Description:
Before heading to view this property, I do a bit of research to learn more about this area that I have heard so much about. Le Balze
or Cliff Crags as we know them, mark the landscape of this valley and are an interesting natural formation. The drive through this countryside is wonderful. Passing by typical Tuscan farmhouses and through undulating hillsides, I get a good sense of what it would be like to live here.
When I arrive in the village of Pulicciano, I decide to stop my car near the local park so that I can walk around for a few minutes taking in my surroundings and the fabulous view. I can already spot the property as I make my way down the main road.
This 400 sqm home sits before me on two floors and holds 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen and spacious sitting/dining room. Currently used by the owners as a summer retreat, the home is in need of some cosmetic work, although all services are in perfect working order. I take a walk around the house and note that certain rustic features, like exposed beams and old tile floors on the first floor, have been conserved.
Outside, the property has been completely fenced and contains 1000sqm of mature garden. This outdoor space has been nicely organized for entertaining and for staying out of the sun during those balmy summer days. Under the arched pergola I find a bread/pizza oven and a BBQ area. Up a flight of external stairs, there is a large terrace that is the perfect spot for sun bathing or for glances across the countryside.
Taking a final note of the size and position of this home, I realise that it is not only perfect for holidays and rental opportunities but also a good location for full-time living. All major amenities are located at a short 5 minutes drive from the home in the lovely town of Castelfranco di Sopra where one will find many shops and good restaurants. Florence is less than an hour away and the airports in Florence and Pisa are a 60 and 100 minutes drive.
During each season of the year the visitor is offered the rolling hills, vineyards, olive groves and mountain woods in a harmony of nature, history and culture. You are surrounded with farmhouses, and mansions with their own production of olive oil and wine, natural reserves, the mythical territory of the Cliff Crags, and the solemn simplicity of old monasteries and churches.
www.comune.castelfranco-di-sopra.ar.it
My Thoughts: I think this property will be perfect for someone who wants to create a luxury B&B or for those who need a large family Tuscan retreat. With the 6 bedrooms available and 400 sqm of habitable space to live in, this is definitely a good investment. The home does need some work as the ground floor lacks the old traditional style tiles and a proper rustic kitchen but the work is minimal and will definitely increase the overall value in the future.
