Do you remember the Great Estate sale of “Charmig Apartment”? Today we offer you an interview with its new owners, Fred and Regina.
Welcome, Fred and Regina.
Congratulations on the recent purchase of your new main residence, “Charming Apartment”.
Would you like to tell us something about you: where do you come from and what do you do in life?
We had the great opportunity in the life of being very “international”, fixing our residence for periods of time in different countries. We were born in Brazil, studied in the United States (California), worked in Brazil, Germany, and Canada. From the last 30 years, we lived 25 years in Canada, 4 years in Germany, and also had many shorter stays in the Netherlands, France, Greece, and Italy. We usually travel a lot; at least twice a year, sometimes for two or three months in a row, thanks to my flexible work schedule and professional contacts. I am a university professor in aerospace engineering (now retired), and Regina, my wife, is also retired. She was an agricultural engineer specialised in satellite remote sensing. For the last 2 years, after my retirement at the university in Canada, I am working as Research and Development engineer in Munich, Germany, at an aerospace firm. My plans are to retire definitively next year and move to our new home in Chiusi. We both have double citizenship: I am Brazilian and Canadian and Regina is Brazilian and Italian.
How long have you been looking for a property in Italy? And what kind of property were you looking for, with what characteristics?
For the last 5 years, Italy has been regarded as our retirement place. We always searched for an apartment in an old medieval but lively (inhabited by locals) town, within the walls, very much with the characteristics, size, and location that our future residence will be. We discarded the idea to buy a house in the countryside, seeking a more secure place, given that we travel a lot and spend long periods away from home.
Under what circumstances did you get to know Great Estate and, in particular, Mrs. Chiara Pompili, your trusted consultant?
We sent an inquiry message from an internet portal asking for more information about a property that at first interested us (not the one we finally bought…). Chiara promptly and kindly replied, and we started from there… Thanks to Chiara you were able to purchase your ideal home: a truly extraordinary experience.
In fact, the decision to buy the property came shortly after a “remote” visit through a video call between you and Chiara, what we at Great Estate technically call a one-to-one visit. This is a decidedly innovative methodology that requires an open-minded and forward-thinking buyer. So, what made you decide to take this step and trust your reference professional in this way?
This is a good question. We were in Germany during the pandemic, incapacitated to travel but always searching for our new home on the internet. Although there were many options, the good ones were rare. This actually is our experience for the 5 years that we have been looking for a home. Many times, even under the pandemic traveling restrictions, we noticed that the very best options were sold or the offer was accepted in a relatively short time. Then, as Chiara proved to us to be honest and accessible, we believed in her advice and went for the virtual tour (actually twice).
In the light of your exceptional experience, how would you rate the assistance and support you received from Chiara? Was your consultant able to understand your needs and support you adequately?
Chiara was and still is great in all possible aspects. She goes above and beyond, giving us all technical support (surveyor and notary) and helping us to find even now a cleaning lady because we are still unable to travel after acquiring the property.
Let’s talk now about the charming property you have purchased, “Charming Apartment”. What were your impressions when you first saw it thanks to our professional virtual tour, and then “visited it from a distance” through the video call by Chiara?
We had the immediate impression that this was the property that we were looking for in the last 5 years, meeting almost all aspects we desired.
What features of the property did you like the most?
Many, among them: its ample size, brightness (well lit from large windows at all sides), its excellent state of conservation, its location on the town main square; the fact that there are only two apartments in the building, the presence of the terrace with a great view on the roof, and of course the garage/garden that although not directly connect to the property offers opportunities not only for parking but also for enjoying the great Tuscan weather outside…
Chiara told us that “Charming Apartment” will be your new home: what made you decide to move permanently to Italy?
This has been our decision for a long time; Regina comes from an Italian family of Treviso and, although born in Brazil, they have always been a family close to the roots. As a couple, we normally spend every Christmas and New Year’s day in Venice, visiting her family as well. Italy is beautiful (in this aspect, one of the top countries in the world in our experienced opinion). The weather is great, especially in Tuscany (for people born in Brazil and living in Canada for 25 years this is huge). On my side, I maintained for the last 20 years close work collaboration with partners in Italy, especially in the Polytechnic of Milan and University of Rome (La Sapienza and Roma Tre). We already traveled to the different regions of the country and also maintain good Italian friends. We understand and appreciate the Italian culture and do not feel “outsiders” in any sense. Regarding the language, Regina is fluent in Italian and I am getting there… This latter aspect is the most important point in our opinion for fixing a residence.
Finally, would you recommend to other international clients to invest in Italy, taking advantage of Chiara’s support and, in general, of the virtuous and innovative organisation of the Great Estate Group?
Yes, by all means. It proved to us to be a great and honest organisation that you can trust.
Thank you for the opportunity to offer you our experience.
Fred and Regina
