Looking for a place abroad that stands out from the crowd? We’ve found properties in Spain, France and Italy that take the term ‘character home’ to a new level. You never know, one just might take your fancy…

Article written by The Overseas Guides Company

Not everyone wants a villa or apartment that looks like the one next door, preferring instead something quirky that makes stays there even more exciting.

Owning an unusual home is not only fun but it can often be more lettable than a more typical property, offering holidaymakers something different to the norm. On the flip side though, always check there won’t be any nasty maintenance surprises and that the property is structurally sound and meets all local building regulations.

So, here are three interesting homes for buyers with an adventurous streak . . .

Cool during the hot Spanish summers and cosy in the cooler winters, this authentic cave house is built into a hillside in Oria village in inland Almeria. Unsurprisingly – given the prevalence of cave homes – the area has been inhabited since prehistoric times and is famous for its rock formations. This particular property, which has mains water and power, is a restored farm house with two bedrooms and 700 square metres of land.

Next up is something in Normandy, northern France, for those who like to get close to nature – a wooden chalet set in the woods and with not one but two private lakes. The two-bedroom timber property is set within its own five-acre chestnut forest on the edge of the small village of St James. Both lakes are packed with fish and fed by a natural spring. With easy access from the UK by car, this property really does allow you to escape the rat race and has plenty of rental appeal.

Pass through the countryside of Puglia in southern Italy, stopping off in the UNESCO protected town of Alberobello, and expect to be wowed by those intriguing stone homes known as ‘trulli’. Built in a conical shape from local stone, a ‘trullo’ is a traditional agricultural dwelling which these days makes a quirky home, when renovated and kitted out with all mod cons. They can have multiple cones, depending on their size, and are often joined with a flat roofed annexe, known as a lamia. As well as concentrated in Alberobello, you’ll find trulli hidden amongst the trees in the countryside around Ostuni and Ceglie Messapica, and a bit further north around Fasano and Monopoli.  This trullo has been structurally restored, leaving the new owner to complete the interior and fittings to their own taste. A suggested layout includes two bedrooms in the lamia with the original trullo used as a kitchen and living area.

For more information on buying overseas property successfully, download the Overseas Guides Company’s free France Buying Guide, Spain Buying Guide and Italy Buying Guide – and start receiving free news updates by email.

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