Housearounditaly

[Barry]

Although our final experience with HAI wasn't the best I can't fault them on the fees. We had negotiated a fee for their services before we proceeded and although it was a bit high they looked after all the paperwork after we gave them power of attorney and kept to their quote. No real surprises as far as costs go other than the documents for the power of attorney. I found an approved Italian speaking lawyer here in Calgary and she did the translations for a modest fee $240 Canadian. The Italian embassy did charge $40 to stamp them however.

Barry

[Elisa.]

Thank you for all the information,
I had written to them to ask information about apartments in Francavilla,,

they did not even answer me!!

[pennebound]

Hi

We bought our house in Penne through housearounditaly and Retecasa in Penne. It's an oldish house which needs some work but is habitable. Retecasa has offered to put the electricity, water and gas into our names for 450 euros, including significant charges to the utility companies. Please can you tell me whether this sounds about OK?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Lucy

[dario]

Originally Posted by pennebound

Hi

We bought our house in Penne through housearounditaly and Retecasa in Penne. It's an oldish house which needs some work but is habitable. Retecasa has offered to put the electricity, water and gas into our names for 450 euros, including significant charges to the utility companies. Please can you tell me whether this sounds about OK?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Lucy

Considering thata part of the electricity charges will be found on first bill its a bit steep.

Dario

[mountie]

had all the negatives with hai if you could be put in jail for lying they,d all be in it honest agents especially english ones who want to be your friend from the get go are like hens teeth :they do not exist!!!!!: be afraid.....be very afraid the little dream home you,ve fallen in love with that needs restored could well turn into your biggest nightmare when people like hai introduce you to the crooks they know who want as much of your money as they can get that is their agenda please please take your time find areal friend who can help you and knows the ropes there are a lot of good people in italy who will help you estate agents dont want you to find them act like at home when you want to buy something ask the people in the area try to speak italian use sign language if need be it can be fun someone will take you under their wing and point out the gangsters and the honest injuns remember your own area at home most of your neighbours especially the older generation know whats for sale and more importantly the history and ownership again take your time and find them please excuse the lack of punctuation hope this helps best of luck to all......mountie

[dario]

Originally Posted by mountie

had all the negatives with hai if you could be put in jail for lying they,d all be in it honest agents especially english ones who want to be your friend from the get go are like hens teeth :they do not exist!!!!!: be afraid.....be very afraid the little dream home you,ve fallen in love with that needs restored could well turn into your biggest nightmare when people like hai introduce you to the crooks they know who want as much of your money as they can get that is their agenda please please take your time find areal friend who can help you and knows the ropes there are a lot of good people in italy who will help you estate agents dont want you to find them act like at home when you want to buy something ask the people in the area try to speak italian use sign language if need be it can be fun someone will take you under their wing and point out the gangsters and the honest injuns remember your own area at home most of your neighbours especially the older generation know whats for sale and more importantly the history and ownership again take your time and find them please excuse the lack of punctuation hope this helps best of luck to all......mountie

That is sound advice Mountie.
I'm an anglo-italian, after being born and bred in UK I came to Italy when I was 20 and am now a lawyer here.
I know there are crooks everywhere, UK included, but it seemed to me that my generation was a lot more honest than the current 30 year olds (I'm 47).
I cannot seemed to get used to the lowness of some people and what they'll do for easy money.
I agree with Mountie. Get good advice, even professional advice from someone who will come clean from the start and tell you exactly what you'll be up against. Buying a house in Italy can be a sad affair but no necessarily. There is a tendency of never giving quotations so a verbal contract is useless beause a builder, plumber, painter etc. may agree verbally for one price and then ask for a different price once the work is done.
Always, repaet always, get a written quotation. If, during completion of the work there is a variation, ask for a written quotation of the variation. If they refuse to give it, then don't hire them.
Unfortunately Italy has been a very closed country and live with the false belief that: they are smarter; foreigners are easy to rip-off; foreigners have money and are stupid anyway.

Agents, geometri, and builders in general are crooks, but not all of them. Get professional advice, because the sum you pay them in the end will be a saving.

Regards all,

Dario

[Barry]

Originally Posted by dario

That is sound advice Mountie.
I'm an anglo-italian, after being born and bred in UK I came to Italy when I was 20 and am now a lawyer here.
I know there are crooks everywhere, UK included, but it seemed to me that my generation was a lot more honest than the current 30 year olds (I'm 47).
I cannot seemed to get used to the lowness of some people and what they'll do for easy money.
I agree with Mountie. Get good advice, even professional advice from someone who will come clean from the start and tell you exactly what you'll be up against. Buying a house in Italy can be a sad affair but no necessarily. There is a tendency of never giving quotations so a verbal contract is useless beause a builder, plumber, painter etc. may agree verbally for one price and then ask for a different price once the work is done.
Always, repaet always, get a written quotation. If, during completion of the work there is a variation, ask for a written quotation of the variation. If they refuse to give it, then don't hire them.
Unfortunately Italy has been a very closed country and live with the false belief that: they are smarter; foreigners are easy to rip-off; foreigners have money and are stupid anyway.

Agents, geometri, and builders in general are crooks, but not all of them. Get professional advice, because the sum you pay them in the end will be a saving.

Regards all,

Dario

I think this is the soundest advice there is. Take your time, talk to the locals, including local builders and find your own geometre and notary.
It seems most people are in to much of a rush when buying real estate in Italy, especially us english speakers!

[mountie]

Originally Posted by dario

That is sound advice Mountie.
I'm an anglo-italian, after being born and bred in UK I came to Italy when I was 20 and am now a lawyer here.
I know there are crooks everywhere, UK included, but it seemed to me that my generation was a lot more honest than the current 30 year olds (I'm 47).
I cannot seemed to get used to the lowness of some people and what they'll do for easy money.
I agree with Mountie. Get good advice, even professional advice from someone who will come clean from the start and tell you exactly what you'll be up against. Buying a house in Italy can be a sad affair but no necessarily. There is a tendency of never giving quotations so a verbal contract is useless beause a builder, plumber, painter etc. may agree verbally for one price and then ask for a different price once the work is done.
Always, repaet always, get a written quotation. If, during completion of the work there is a variation, ask for a written quotation of the variation. If they refuse to give it, then don't hire them.
Unfortunately Italy has been a very closed country and live with the false belief that: they are smarter; foreigners are easy to rip-off; foreigners have money and are stupid anyway.

Agents, geometri, and builders in general are crooks, but not all of them. Get professional advice, because the sum you pay them in the end will be a saving.

Regards all,

Dario

hi dario
its so good to hear a professionals approval to my advice ,the last forum i was on i was slated for voicing it that was when irealised it was no more than a mutual appreciation society for self serving estate agents portraying themselves as guardian angels these people are bottom feeders preying on trusting souls god help them who are taken in by judas goat smiling faces/kind wordsand b,****
on the other forum they attacked me for my opinion but only the ones with an agenda of their own they could not hurt me as i don,t want anything from anyone except to help the people like myself and maybe along the way make a few friends in italy my father used to say a giving hand is never empty and the good people in italy have given me loads best regards dario and all p.s. i,m signing for my plce in miracoli between 28 sept &5oct can,t wait ........... eddie

- Futher to my other posts - I have now found out through chatting to people in my village that my house was still being viewed by prospective buyers 3 weeks prior to my purchase - inspite of having paid a deposit to have the house removed from the market.

I also found out that if HAI agent had told me to send my money to the italian banks in doses less than 50,000 eu I wouldnt have had to pay any banking fees - at 2% that amounted tp 137 Eu I neednt have paid - so if you add up all the money I feel I was overcharged for or didnt get value for money from its around 1000 eu -

[Stella Artois]

Hi all,

Have heard lots of negative here, just wondering if anyone can recommend a good geometra and a locksmith in that area,please!