDaNoi.it - I misteri di Ofena: puntellati edifici E dopo due anni dal terremoto - SPECIALE TERREMOTO - Articolo

[pugwashington]

Originally Posted by the duncs

Okay - starting to get the message! The research I had done indicated that Ofena wasn't hit too badly and it isn't on the list of towns with significant damage as are many villages to the south and east of Aquila. I am an Engineer, so probably not as daunted, however no point in unnecessarily buying into a problem.
I was looking for something small, with character, in need of renovation, and cheap. I've got three weeks in Abruzzo in July, but any narrowing down I can do now is good. Any suggestions on a circuit to explore?

I bought a house in Ofena - love it even with all the problems - dont know why but I do - I like the quiteness - but houses around Italy are not very honest people I think - BUT they do have a lot of houses - dont use their surveyor.

Most of italy is a quake zone. Most of the house in these old villages are not quake safe. See other posts for what needs to be done.