If you plan to vacation in Tuscany, you’re going to need a villa to rent. And it isn’t enough to simply type “heated pool tuscany” into the search engine. No doubt Google will spit out plenty of results for your consideration. But that won’t help you narrow your options down to a single holiday villa within your budget range that meets every single need and preference you might have.
Of course, tuscanynowandmore.com exists to simplify such decisions. They opened their doors in 1990. With three decades of experience under their belt, you can trust that they know everything there is to know about real estate.
They understand what people want and they know how to match the perfect villas to the right people. They take every request they get seriously no matter how big or small.
They even handle bookings. If you can put tuscanynowandmore.com on your case, you can sit back, relax, and wait for your dream villa rentals to come to you.
But if you wish to do all the work on your own, the following tips might help you land a decent property at an affordable price:
1. Language matters. You don’t have to learn the native tongue to secure a decent villa. But you need to know some of the basic real estate terms. For instance, it isn’t enough to simply ask a broker to find you a villa.
The world villa normally paints the picture of luxury, prestige, and antiquity. So some foreigners think that they can make do with whatever is offered to them so long as it is a villa.
However, the word villa is quite broad. It speaks neither to the size nor the age of a building.
Do not assume that you understand what a property owner has to offer you. Dig deep. Learn the jargon. Be sure you know exactly what any given property owner means.
Property owners in Tuscany are not out to scam foreign visitors. But they are also not obligated to help you get the best deal in Tuscany.
2. It isn’t enough to master the jargon. Once you know the vocabulary, then you can make certain that you are purchasing the exact type of property you desire. But once that is settled, once you conclude that both you and a potential property owner are talking about the same thing, you must go ahead and carry out an inspection.
Just because a villa looks good on the outside doesn’t mean it has everything you need on the inside. Think about your particular requirements. If you’re alone, then you don’t require much room on the inside.
But if you have a family, or you intend to travel with a large group, it helps to secure a villa with various connected apartments on the inside, the kind with a dining hall and a kitchen or two.
Do not stop at simply admiring the outside. Get a feel of the villa. Walk in its halls. Be sure that it can suit your needs. Do not stop at simply looking at the photos and taking the property owner’s word.
Of course, this assumes that you are in a position to actually tour the villa. If you live far away and you need to book a villa ahead of time, before you get to Tuscany, you don’t have the option of touring any of the villas you might want to rent.
In such situations, ask the owners in question to describe the internal structure of the villas.
3. Once you determine that the villa in question can service your needs, consider your neighbors. If you want privacy, take a moment to find out how close your nearest neighbors are.
Don’t assume that a property described as an independent villa is guaranteed to deliver privacy. If there are people close enough to cross your yard as they pursue their daily routine, do not count on privacy.
4. If you have some experience with living in Tuscany, then the notion of renting a villa and settling in for a few days or even weeks shouldn’t present much of a challenge.
However, if you are new to the area, then you need to secure a local point of contact, someone you can call during an emergency when things go wrong and you have no idea what to do.
If it is within your means, rent a villa with a caretaker. They simplify things. You can always rely on them to guide you through your daily routine in Tuscany. In the absence of a caretaker, you might have to improvise.
5. Consider the extra features on offer. This is often the easiest way to choose between two or more properties that are equally attractive. Find out if they have any additional amenities that can improve the quality of your stay.
Some of the more popular services that some villas have been known to offer include a chef and a spa area.
6. This has been mentioned above but it must be reiterated. Do not take the property owner’s word on anything. They will do and say anything to sell their property which is why you need to consult other people on their offerings.
The internet is particularly useful in this arena. It will allow you to access the reviews and testimonials of past clients. These independent reviews will give you a far more accurate picture of the villa you wish to rent than anything the owner might have to say.
7. While there are plenty of reliable companies out there that could help you secure a villa in Tuscany, the easiest way to avoid scams is to deal with the owner of the villa directly.
You can use third-party companies and websites to find the villas. But once you locate a villa you want, talk to the owner directly. Fight the urge to use middlemen.
They definitely make things easier. They jump through most of the hoops so that you don’t have to. But using them also introduces risks that you are better off avoiding.
