Dreams start here....

Long have I held a dream of owning a piece of property in Italy, a place that I could remove myself from the wear and tear of everyday life in the US…a place to remove myself to and get lost in the moment.  I have been travelling to Italy for 15 years now as a way to “recharge” my batteries, and have always found myself in Tuscany.  This was in part due to an affliction that seems to affect most US citizens; I closed my eyes to the possibility that there was anything or anywhere else in Italy that would serve me. 

I began seriously searching for a piece of property to buy about a year ago, and naturally limited my search to where I was most familiar, Tuscany.  I contacted different relators on line, but I never really received a prompt reply, or even that they were interested in my business.  On a whim I began to look further South and landed on the region of Calabria where I found many properties that were not only listed as less expensive than those in Tuscany, but also had amazing views of the Mediterranean and great potential (let me point out here that I was very interested in purchasing a ruin and working to bring it back to life).  There was one site in particular, Calabria Property Consultants, that had a number of great properties of a type that looked perfect for me, and so I sent an inquiry for more information on a few properties, but to be honest I did not expect to get much of a reply, I mean why should I, as so far my inquiries have left me feeling a bit flat.

You can imagine my surprise when the next day I received an email back from Calabria Property Consultants, in particular from Tony Hackett, that not only told me more of that particular piece of property, but also asked in more detail what I was looking for, my needs and interests in buy Italian property.  This began a stream of emails between Tony and me where he continued to find out more of what I was looking for and an invitation down to Scalea, Calabria to look at some properties.  I was planning on touring Tuscany during March of this past year anyway, so I decided to take a detour South.  Tony’s exact words were, “…there’s plenty for you to see and you can rest assured at no point will you be put under pressure to commit to a purchase.”   In a later email he again reiterated this with, “If you like it here then I have no doubt we will find you something. If it‘s not for you then I am sure you will enjoy the experience all the same.”  I was getting a very good feeling about working with Tony, and even extended my stay in Scalea as a way to get a better feel of the area.

Tony helped me plan everything from taking the train to Scalea, booking a bed and breakfast (the best one I have ever been in), taking time out of his day to pick me up at the train station, driving me around to the different sites and even sitting down with me for a cup of tea (many cups of tea over many discussions) along with a meal or two.  I felt that during my time in Scalea that Tony was dedicated to making my time there memorable and profitable.  He was very free with information and willing to work around my schedule or things I wanted to see.  He showed me a side of the community that I have never before experienced with a realtor.  He even had the foresight to introduce me to a number of builders that he works with, and brought me in to see the buildings that they were currently working on.  Having a background in construction, this was not only fascinating to see their building techniques, but also gave me insight to their competency in construction.  I left feeling very comfortable that any construction needs I would have in the future were in good hands.

From the early emails, getting off the train to find Tony waiting, the properties I was shown and the experience of seeing the Calabrian Coast for the first time, I have felt that my best interest was at the forefront of Tony’s mind.  I never felt that out of my depth and all my questions of Italian property purchasing was explained very well, and after my return to the States Tony has continued to support me, quickly answering my emails and offering suggestions here and there.  I look forward to finishing my purchase this summer when I sign the papers, and then begin the joy of designing my Italian getaway.  This experience has been so pleasant that my only regret is having waited so long to get it started.

Geoff Brace