The real estate scenario in Tuscany for summer 2020
Clemente Pignatti Morano, at the head of the real estate company Italy Sotheby's International Realty, tells us about it
Less than a month after the beginning of an all-Italian summer, Clemente Pignatti Morano, at the head of the real estate company Italy Sotheby's International Realty, active in the luxury residential, hotel and high street retail sectors, illustrates us exclusively a completely new real estate picture, where Tuscany is the ideal destination for a holiday where high services and relaxation coexist perfectly, with a twist: the Maremma is the new ideal Tuscan destination.
The post-Covid 19 real estate scenario in Tuscany. What can we expect in terms of both purchases and luxury rentals?
The most obvious consequence of this emergency, particularly for the real estate sector, is a change in demand: customers' preferences now concern larger houses with a view, a terrace or a garden. As we are seeing both from customers living in the city and from foreigners, Tuscany fully reflects these new needs: houses that can offer outdoor spaces, such as villas, or farmhouses in the countryside with swimming pool, for example. As for short-term rentals, however, at the beginning of the Coronavirus emergency the market had stopped and some reservations were cancelled. Also because over 90% of the demand came from the foreign market. Before Easter, however, the Italian market began to move and in a few days the requests exploded, registering an increase of 30-40% compared to the same period last year, and the requests, once again, are directed by a progressive rediscovery of the countryside, first of all the Tuscan Maremma, in fact, which also allows you to enjoy seaside areas.
What will be the trend of an all-Italian summer? And what kind of services will your typical customer's demand be for?
For the summer of 2020, Italians will focus on Italy and short term rentals: holidays of at least two weeks, between July and August, in the company of their family, partner or a small group of friends. Among the most sought-after locations, in addition to the Maremma, are the maritime ones, where properties are available with direct access to the sea and in low-density areas, from Liguria to the Amalfi Coast and Sardinia. Boom of requests also for the big lakes (Como, Maggiore, Garda). Several requests also for mountain areas.
Tuscany, with its countless landscapes and possibilities, is certainly one of the regions where we would all like to spend our summer. The flagships of Tuscany Sothebys International Realty in our region.
An imposing architectural villa on the Sienese ridges, a grand complex of villas in the heart of the Val d'Orcia
What are the comforts and major services offered in your residences?
Our residences, particularly in Tuscany, besides the presence of fabulous gardens with swimming pool where you can relax, offer in-home gym services with fitness equipment included, for the more sporty, as well as tennis courts, children's playroom and billiard room for adults, and finally, to taste Tuscan wines, also a space reserved for tasting. In addition of course to
a private chef, also a star chef and butler. There are also boat and helicopter rides.
New rules and attention are now part of our new life. Like will the same rules be changed in your real estate services?
In order to welcome and adapt to the new rules, both in everyday life, and to safeguard the health of clients and collaborators, we have immediately adapted to new rules, including the use of various dpi and social distancing, both in offices and during visits to properties or during photo shoots, with self-certification signed by those who take part. To overcome, in the first period of the emergency, forced to lockdown, were
We have set up many tools at corporate level to allow our brokers to continue to operate even while staying at home, such as virtual tours inside the properties, or so-called virtual tours, through which clients could access a sort of "virtual open house" and visit the property live. The aim was precisely not to lose contact with the client, trying to promote the properties as much as possible, increasing to
maximum effectiveness of our service. The same input has led us to exalt, through our weekly newsletters, those properties that in this particular period were more requested, given their characteristics: first of all the isolated location, a beautiful garden and private outdoor spaces. All these requirements were born as a direct consequence of these new rules.
How do you imagine tomorrow's travels?
Although we are witnessing an accelerated reopening of the borders, the climate of uncertainty encourages people to stay in their own country. Italy will remain, therefore, in first place among the choices of the Italians, for a while longer. This is confirmed by our data. In fact, the demand for short/medium term rentals has increased exponentially compared to the same period in 2019. This year, Italian customers make up about 85% of the total, but there is no shortage of foreigners, mostly Dutch, Swiss and American, all of whom share a great interest in Italy. The motivation is so great that some of our foreign clients have tried to reach Italy in lockdown with their private jet. Even considering the new directives in terms of social distancing and safety, we are sure that in tomorrow's travels the search for Italian exclusivity and style will remain at the top of the wish list of travellers from all over the world. In the meantime we will enjoy an Italian summer.