# Looking for Australia-Italy Real Estate Agent



## Troz (Jan 29, 2018)

Hello from a new forum member.

My wife and I are Australians, looking to buy a property in Italy.

I would be very grateful to hear recommendations from anyone who has done the same, regarding an estate agent, either Australia or Italy-based, with experience facilitating such purchases.

I tried contacting an Australia-based agent called <Snip> (sorry, can't post links yet) but they did not respond.

Thanks in advance.


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## GeordieBorn (Jul 15, 2016)

Interesting you do not say where you want to buy in Italy? I say this as you have said you have visited the country quite a bit, actually a little more than we did before we bought. Have you been to many different areas? The reason I ask if that we after only visiting one or two found them very different. Don't know if Australia has an equivalent to the UK Rightmove and it has an "Overseas" part. The UK site has a number of places for sale and more importantly the agent selling. You really should be looking for a registered agent in Italy to ensure a legal purchase there. Companied like immobiliare.it and casa.it are big, but a search for the likes of “casa vendita <option>” with the option of “Italia” or the area you are interested in should give you more.


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## Troz (Jan 29, 2018)

Hi.

We've been to every part of Italy except Sardinia, and we propose to look in Umbria to start with.

What we hope to find is a Australian agent with relationships with registered agents in Italy. As I said in the original post, we did see one, but have not succeeded in making contact.

cheers,


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## GeordieBorn (Jul 15, 2016)

If they are Italian, then we have found they are notorious for not responding to email very well. Look on most forums and I think you will find advice to rent first, then buy. Apart from anything else, another common bit of advice is that you always get on a lot quicker and better being there on the ground when looking for houses. The last bit of good advice often stated is to take your time. I'm sure others here will chip in with good advice - best of luck!


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## Troz (Jan 29, 2018)

Thanks - that's all good advice, which we intend to take. In the meantime, if anyone from Australia has dealt with an estate agent, either in Australia or Italy, with expertise in handling such purchases, we'd love to hear from you.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

I think you'll find Australian agents rare. If you go to www.immobiliare.it you can input a request. Any agent with something that matches your request can answer. 

Write in Italian. If you can't manage use google translate. All you really need is a list of requirements not a literary work.

Number of bedrooms,baths,parking spots anything else you might find important. Do it in bullet point form.


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## Acharoo (Jan 30, 2018)

I had a terrible experience when I bought in Piemonte in 2000. No internet so only a few books to lean on for information. I bought through a foreign English speaking real estate agent who handled everything and made it all so easy. Problem was later on after I had lived there for a while, I found out that she had more than doubled the price and kept the difference. Made it hard when I came to sell. 
So, while it's a lot harder now, just be careful, I know there are still other people that are still doing similar in the same area including the agent I used. I would use a local agent.


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## BraveHorse (Jan 22, 2018)

i understand your concern, I have the same problem as my Italian is very limited. Your goal shall be to buy a property at the same price an Italian would pay. An Australian agent would not help... I advise to get only a translator. That's what I'll do my next time in Italy.


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## janilee (Jan 31, 2018)

I've lived in Italy over two years, now. It is frustrating to come from a country that loves an internet presence to one where the best you can usually find is that a company has put up a site that shows a picture of their building and nothing more. E-mail is almost unknown, but many people have taken Facebook as their ether(real) home. Previous suggestions are right-you need time with boots on the ground. Once you find a place you think is your new home, you need to join the community. That's not hard in smaller towns. Once you have established that you love Italia, people open up to you. Spend time in caffe' bars with the locals. You need to listen carefully. You will eventually figure out who is who and what is what. Hints as to who has property, who is honest, who will bargain with you will leak out. When someone tells you of a property available, tell all your new friends it has been mentioned. You will get all kinds of info on the person, the property, and your likely enjoyment of the place. Otherwise, you're running the risk of losing a lot of money. That's been our experience, anyway. We were extremely lucky. My husband, whose grandparents immigrated to the U.S., visited our tiny Apennine village twice before we decided to retire here. A cousin in the States whose husband was born here just happened to be in our village when we called her. Her husband ran to tell the locals that we were coming to live here and, within an hour, he had found a lovely apartment for us at a real steal. The low price was because my husband had approached the village with love and humility and was immediately encouraged to come back home. Also, the cousin's husband was very popular here. That said, a few people who weren't in the "family loop" approached us about buying properties. Friends advised us that these people wanted double from us what they charged Italians. The big plus is: Once you are accepted by the locals, they are your family and will treat you as one of their own.


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## Troz (Jan 29, 2018)

Acharoo said:


> I had a terrible experience when I bought in Piemonte in 2000...


This is exactly why I want to deal with a business in Australia with a reputation to maintain (and subject to Australian consumer law!).

Anyway, I have now made contact with the company whose identity was removed from the original post, and the lady who runs it has given me the names of two local agents in Italy that she deals with, so the process begins.

Doubtless I will be back seeking more advice in due course.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

janilee said:


> I've lived in Italy over two years, now. It is frustrating to come from a country that loves an internet presence to one where the best you can usually find is that a company has put up a site that shows a picture of their building and nothing more. E-mail is almost unknown, but many people have taken Facebook as their ether(real) home. Previous suggestions are right-you need time with boots on the ground. Once you find a place you think is your new home, you need to join the community. That's not hard in smaller towns. Once you have established that you love Italia, people open up to you. Spend time in caffe' bars with the locals. You need to listen carefully. You will eventually figure out who is who and what is what. Hints as to who has property, who is honest, who will bargain with you will leak out. When someone tells you of a property available, tell all your new friends it has been mentioned. You will get all kinds of info on the person, the property, and your likely enjoyment of the place. Otherwise, you're running the risk of losing a lot of money. That's been our experience, anyway. We were extremely lucky. My husband, whose grandparents immigrated to the U.S., visited our tiny Apennine village twice before we decided to retire here. A cousin in the States whose husband was born here just happened to be in our village when we called her. Her husband ran to tell the locals that we were coming to live here and, within an hour, he had found a lovely apartment for us at a real steal. The low price was because my husband had approached the village with love and humility and was immediately encouraged to come back home. Also, the cousin's husband was very popular here. That said, a few people who weren't in the "family loop" approached us about buying properties. Friends advised us that these people wanted double from us what they charged Italians. The big plus is: Once you are accepted by the locals, they are your family and will treat you as one of their own.


Absolutely spot on, excellent information. My situation was much the same. Most Italians will always embrace their own no matter how long they've been gone. Some, however, can be quite greedy, therefore it's always best to get to know people before you buy or be lucky enough to have blood relatives in the community to guide you.


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