Simon Property Group Opens Shopping Center in Rome, Italy

Simon Property Group, Inc. announced today that the Porta di Roma shopping center in Rome, Italy has been opened to the public. The center is the joint development of the Lamaro Group, a major Rome-based construction and development organization, and Gallerie Commerciali Italia ("GCI"), SPG's Italian joint venture partnership with Groupe Auchan. The project is located on the north side of Rome adjacent to the Grande Annulare, the peripheral highway which circles the city. The trade area for Porta di Roma contains approximately 1.3 million people.

Henderson to grow Italy unit, launch property fund

LONDON, July 27 (Reuters) - British fund management group Henderson Global Investors (HGI.L: Quote, Profile , Research) said on Friday it wanted to raise 250 million euros ($341.3 million) from institutional investors for a new closed-ended Italian retail property fund. The Fondo Azzurro is the debut fund of Henderson's Italian unit, Henderson Global Investors SGR, which the company said was set to expand after getting clearance from the Bank of Italy.

In Italy, a Church Turned Into a Vacation Home

The Westport, Conn., couple transformed an idiosyncratic ruin of a church into a highly personalized, luxurious vacation home — remarkably without a hitch, at modest expense and without speaking the language. They encountered no bureaucratic or legal entanglements, no logistical issues, and no aesthetic compromises. The work began in November 1999 and was completed within a year, with the Mulias making only a handful of visits. “I have to say we didn’t have any bad experiences,” Mrs. Mulia said.

Italian property investment more accessible

Mark Slaviero of Homes in Italy said with more budget airlines offering routes between the UK and Italy, as well as new airports opening in southern Italy, accessibility has improved vastly. Southern Italy in particular offers a number of investment opportunities, according to Mr Slaviero, as it is still up and coming.

Enpam, the Italian pension fund for doctors and dentists, has sold a 29-property portfolio for €305m.

Pirelli Real Estate acquired the portfolio with holder Global Opportunities Fund II, a fund managed by Deutsche Bank subsidiary RREEF, which acquired 65%. After the deal’s closure in the autumn, assets will transfer to Pirelli’s Social & Public Initiatives fund.This portfolio largely comprises northern retail and office assets concentrated in the Lombardy and Tuscany regions and currently has an average 54% vacancy rate.

Taormina Sicily, Italy

If you are looking for somewhere which really is beautiful in Sicily and which has a beach and is lively, then Taormina is a place you should definitely consider buying real estate or property in.Situated on the east coast of Sicily and about 1 hours south of Catania airportthe large city of Catania and Catania International airport), Taormina is a small sits which ismaily based on top of a cliff face, hence the stunning views.

Italian real estate fund Berenice has been suspended from Milan trade pending

MILAN (Thomson Financial) - Italian real estate fund Berenice has been suspended from Milan trade pending an announcement, Italy's stock market operator Borsa Italiana SpA said. A media report this morning said Goldman Sachs (nyse: GS - news - people )-owned Zwinger Opco could announce an increase in its offer for Berenice in the coming hours after being outbid by Galante, a fund owned by Merrill Lynch (nyse: MER - news - people ).

Italian real estate: Goldman Sachs raised its offer for the property fund

This is the first tender offer on a real estate fund in Italy," said Chiriotti. "Consider that before, real estate fund traded at discounts in the region of 25%-30%."

Property Stays Hot Under the Tuscan Sun

My parents bought the property to feed my mother's penchant for the romantic and remote. Having grown up in Switzerland, Tuscany was a perfect fit for her because "it makes you feel like you went back in time," she says.

Italian real estate fund Berenice has been suspended from Milan trade

A media report this morning said Goldman Sachs (nyse: GS - news - people )-owned Zwinger Opco could announce an increase of its offer for Berenice in the coming hours after being outbid by Galante, a fund owned by Merrill Lynch (nyse: MER - news - people ).

Italy Property - Perfection in Potenza Picena

“A beautiful six bedroom villa in Tuscany within say, half of a mile of the sea, would cost over 1million euros (around £690,000). A similar property on the Le Marche coast would cost just £303,000/euros 440,000. This of course is a considerable saving” says Linda Travella of Casa Travella, specialist in the sale of property in Italy for 20 years.

Tuscany with all the frills

The range of accommodation options on the market are as varied as the homes themselves. Near Cortona, Borgo di Vagli has opened up its 10 modest hamlet homes as fractional holiday residences, with prices from £48,000 to £75,000. In Florence, the first palace, Palazzo Tornabuoni, opened this year as a private residence club, making its 36 restored palazzo apartments available to 288 members (eight shareholders per apartment), with membership fees ranging from £126,000 to £309,000. Next year four palatial private homes will be restored in the estate of Castello del Nero, for sale from £3.6m to £4.7m to single owners who will also have a share in the magnificent, 1,000-acre grounds, with a 12th-century, five-star hotel and spa at its centre.

Enpam, the Italian pension has sold a 29-property portfolio for €305m

Pirelli Real Estate acquired the portfolio with holder Global Opportunities Fund II, a fund managed by Deutsche Bank subsidiary RREEF, which acquired 65%. After the deal’s closure in the autumn, assets will transfer to Pirelli’s Social & Public Initiatives fund.

Pirelli Deutsche Bank fund acquire Italy real estate

The 35:65 Pirelli RE/Deutsche fund joint venture won the contest to acquire the buildings from ENPAM, which is the national organisation for pensions and assistance for doctors and dentists, it said.

It's Lake Como

The actor's 25-room mansion has been a savvy investment, the local La Provincia newspaper reported recently. "George got an amazing deal for his villa. If he considered selling now, he would get double, perhaps triple," the paper said, citing Villa Cassinella in nearby Lenno, which recently fetched €15million (£10.3million), or Villa delle Magnolie in Moltrasio, which sold for €12million, €3million above its asking price.

Italy Government Approves Four Year Economic Plan

The plan, which serves as the outline for the 2008 budget, increases the 2007 budget deficit target to 2.5% of gross domestic product, from a March forecast of 2.3% of GDP.