Perugia, on a sunny day in January. It seems like a trivial day, but not for the Belgian couple Beatrice and Christian. In December 2020 they became the new owners of a characteristic farmhouse in a beautiful residential complex.
Today they came to the shop of Engel & Völkers Perugia-Lago Trasimeno to receive the keys of their new home. In times of Covid-19, purchasing a property may still seem to be an easy thing to do, but for buying clients faced with health restrictions during a lockdown period, the buying and selling process changes a bit. As for Beatrice and Christian. Since it was impossible for them to travel at the time of the notarial deed, they had to make a special power of attorney. In spite of this, the essential thing for them after the lockdown is to be able to go to their property in Umbria, even with some delay. Today they are very happy to settle into their second home and enjoy their holidays.
In our shop we see them very cheerful and enthusiastic. While they are having a coffee, our collaborator Filip takes the opportunity to ask them some questions.
FILIP (E&V collaborator): We see that you really like Umbria. Why did you decide to look for a second home in our region?
BEATRICE (Owner): Being in love with Umbria (and Italy in general) we were looking for a second home where we can stay during our retirement. For about two years we looked in the shop windows of real estate agencies during our holidays in Italy. We also visited some houses with different agencies in Umbria and Tuscany, for example near Città di Castello and San Sepolcro. But they did not match our expectations.
Finally we have chosen Umbria. We had traveled there often and we have always appreciated the nature, the beautiful landscapes, the towns and hamlets that are exceptional for their beauty and culture (Perugia, Gubbio, Todi, Spoleto, Orvieto, Città della Pieve, Panicale, Paciano, ...) and let's not forget the gastronomy! (Smiles) Yes, we are foodies!
FILIP: It is always interesting for us to understand how our customers got to know Engel & Völkers Perugia-Lago Trasimeno. You are Belgian, how did you find our agency and particularly our shop?
CHRISTIAN (Owner): At the end of our online search we found on the internet some properties for sale in the area of Piegaro (Umbria) which were within our budget and which could meet our needs and preferences. These properties were published by the agency of Engel & Völkers Perugia-Lago Trasimeno and so we contacted them on the internet. We immediately received an answer. We did not particularly know the Engel & Völkers brand but we had already occasionally seen shops all over Western Europe, such as in Belgium, France, Spain and of course Italy.
FILIP: How would you describe the collaboration with the agents and collaborators of Engel & Völkers Perugia?
BEATRICE: We were immediately struck by the availability of the collaborators of the Perugia shop. A few days after our first phone call we had the opportunity to visit the house in Piegaro that interested us most. This property matched perfectly the description and photos we had seen on the website. As a result, we immediately decided to buy it.
FILIP: Which services were you particularly satisfied with?
CHRISTIAN: Throughout the buying and selling process we have always been impressed by the availability, professionalism and kindness of the agents of Engel & Völkers Perugia and we felt safe and confident!
We would like to underline some aspects that were very important to us: for example the accuracy of financial information (for what concerns taxes, duties, cadastral value and notary fees), the very good and effective communication with the agency by mail or by phone, the assistance for having the right documents needed to prepare the notarial deed.
FILIP: In this very special period in which traveling has been very difficult, have you encountered some obstacles? In your opinion, has the agency managed to solve these problems?
BEATRICE: For us the buying and selling process was much more difficult than usual because we bought our house during the second wave of the Covid-19 epidemic in Europe. But we have always felt the real estate agents involved and ready to help. Even after the sale we could count on their help with the transfer of electricity and gas contracts and with getting a home insurance. We had to do everything remotely but thanks to the agency everything went well.
FILIP: Thank you very much Beatrice and Christian, for these nice words. So if I understand correctly, you would recommend Engel & Völkers Perugia to your friends, relatives and future clients?
CHRISTIAN: Absolutely yes! And in general we think that Umbria is too undervalued and should… come out of the shadow of its big sister, Tuscany (laughs: but don't tell everyone!).
MARCO BARBANERA (Office Manager): I would like to tell you something too: you speak Italian well, congratulations! For you who are Belgians, is it not obvious anyway?
BEATRICE: Thank you! My husband took Italian courses and I am proud of my Italian roots! But we normally speak French and my husband also Flemish. This is the advantage of being Belgian. Like Filip who accompanied us during this adventure. Luckily he was also our linguistic mediator during the negotiation. When the conversation in Italian became too complicated, he was able to give clarifications or explanations in our language. If not, it would have been hard to understand everything.
MARCO BARBANERA: Now we let you go. Here are your keys! Our whole team wishes you an unforgettable stay in your second home with your family! In bocca al lupo!
BEATRICE AND CHRISTIAN: (They laugh out loud) Ha ha ha, this expression we already know! Thank you!
© Filip Van Branteghem
© Photo Jan Vandorpe, Marina Beliavska, Edivad_92