Sustainable, independent, with plenty of outdoor space. But also technological, to increase comfort and safety. And perhaps just a stone’s throw from the sea. This is the identikit of the ideal home for Italians according to the survey conducted for Groupama Assicurazioni by BVA-Doxa. The analysis confirms a number of certainties regarding the relationship of Italians with their homes, starting with the preference for home ownership: 79% of those interviewed own the house in which they live, and a further 15% plan to purchase it in the future. But the survey also reveals some more unexpected data.

The dream of living by the sea

For example, the high number of those who are planning to change the context in which they live: only one Italian in three (33%) wants to continue living in the city, and almost as many (31%) dream of radically changing their lives and moving to the seaside. The sea definitely wins out over the countryside (chosen by 21% of the sample) and the mountains (9%). At the seaside or in the city, however, the ideal home must above all be safe. Both from the point of view of climatic phenomena (37% put safety first in terms of natural disasters) and theft. For four out of ten Italians, the first concern is seeing their home burgled by thieves. Fears that can be averted not only by adopting anti-theft systems and video surveillance, but also – and perhaps above all – by choosing to live in quiet, safe areas.

Sustainable and independent

Almost half of the people interviewed as part of the Groupama survey, when asked how they imagine their home in the future, responded by indicating that their first requirement was a large outdoor space, be it a garden or a terrace. Many are also thinking of an independent home (27%), with a large living area (26%) and a large kitchen (20%), confirming the great value that Italians today attach to the social aspect of living at home. Already today, on the other hand, Italians are ready to carry out numerous interventions to make their homes ‘greener’, whether it be adopting renewable sources for heating and lighting (56%), thermal and acoustic insulation work (56%), or adopting home automation devices and low-consumption appliances (35%).

Digital and interconnected

The home of the future, then, will have to keep up with high technology: in the next ten years, Italians plan to purchase an average of 3.8 more digital devices, testifying to the desire to make their homes increasingly technological and connected. A transformation that has to do with both comfort and safety: emergency lights that can be activated in the event of a blackout, gas leak detectors and surveillance systems are among the systems adopted to make homes ‘risk free’.

Not just smart working

Whether they work in an office or in smart working, Italians prefer to spend their free time at home and dream of having an extra room to devote to hobbies. “During the years of lockdown,” explain the authors of the survey, “the domestic environment had become a ‘prison’ from which they could not get out, today the home is perceived by Italians as a multifunctional place where they can share happy moments with family and friends (73%) and in which they can spend their free time (38%); but it also represents a ‘guarantee for the future’: a legacy for their children or a useful capital in case of need (for 46%)”.

Forte dei Marmi, an ideal place

Tranquillity, security, plenty of greenery and, naturally, the sea: the villas in Forte dei Marmi have all the characteristics to respond, at the highest level, to the identikit of the ideal home outlined by the survey. Among the proposals of The Dream Real Estate is, for example, Villa Estasy. Located 100 metres from the sea and the centre, it offers large outdoor space, with a garden, verandas and a mini Jacuzzi pool. Recently built in a very modern style and with very fine finishes, it is equipped with the latest home automation tools, with a solar thermal system and an electronic system for regulating shading that, when closed, also becomes a valid anti-intrusion system. In the basement there is a real spa, with jacuzzi, sauna, emotional shower and relaxation area. Also very recent and ultra-modern is Villa Da Vinci, in the most exclusive area of Forte dei Marmi, Roma Imperiale; it is a residence that fully deserves the adjective ‘Hollywood-style’, with its large garden, swimming pool with hydro-massage and large outdoor spaces, ultra-comfortable at all times of day. Very close to the centre of Forte, The Dream Real Estate also offers a splendid villa with swimming pool still under construction. The project has been conceived with both comfort and aesthetics in mind, with wood finishes and simple lines that make it an elegant residence of absolute prestige. The project has been conceived with both comfort and aesthetics in mind, with wood finishes and simple lines that make it an elegant residence of absolute prestige.