David Merrick, a management consultant from Beaconsfield, recently bought a holiday home in Italy.
Article written by The Overseas Guides Company
Here he tells us about it and how the information provider the Italy Buying Guide helped him with his purchase:
So why did you decide to buy in Italy?
We have been to Italy many times and love the environment and climate there. But also it has plenty of cultural and historical interest, so it is difficult to get bored. And we love the food. Finally, it is not too far – a short flight, but driving is also an option (just). We plan to go out to our property about once a month or so, including short weekend breaks and a longer break in the summer.
Can you tell us a bit about the property?
It’s in Tuscany, between Volterra and San Gimignano. It is basically a new property, but built in traditional style using traditional materials. It is a three-bedroom detached property with a garden, about half of which is a vineyard. We bought it as a shell, as the builders had stopped work because they had run out of money. We also then had a contract with the same builders for them to finish the property. This gave us some scope for specifying how we wanted it finished.
How did the Italy Buying Guide help you?
The description of the buying process was especially helpful, including the use of a notary, the role of the estate agent, etc. Also, the recommendation to use Smart Currency Exchange [for sending money between the UK and Italy] was excellent. I am absolutely delighted with the service provided.
Do you have any advice for other people looking to buy?
Be patient, as the bureaucracy sometimes takes a while. We were fortunate in having an excellent estate agent – and I think this is important. We have made an effort to get to know the neighbours, who are very friendly, and that has helped enormously as well.
What are you looking forward to the most about having your property?
Relaxing in a lovely environment and enjoying the views, which you can see in the picture, even just for weekend breaks.
For details of properties for sale in Italy, visit the Italy listings on Rightmove Overseas. One way to save money when buying in Italy, or moving there, is to use a currency exchange specialist when transferring your pounds into euros. For more information on this, visit the Currency Zone or download Smart’s free report here.
To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in Italy, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘Italy Property Buying Guide’
The views and comments herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Rightmove Overseas, Rightmove Group Ltd or Rightmove Plc