For those about to buy
Before you sign, someone looks at the house through your eyes.
The Preliminary Property Dossier is a site visit and a written report from the buyer's side: the house seen as you will live in it, not as it is presented. €900, delivered in ten working days, in English or Italian.
What it contains
Ten chapters, a three-line summary.
The Dossier does not replace a survey by a qualified technician. It comes before it, or alongside it, with the questions a future owner should be asking.
- Access. Roads, gravel tracks, gradients; what happens with rain and snow.
- Visible systems. Apparent age and condition of boiler, electrics and plumbing; well, cistern or mains water; drainage and septic tank.
- Envelope. Roofs, gutters, visible signs of damp or movement.
- Pool and garden. Condition, equipment, annual running costs.
- Estimated running costs. Utilities, maintenance, garden, pool, supervision: a reasoned annual estimate.
- Local suppliers. Who is actually available to work on that house, and how quickly.
- Seasons. Fog, frost, wind, drought: what they mean for that house.
- The surroundings. Services, real distances, noise, neighbours, farming activity.
- Questions for the surveyor and the notary. A precise list to pass on to whoever checks the documents.
- Summary. Three things to know before you sign.
In plain terms
What the Dossier is, and what it isn't.
It is
- An in-person visit, with dated photographs
- A written report of 25–40 pages
- A reasoned estimate of annual running costs
- A 30-minute call to discuss it with you
It isn't
- A technical survey or a check of planning and land-registry compliance: these belong to a qualified geometra, engineer or architect, whom we can coordinate and who invoices you directly.
- A valuation of the property.
- Brokerage. We do not search for properties, negotiate the price or receive anything from sellers or agencies.
- Legal or tax advice.
How it works
From the listing link to the report.
- 01
The link
You send us the listing or the address and your questions. We confirm availability and timing within 24 hours.
- 02
The visit
We visit the house, usually with the agent or the owner, and the area around it.
- 03
The Dossier
The complete report, with photographs and estimates, in English or Italian.
- 04
The call
Half an hour to answer your questions and decide the next steps.
Fees
One price, published.
Preliminary Property Dossier
Payment: 50% on confirmation, 50% on delivery. Fees of qualified technicians, if required, are separate and invoiced to you.
If within 12 months you give us a Property Care mandate for the same house, the activation (€386) will not be charged.
Questions
Questions about the Dossier.
Why isn't the estate agent enough?
Because under Italian law the agent represents neither party and is paid when the deal closes. They may be an excellent professional, but it is not their job to tell you what that house will cost you every winter.
Does the Dossier replace the surveyor?
No. Planning and land-registry compliance checks belong to a qualified technician. The Dossier gives them a precise list of questions and helps you understand whether it is worth going ahead.
Can you negotiate the price for me?
No. We do not act as brokers and do not negotiate sales. The Dossier gives you the elements to do it yourself, or with your adviser.
When should I request it?
After the first viewing and before the purchase offer or the preliminary contract (compromesso): the moment when information weighs most and costs least.
Can I request it if I live abroad and cannot come?
Yes. That is exactly when it is most useful: we do the visit, and the review call can be a video call.
Send us the listing link.
We confirm within 24 hours whether we can visit the house and when.