Luxury Villas Italyby Luxury Esmeralda
Panoramic view of Portofino harbour with waterfront villas on the Ligurian Riviera

Services

Property finder in Italy

We search on behalf of the buyer. With more than twenty years in Italy's prime and ultra-prime market, we identify, verify and negotiate the residence that genuinely suits you — including properties that are never advertised.

A property finder is not an agent selling you a listing. We are appointed by the buyer, we are paid by the buyer, and our only interest is that you acquire the right residence at the right price and on safe terms. That independence is what allows us to advise against a house as readily as we recommend one.

Our brief begins with how the property will be lived in — a principal home, a summer residence for the family, a winter base in the Dolomites, a long-held asset. That determines which addresses, which exposures, which floors, which building histories and which micro-locations make sense, and it is why our shortlists contain three or four serious candidates rather than twenty.

A large share of Italy's finest residences never reaches a public portal. Waterfront villas in Portofino and Forte dei Marmi, lakeside estates on Como and Garda, palazzi in Venice, penthouses in Milan and Rome, estates on the Costa Smeralda, villas on Capri and the Amalfi Coast and chalets in Cortina d'Ampezzo are frequently sold quietly, between families and trusted intermediaries. Our network gives access to those off-market opportunities and, just as important, to the local knowledge that says which of them are worth pursuing.

What we do for you

Confidential brief

A private conversation about location, budget, intended use, timing, view and the character of residence you want. Nothing circulates outside our office.

Off-market search

Access to properties sold discreetly through owners, families, lawyers and trusted local intermediaries, alongside the best of what is publicly available.

Independent assessment

Position, light and wind, condition, planning status, cadastral and title matters, running costs and a realistic view of value — in writing, before you travel.

Private viewings

Discreet visits arranged around your schedule, accompanied by us and, where useful, by an architect, surveyor or restoration specialist.

Negotiation & completion

We negotiate with the owner or their advisors, structure offer, deposit and timeline, and coordinate lawyers, notary, due diligence and financing through to the deed.

Venice Grand Canal with historic palazzi at dusk
Historic Venetian palazzi sourced privately for international buyers

How the search works

01 · Brief

We define the search criteria together and agree the mandate, scope and fee before any property is presented.

02 · Search

We canvass our network across the relevant destinations, including owners who have not formally put their residence on the market.

03 · Shortlist

You receive a short, documented selection with our honest assessment of each property, including the ones we advise you to discard.

04 · Viewings

Private visits, technical inspections where needed, and a second look at the serious candidates in different light and season conditions.

05 · Offer & negotiation

We build the negotiation strategy, verify comparables and protect your position on price, conditions and timing.

06 · Completion & aftercare

Legal and financial coordination to the notarial deed, then introduction to the teams who will manage and maintain the house.

Frequently asked questions

How is a property finder different from an estate agent?

An agent acts for the seller and is paid on the sale of their own listings. We act only for you, across all available properties, and our recommendation is not tied to any inventory.

Can you find properties that are not publicly listed?

Yes — this is a substantial part of our work. Many owners of trophy residences only consider a discreet, introduced buyer, and those opportunities are shared privately.

How are you remunerated?

By a written mandate agreed in advance: a search retainer and a success fee on completion. There are no hidden commissions and no incentive to steer you towards a particular property.

Do you assist foreign buyers?

Almost all of our clients are international. We coordinate legal review, tax structure, mortgages for non-residents, translation and, afterwards, the management of the residence.

Which locations do you cover?

Portofino, Capri, Lake Como, Lake Garda, Venice, Milan, Rome, the Costa Smeralda, the Amalfi Coast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Forte dei Marmi, Tuscany, Sicily and Puglia — and other Italian addresses of the same calibre on request.

Start a private search

Tell us the location, the view and the budget you have in mind, and we will come back with a considered assessment of what is realistically available — on and off the market. Every enquiry is handled confidentially by a single adviser.

Start a private search

Private list

Off-market alert

Receive our confidential selection of Italian villas, estates, historic palazzi and penthouses before they reach the open market. Reserved for qualified private buyers.

Strictly confidential. No listings are shared publicly and you can unsubscribe at any time.