By popular demand I am starting a series of courses designed to arm any potential property buyer with all the information they need – what to look for, what to avoid and all the questions you need to ask to be able to make an offer with true peace of mind, avoiding any common pitfalls. Each week you will be emailed detailed written information, with a check list to follow, each covering different aspects of the process. There will also be four zoom calls where you can email in your questions and will be sent a recording of the call so that you can benefit even if you can’t be there in person. Groups will be kept small. You will also get a 1-1 call. The course will cost 279 euros for the 8 weeks and the first one will start on the 1^st of July, though you can join any time. Just fill out the form below. Continue reading →

To see plan of first floor click below. To scale plans of all floors below. Project plans of all floors available shortly.

Ground floor as it is now

Mezzanine floor as it is now

First floor as it is now

Roof terrace level as it is

Ground floor as will become – available on request

First floor as will become – available on request

Mezzanine floor as will become – available on request

Roof terrace floor as will become – available on request

 Full list of work to be carried out available by request.

The whole palazzo will need to be rewired and replumbed, keeping existing finishes and floors where possible.

We will be adding a heat pump and fancoil units for heating and cooling and photo voltaic panels on the roof . We will also be adding 7 bathrooms, a lift, and a pool on the roof subject to planning permission.

On the mezzanine and first floors there is some replastering and painting to do and some floors to replace. The original windows and shutters need restoring. We need to replace two bathrooms and add 3 others. The balconies are in good condition but the railings need painting,

On the ground floor all of the walls need plastering and painting and some of the ceilings. Those being left as exposed stone need to be cleaned and repointed. Some additional windows need to be opened onto the light well. The exterior walls facing onto the courtyard need replastering and painting and we will be installing a commercial kitchen with appropriate floor and wall finishes. We are waiting to have our offer accepted on two other rooms on the ground floor – originally part of the Palazzo (where carriages were kept) which will add 144 square metres to our floor plan and give us extra dining and event space.

Next: Palazzo Viva Location, Location, Location

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Caroline Edwards

Has lived in Puglia for 17 years and speaks fluent Italian
Worked as a journalist for 10 years
Ran PR campaigns for the region of Puglia
Has a blog, http://www.personalpuglia.com with over 135,000 unique visits
Has been featured as an expert on property in Puglia in
The Daily Telegraph and The Times Bricks and Mortar section
and The Guardian, Telegraph and Times for travel in Puglia

Travel & Hospitality experience includes
5 years running a niche travel business in the UK and Puglia
Consultancy for Villa rental agencies in Puglia
Running a Boutique hotel for a year ending they year with a 9.8 on Booking.com

Property experience includes
13 years offering a Property Search, restoration & design service for international clients wanting to buy in Puglia
Completely restoring 10 properties & sprucing up over 20 others

Max Edwards

Spent much of his childhood in Italy and speaks Italian
Has 10 years’ experience in the Hospitality & Events
sector 5 of which at Ops Management Level

Hotel experience includes:
Freelance food and beverage ops management at a large hotel group and a country house hotel
General Manager at a gastro pub with rooms

Events experience includes:
5 years head of operations at a large conference and exhibition venue
Corporate hospitality and private events including weddings and banqueting at a wide range of venues including a London livery hall

With help from:

Diane Seed

(https://www.italiangourmet.com/)
Is the inspiration behind this project. She is Caroline’s mother, Max’s grandmother and the reason why we are so passionate (and well informed!) about Italian food, wine and culture.
As well as having written 10 bestselling Italian cookbooks she was also Marks and Spencers’ Italian food consultant for 8 years and a consultant for of the International Olive Oil council.
She ran a cooking school in her home in the Doria Pamphili palace in Rome as well as organizing ‘Gourmet Adventures’ all over the world.
From a young age, Max’s ‘holiday job’ was helping with Diane’s cooking classes and trips and Caroline was sometimes a (less helpful) attendee. We are keen to take up the baton!

Tim Beyts
Property development projects include 3 successful develop
and sell projects in Belgravia and 3 develop and rent
properties in SW London

John Dean
Has 30 years of UK and international marketing and media
experiencc

We also have a great team of engineers, architects, builders and artisans and an excellent network of suppliers for furniture, fixtures and fittings!

Next: Company Structure & Funding

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There is a huge market for property rental in Puglia from Italians who usually visit between June and October. Non-Italians may prefer to come shoulder season unless they are tied to school holidays, or for short breaks at any time when flights are cheap. Whereas countryside properties with pools or properties near the beach are the most popular available choice between June and September for all visitors wanting a traditional week or fortnight’s holiday, town properties are more in demand at shoulder season, particularly for shorter breaks where staying in a town can make car hire nonessential.

In the Salento, a lot of towns are close enough to the sea to make a town-based stay more appealing year-round. Whereas rental and property management agents who understand the international market are now prolific in The Valle D’Itria, the Salento hasn’t really caught up and, at the moment, there are very few options available for foreign owners.

We have been asked for years to manage and rent out properties by clients whose properties we have restored, and in some cases, have done so for periods of time but have been reluctant to do so consistently, or on a larger scale.

In this case, however, because we will also have Palazzo Viva, it makes sense to do it. Palazzo staff can double up, in terms of housekeeping and bookings, and there is also a good crossover between the hotel and holiday rental properties in terms of marketing. Looking after holiday rental guests also widens our audience for events and other services provided by Palazzo Viva as well.

In terms of restoring and reselling properties there is also a good constructive interaction between the different elements of our business. Having an in-house property rental service gives us a cost-effective way to rent out our own properties until we find a buyer at the best possible price and anyone who buys a property which we have restored is likely to go on to become a client for our property management and rental services. Anyone viewing or looking to buy property in Puglia will also need somewhere to stay on their viewing trip and while the sale is going through.

Next: The Team

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What there is:

Some fabulous hotels in the countryside, with pools, which are great for a long spring or summer holiday, not so good for an out of season holiday or a short break. Car hire becomes essential.

Lots of Bed and breakfasts in towns – varying massively in quality and offering just that – a room and breakfast, no other services. Usually fairly basic.

A wide choice of self-catering accommodation, town and country – again better for longer breaks. There are some hotels in larger towns, mostly in the Valle D’Itria region of Puglia

What is lacking:

Visually appealing, stylish, comfortable and well run boutique hotel style accommodation in towns, particularly in the Salento (where Galatina is)

There have been some recent openings but, frequently, these seem almost like ‘have a go’ or vanity type projects, often run by people who appear to have no industry experience or understanding of what non-Italian visitors may want or like.

Part of the Problem

Historically, Italians only went on holiday in August, maybe Easter, or the odd bank holiday. This is changing, but many places to stay are still geared up for this – offering fewer services at off peak and shoulder season and maybe inadequate heating or bedding for the colder months.

Even though it is evident that there are now lots of visitors to Puglia year round, lower season there is more competition for guests and room prices are lower.

Because of this, and because employment costs in Italy are high, staffing levels outside high season are often not sufficient to provide a good service to guests.

Our solution

We will actively attract guests outside high season by running activites such as cooking schools using spring produce (March), events for the olive harvest (November), Carnevale themed events such as a masked ball (February) etc.

Themed dinners and events will attract both residential guests, as well as holiday makers staying elsewhere and ex-pats

By having multiple income streams – hotel, food, wine, property we will be able to maintain a full staff year round

Next: Palazzo Viva 

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Property prices have rise steeply in Puglia

In Nardò, for example, where we are currently based, prices have doubled in the last four years. There are still up and coming areas which have yet to reach their full potential though and, in all areas, there are good buys – properties which look like they need more work than they actually do, are currently presented badly, or are priced for a quick sale.

Buying the right properties, restoring and reselling them, will provide a ROI of at least 25% and often more.

For a prime example see here. This was a real ugly duckling of a property but was transformed and valued, a year after work was completed, for over 100,000 euros more than the restoration cost (excluding furniture and fittings added by the client). Below, see some ‘transformations’ –  previously an undesirable (no view) roof terrace, an ugly concreted yard and a barren terraced area covered in scrubby weeds.

For other examples and some ‘before and after’ videos see here, here and here

Demand for tastefully restored properties exceeds supply

Eight out of 10 of our enquirers (on personalpuglia.com) want a property which has already been restored.

Less than 10% ended up finding a restored property, the rest had to buy to restore or are still looking. In general, people are worried about buying a ‘fixer upper’ and having to restore long distance and without speaking the language.

A recent client saw two properties we had restored for other clients and said:  “ Find me one like that and I’ll buy it like a shot”

There were none ‘like that’ on the market, so we will provide them! After restoring properties for 13 years we know what international buyers want  and how to buy and restore properties in Puglia on time and to budget (being bilingual helps!)

Next: Holiday Accommodation in Puglia

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