Yes I know… I am now entering dangerous territory. Because where does the average Italy enthusiast notice? The beautiful natural stone walls, the thick oak ceiling beams, the original hinges and locks, that nice rusty tractor that is still in the stable and that may still work ....

But I have also encountered an old overgrown Fiat or oak wine barrels ... In general, customers are very happy with these kinds of details. In the meantime, I am no longer lsurprised when customers can completely fall in love with a house because there are those nice old cribs in the stable. I understand well, it is the image we have of Italy .... romantic, rustic, authentic means atmosphere after all. Since buying a house is largely pure emotion, that old tractor can sometimes make the difference.

Houses that have been empty for years but where it seems like grandma has just got out of bed, the slippers are neatly next to each other and the bed is still made ... yes, those are a bit too many details. Customers often wonder about it. The habit of putting the interior of a house in a pico bello state so that the photos can immediately be taken into the VT-Wonen is only slowly starting to penetrate here. However, we also regularly come across homes where it seems as if the residents have left the building in haste.

But it can also be done differently. I  have clients who work a little more pragmatically. They mainly look at the location and practical enjoyment of living. Low maintenance, very low heating costs and a little more choice in what your dream home will look like. Then we are of course talking about new construction. New construction has many advantages, but the most important thing is: energy consumption! Especially if you plan to use a house all year round, this is an important aspect. Another big advantage is: less sensitive to earthquakes. A prefab wooden house is up to 30% lighter than a traditionally built house. Third advantage: it is slightly easier to realize large spaces and that is something that many Dutch people are very fond of. A prefab house in timber construction without mood? No, not at all.

Are you curious how things can be done differently? In a number of articles I go into more detail about the possibilities and building a prefabricated wooden house in Italy.