We've been ahming and ahhing about this for a while now. And we've decided. We're selling the plot of land on which we would have built our beloved little villa.
It's a stomach-churning, gut-wrenching decision.
Ever since I peered through the windows of the orginal house at 8pm on a warm summer's evening, I knew I wanted to live there because it was incredibly light and airy. It's in a residential area, with beautiful villas lining each side of the road. Up the top of the road, about 200 metres away, are the craggy granite rocks that are characteristic of Sardinia's Gallura region in the north. The backroad - which few tourists know about - is a shortcut to the beach with views of the bay that catch my breath every time I see them and remind me how lucky I am to live where I do.
It's a five-minute walk to the charming centro storico, with its panoramic views of the valley and the pavement cafes fronting onto the piazza with its waterfall and little street market. It's a two-minute walk to the bar which serves the most delicious cappucinos and warm croissants, the supermarket which sells the tastiest bread ever and the post office where I spend a good chunk of my week. Santa Teresa di Gallura, where you can catch the ferry to Corsica, is 40 minutes away to the west. Olbia (with the airport, port and railway station) is 20 minutes away to the south. The famous beaches of the Costa Smeralda are 15 minutes away as is Palau where you can catch the ferry to famous archipelago of La Maddelena. And as for the house itself, it would have been wonderful. With a garden, our own veranda from the bedroom, a romantic Romeo & Juliet balcony for the guest bedroom and another large rooftop covered terrace on the floor above, it had plenty of outdoor space for summer for bbqs with friends and family.
But (and let's face it, there's always a but in any story that isn't a fairytale) the conditions that were in place when we built the house aren't there any more:
First BUT. We bought the house knowing it needed only minor renovation. That meant we attracted a tax reduction from the goverment of 40pc over 5 years. But (first but) because the roof collapsed and we had to knock down the entire thing, it's now classed as a rebuild. That means we lose the tax benefits.
Second BUT. This is a 'prima casa' rather than a second home. You have to prove residency in the property within 18 months of buying it. When 5 February, 2008 comes around, those 18 months are up. How can we be resident when the house doesn't yet exist?
Third BUT. When Mario worked for the company he worked for as a consultant, they paid for the house we live in overlooking the sea. Now that that contract has come to an end, we're paying the rent, as well as the mortgage and 100pc costs of the rebuild.
Fourth BUT. Our amazing house overlooking the sea really is amazing. From the patio, you can see the white sails of the yachts blowing in the wind and the water changes colour every day depending on the weather and the time of day. Sometimes it is a calm, transparent green. Other days, it is a shimmering blue reflecting the colour of the cloudless sky. But the house in Cannigione doesn't have high speed internet. No where in the town does. When we bought the house, we thought we would only be in the rented property for a few months and decided we would get by without high speed internet for a few months. Thirteen months have already gone by and we've realised we can no longer work on dial up, especially now we are doing more and more conference calls with clients and both Mario and I need to be able to use the internet at the same time. I'm wasting far too much time waiting for emails to download and websites to load and it's a real test of patience. For the time being domestic bliss is being maintained which is surprising given we've both got fiery characters. But I'm expecting WW3 to break out any time soon over the battle for the internet.
There's no need to get the violins out though because we have found a place to move into. It's in the centre of Olbia yet immersed in silence. It has a garden and spacious verandas, and its white porticoed exterior dazzles in the pure white sunlight. I love it. We both do. All we need to do now is sell the land.
For sale: plot of land located in one of the smartest areas of Arzachena. Close to centro storico and all ammenities, including post office, banks, bars, supermarket, shops, library, park and ASL. In quiet residential area (villas rather than appartment blocks) but close to main routes out of town. Email me on [email protected] for more details.
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