House Hunting in Italy 101 - Part 5

Having weaved your way through a myriad of choices first and then all the crucial checks and balances, you finally have an Italian home in your name! What to do with it is the next order of business. Given that things generally move a little slower in Italy than what most are accustomed to, the temptation is great “to just get started”. Folks practically bully each other to arrive at fast decisions and rush around to find contractors that are available immediately, making decisions based on expediency and not always on good sense.

It would simply be wiser in the long term to think it through “con calma” — for example, consider the following:

Renovate for future resale as well as for current comfort. Traditional features and elements are highly valued and will maximize the value of your investment. If you find an old marble basin in the garden, have it polished and adapted for use in the house. It tells a story — be part of its story.

Acknowledging its Italian roots will assist you in beautifying and modernizing a house that sits well “in its own skin”. Keep a little accent of stone in the interior — the rest of the surfaces can be easy to clean smooth plastered surfaces. Just give a little nod to history.

Consider how the house will live in both winter and summer. A source of heating will be crucial in winter. If you live there, it will be a lot more comfortable as well as making it a great deal more rentable all year round.

Look at elegant traditional houses and see how you could incorporate some of those decorative elements yourself. It is not simply an aesthetic decision; it impacts your future investment value.

Being strikingly different and fiercely individualistic is only valued in fashion choices here, not houses.

Remember that, more often than not, one has to wait for something that is worthwhile — the same applies to contractors. The good ones will, by definition, be in demand. Do not allow your haste to play a disproportionate part in your decision making.

Decide whose opinion you value and let that guide your thinking. Facebook can be a wonderful or terrible guide — both options are equally possible.

Your house has seen many seasons come and go. Be nice, lend a helping hand to restore the ravages of time in a sympathetic way whilst making it comfortable for yourself. It is like cutting Grandma’s hair, doing her nails, buying her a new dress, but not dreaming of changing who she fundamentally is. Why not step into being a part of the beautiful history that you fell in love with? Happy renovating!

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