We interviewed the protagonists of the important sale of “Villa Smeraldo”, signed on April 2020: Riccardo Luculli and Nadia Aron from the GE partner agency “Italia Immobilien”, the persons in charge for the GE German market.
- Welcome, Nadia and Riccardo. Today, after our last interview about the sale of “La Terrazza”, we are meeting again. Would you like to tell us something about yourselves?
Nadia and I are a couple, both in private and at work. Nadia owns a real estate agency in Germany, Italia Immobilien, while I have got one here in Italy. From a professional point of view, we complete each other very well, especially while talking about the German clientele who decide to purchase in Italy. The fact that a German client may communicate right in German and – above all – address him/herself to a German agency that fully cooperates with an Italian one represents a great element of tranquillity and trust for him/her: this is a kind of extension of the German consultancies in Italy.
- You are the person in charge of the GE German market. What can you tell us about this specific segment of the market with a particular referring to the current situation caused by the Coronavirus emergency?
With the years passing, a strong partnership with Great Estate has grown up. The ability to find prestigious properties, technically documented and checked, both of Great Estate and its partners allowed the realization of a profitable synergy for all: vendors, buyers, and real estate agents. A true win-win situation!
The complexity of the relationship between Italy and Germany stands on the information quantity to analyze needed: an analysis that is quite easy to do.
Germans have been proving their deep love for our Bel Paese for years now. They were the true pioneers of tourism and real estate purchasing in Italy since the ‘60s, starting from the lakes of the North until reaching the South.
During the time, they increasingly appreciated the real estate taste of Italy and its “dolce vita”: food, wines, culture have become a MUST have of the Germans.
Now, right at this moment, the German real estate market is lacking a supply of fair-priced-properties for sale. In particular, a price bubble and a price increasing caused by higher demand and not by their true market value are dreaded.
For this reason, purchasing a property in Italy means, for a German client, obtain a double result: having a property in a country that is positively wanted and having also the possibility of doing so at a fair price.
Moreover, despite the current difficulties connected to the COVID-19 emergency, Italians have always had a great relationship with the Germans who purchased in our country. In the beginning, they just closed some businesses with them, but then they got to know each other and true and long friendships have begun.
Knowing the culture of Germans, we can surely confirm that their behavior towards the Italians, after some meetings, is characterized by a confidential and trusting way of doing. This is absolutely not the same they have among each other, among Germans. They settle a respect-trust-friendship relation with Italians up, it is something hard to explain if not experienced for yourself.
- We know that, right a month ago, you sold the amazing “Villa Smeraldo” in Lisciano Niccone to some German clients. Would you like to tell us something about this experience starting with the vendors?
The vendors are no more clients: they are our friends! I worked for them as a real estate agent and Project Manager. I went to visit them in Denmark and we spent together many pleasant times. They own several properties in Italy. Talking about “Villa Smeraldo”, I was their project manager. We ended the building in 2008. We used traditional materials like terracotta, stone, wood, and also some original tiles of an old deconsecrated church.
- With which agencies was the property advertised?
The property was on the market with “Romanas” (my Italian agency) only so, being I part of Great Estate, the owners agreed to share the managing of the property with the two agencies.
- Did you use The Best Price to establish the property value? What do you think about it?
I have to admit that the estimate of “Villa Smeraldo” has been done before the creation of The Best Price. However, I can also affirm that the comparison between the price it highlighted and the one requested by the vendor allowed me to reach a fair market price for the property.
- In your opinion, which are the strengths of the property?
Quality, quality, quality. At that time, the owners asked me just for this! Moreover, the amazing view on the Umbrian hills and Lake Trasimeno is its frame. The name “Villa Smeraldo” is not a chance: this villa seems a real gem into the luxuriant green of the hills around the lake (click here to discover the property).
- Nadia, Riccardo, let’s talk now about the buyers of “Villa Smeraldo”: when did they contact you for the first time? How did they discover you?
The clients come from Germany. They made their first request through the GE website. Nadia contacted them back personally. They are from the North of the country: the husband is a professor at the university and a doctor as well, the wife is the chief of several clinics and hospitals.
They were looking for a beautiful property with quality, good Italian taste and that was obviously in Italy – central Italy: a villa that inspired harmony in everything, spaces, places, and size.
The clients have been looking for it for months, entrusting themselves to other agencies too. When they contacted Great Estate, Nadia immediately contacted them back. To be more specific, she talked with Mrs. Ellen a lot. From that moment, the decision of entrusting themselves to Nadia and the whole GE team for their research was almost immediate!
They decided to visit some properties managed by GE in a long weekend. Nadia scheduled everything. From their staying at the relais, to the restaurants, etc. I won’t hide you that one of those days of visits, we stayed in the car for about eight hours to visit four properties: from 8 am to 10 pm. Despite the efforts, it was a really good day!
The buyers were with us and therefore we had the opportunity to get to know them personally, as well as to understand their wishes: we truly consider them to be “special” people.
During the three days, we visited several properties.
On the afternoon of the second day, we were a little sad because we had not yet been able to “find” the villa of their tastes.
Then, outside the selected properties and having noticed that the panorama offered by Lake Trasimeno, which the customers did not know, had aroused real pleasure in them, we suggested that they endure one last effort and go to visit a property shortly distant from the Relais where they stayed.
And that’s how we got to “Villa Smeraldo” and we ALL immediately understood that it was THEIR property:
clients were fatally affected by the beauty of the place, the characteristics, dimensions, and qualities of the property.
Finally, the trust that customers have shown towards the information transmitted by Nadia has been decisive, especially that relating to the advantages and opportunities associated with purchasing and owning a property in Italy over time.
The knowledge of the two real estate markets – German and Italian – has allowed Nadia to explain to the clients the differences, but also the strengths inherent in owning a property in Italy.
As long as they continue their professional activities, they will spend short holidays at “Villa Smeraldo”, since they are often extremely busy and active; in addition, their children will use it.
However, they promised themselves that once they retire, they will enjoy it whenever they have a free moment.
- Nadia and Riccardo, how did the negotiation take place and how did the sale go?
Let’s say … there was no game about the price, the negotiation, or anything.
In fact, I will tell you more: the negotiation was the simplest thing because … there was not!
The seller had communicated what was his best price for him, and the buyers, after seeing all the other properties, realized that that price was the correct one.
We are talking about 0.1% of the price … is it negotiation?
No. It was the right price for the right property. The two sides basically agreed only on the details.
In fact, the same evening they gave us the OK to proceed. They did not even want us to prepare a purchase proposal, but they wanted to go directly to the act of buying and selling, without wasting further time.
Coronavirus forced us to activate and buy “remotely”: therefore, the deed was entered into two special proxies, both to sell and to buy. As for one of them, Riccardo was the special prosecutor.
- In conclusion … have you managed to achieve this very important goal “at the time of the Coronavirus”: in your opinion, what are the reasons that push German customers to invest decidedly large sums in this historical moment?
If we refer to Coronavirus, the current historical moment is primarily a moment of great pain for those who have lost their loved ones, for those who suffer the various economic disasters, but also for those who have always had Italy at heart.
People looking for a property in Italy and which LOVE Italy, perhaps think that this is the moment to do something for this country, so much desired: to buy, to bring wealth, to show that the affection towards the Bel Paese in this tragic moment it has not gone away but, on the contrary, it is time for friends to move forward.
Beyond the borders, barriers, masks, being able to return to smile in Italy and with the Italians is something to do and to demonstrate concretely NOW, and not tomorrow when everything has passed and everyone, more or less quickly, will return.
This is the noble aim that we felt in recent sales.
And to those who think that this is the moment of the “sharks”, of the profiteers, we want to respond with the percentages of falling prices obtained by German customers in our last 4 sales, percentages ranging between 0.5 and 2%: this shows an attitude certainly different from that of a sinister profiteer!
A very special thanks to Riccardo and Nadia!
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