Originally Posted by C.2s

Things are very, very different here. Remember that people (especially in the countryside but also in cities) still expect to build a relationship with someone in any transaction. They want to be your 'friend'. They expect the 'expert' to guide the sales process. You walk into a clothing store and the owner will tell you what clothes you should buy! And things are slower. Perhaps one could think this is nice. After all it is part of the traditions that make Italy special. But it's often a bit strange to us.

We were baffled by the agents, but now I think I sort of understand it. Be prepared to find that the properties listed online are not actually available for sale. Both those on the big property sales sites like Idealista and also on the actual agents websites. And/or for people to be asking ridiculous prices for things. Or for things that aren't really safe to buy being advertised. There are a number of reasons for this. We came across properties we were really interested in, but nobody really wanted to show it to us, and they are still for sale now (years later). In some cases it's because the property is owned by multiple different people because of the inheritance laws here, and some of them want to sale, and others don't, and they're in this deadlock...you can imagine these family disputes are not always logical and can go on for years. Or maybe there is a question about if a property has the proper building permission. So it might be that the agents are using their local knowledge and are steering you away from things they know would be a nightmare for you, but without telling you why because if you repeated what they said they'd end up in trouble with their local community. And ultimately the reputation with the local community is most important to them.

On the other hand, we also had agents trying to tell us they had the "perfect, dream property" for us without us even telling them what type of property we were looking for. This was annoying, but if sort of happens here. Do as much research as possible, be patient and persistent. Show them you are serious and you'll find an agent that you like, and eventually you'll find the house that's right for you.

Originally Posted by Jake.White

If ElitePuglia.com is still trading I can highly recommend it. Based in Ostuni, It's run by two Brits : a mother and daughter from Glasgow named Maureen and Alanna Mcleod. They speak Italian, have a superb contact netork and are very dedicated, to the point of making all other estate agents I have ever come across look like amateurs (truth). The only thing is, I looked for their website a while back and it seems to have vanished so maybe Covid has caused them some difficulty. Definitely worth hunting them down if you can find them though.

Above all be exceedingly careful - even to the point of being suspicious - and question anything and everything you are not sure about. Don't be fooled into thinking everyone is your friend just because the sun is shining and you're having a nice time, they want your money. That's all. If you don't get a good answer to any awkward questions you ask, walk away. There's a lot of dodgy business and mischief going on in the Italian property market and all of it is aimed at parting you from your cash. See my posting history for some anecdotes on my own property adventures and misadventures.