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‘ Heaven on Lake Iseo’

“Pokochaliśmy piękno i spokój jeziora Iseo od pierwszej chwili. Spełniało nasze oczekiwania i wydawalo się idealnym miejscem na nasz wakacyjny dom, trochę mniej zatłoczonego i bardziej przystępnego cenowo, a jednocześnie idealnego miejsca pod względem wspaniałych widoków oraz dostępności lotniska w niedużej odległosci. Spokojnie przeglądaliśmy oferty, jednak brakowało nam wiedzy, umiejętności i kontaktów, nikogo nie znaliśmy. Wybraliśmy ofertę, która spełniała nasze kryteria, pod względem miejsca i finansów i skontaktowaliśmy się z Madeleine z biura nieruchomości Dreamhomes, aby uzyskać pomoc. Zadzwoniłam do Madeleine i już za kilka dni lecieliśmy na spotkanie, aby obejrzeć nieruchomości, które dla nas znalazła Madeleine. To był strzał w dziesiątkę, Madeleine spisała się cudownie, na podstawie rozmów telefonicznych wybrała dla nas bardzo interesujące oferty i  podjęliśmy decyzję o zakupie w ciągu tygodnia! Dzięki Madeleine znaleźliśmy nasz nowy dom z oszałamiającym widokiem, idealny pod względem wielkości i lokalizacji, z pięknym tarasem widokowym na jezioro, gotowy do zamieszkania od zaraz, w pełni wyposażony i bardzo zadbany. Na szczęście znaleźliśmy Madeleine, która obiecała, że pomoże nam we wszystkich sprawach związanych z zakupem domu we Włoszech i że to łatwe. I tak się stało! Dwa miesiące później zakup mieszkania został sfinalizowany; Madeleine instruowała nas i pomagała na każdym etapie przygotowania do i po zakupie; we wszelkich sprawach urzędowych, notarialnych itp., oraz po sfinalizowaniu zakupu, w sprawach mediów, bankowych itp.. Uważam, że ​​mieliśmy ogromne szczęście, że znaleźliśmy Madeleine, bez niej nie byłoby możliwości, abyśmy rozważyli nasze przedsięwzięcie. Madeleine zajęła się wszystkimi naszymi zapytaniami i wymaganiami z dużą cierpliwością, uprzejmością i efektywnością, bez względu na to, jak wymagające lub jak trywialne były te prośby. Madeleine jest niezwykłą osobą, która pomaga spełniać marzenia!

Justyna i Grzegorz Chrobot

Polska

English

“We fell in love with the beauty and tranquility of Lake Iseo from the first moment we arrived. It met our expectations and seemed like the perfect place for our vacation home, a little less crowded and more affordable, but also ideal in terms of the wonderful views and the airport being within walking distance. We calmly browsed through the offers, but we lacked the knowledge, skills and contacts, we didn’t know anyone. We chose the offer that met our criteria, in terms of location and finances and contacted Madeleine from Dreamhomes real estate agency for help. I called Madeleine and within a few days we were flying to a meeting to view the properties that Madeleine had found for us. It was a bullseye, Madeleine did a wonderful job, based on our phone conversations she selected very interesting offers for us and we made the decision to buy within a week! Thanks to Madeleine we found our new home with a stunning view, perfect in size and location, with a beautiful terrace overlooking the lake, ready to move in immediately, fully equipped and very well maintained. Luckily we found Madeleine who promised to help us with all the issues related to buying a house in Italy and that it would be easy. And so it happened! Two months later the purchase of the apartment was finalized; Madeleine guided and helped us in every step of the preparation for and after the purchase; in all the official matters, notary etc., and after the purchase was finalized, in media, banking etc. I consider ourselves very lucky to have found Madeleine, without her there would be no way we would have considered our venture. Madeleine dealt with all our queries and requirements with great patience, courtesy and efficiency, no matter how demanding or how trivial the requests were. Madeleine is an extraordinary person who helps dreams come true!

Justyna and Grzegorz Chrobot

Poland „

Our Little Italian Venture

Lake Iseo ticked the boxes for our Italian holiday retirement property – slightly away from mainstream tourism so less crowded and more affordable, yet an ideal location for scenery, attractions and accessibility.  We weren’t in a rush, but lack the time, knowledge, skills or contacts to consider purchasing somewhere to upgrade ourselves.  Buying from plan direct from a developer seemed to meet our needs, so we planned a visit.  We contacted Madeleine through Dreamhomes to seek assistance with translation, bank accounts and other ancillary matters.  She phoned us the following day and offered to meet us when we visited.  For the price of a cup of coffee, she gave us an hour of her time, enlightening us on many of the customs, pitfalls and intricacies of house buying in Italy.  Having decided against the new build project we had gone to see, we returned home to think things over.  We found a property with a stunning view on the Dreamhomes website, ideal in size and location, yet in need of extensive renovation.  But now we knew someone that we trusted to lead us by the hand through the buying process and with the knowledge, enthusiasm and contacts to project manage the renovation.  Two months later, the apartment purchase was complete; we had met with the builder and been sent to or taken to tile, bathroom and kitchen showrooms.  Two months more, we have planning approval for the renovation and the works are beginning.  It’s true there would have been no possibility of us considering our venture without being steered through the process by Madeleine and her colleagues, who have dealt with all our queries and requirements with great efficiency, no matter how demanding or how trivial these requests have been.

Carol and Ken Stewart,

Edinburgh, Scotland.

Our Little Piece of Italy

We had been looking for an apartment in Italy for some years when we met Madeleine. We quickly found the perfect location and apartment in Predore, by Lake Iseo. All the way through the process, from the first showing of the apartment to the signing of the contract at the notaries, Madeleine has been of great help! She was always available for questions and concerns, which she still is. Since we took over the apartment, Madeleine has been such an amazing help in relation to translation when agreeing with contractors, planning of renovation of the kitchen, visits to IKEA, etc. Madeleine never says no to help you, which is really comforting when buying an apartment in a foreign country.

Madeleine gets our warmest recommendations if you want to buy an apartment or a house in Italy.

Marc and Daniella Krol Lundtang – Denmark

 

Einfach unbezahlbar!
Anders als bei vielen Anderen hier, lag zwischen meiner Idee, mir eine Immobilie in Italien zu kaufen und dem Notartermin nur ein halbes Jahr, denn gleich in das erste Objekt, das ich im Internet entdeckt habe, habe ich mich verliebt. Erst im Nachhinein und beim Lesen der Bewertungen hier, ist mir so richtig klar geworden, welch großes Glück ich hatte, dass Madeleine die Maklerin war! Ohne sie und Cristina hätte ich es mit Sicherheit nicht geschafft, mir mein Traumhaus zu kaufen, denn das funktioniert in Italien doch sehr anders als in Deutschland. Es heißt ja immer, in Deutschland sei alles so bürokratisch und kompliziert. Das ist allerdings nichts im Vergleich zu Italien!
Madeleine weiß, was sie tut und hat sehr viel Erfahrung. Sie ist äußerst professionell und
vertrauenswürdig, was man von deutschen Immobilienmaklern – meiner Erfahrung nach – nicht unbedingt erwarten kann. Aufgrund dessen war ich sehr überrascht und erstaunt über Madeleines Ehrlichkeit und Transparenz. Sie hat mir sämtliche Kosten, die auf mich zukommen würden genau erläutert und den Verhandlungsspielraum ganz offen mitgeteilt. Auf Fragen und Anliegen hat sie immer schnell und zuverlässig reagiert. Selbst wenn Schwierigkeiten bzw. Missverständnisse auftraten, blieb Madeleine immer ruhig und gelassen (zumindest äußerlich). Sie hat äußerst geduldig Sachverhalte, bei Bedarf auch immer wieder, erklärt und mithilfe von Cristina, Sprachbarrieren überwunden und für eine funktionierende Kommunikation zwischen allen Parteien gesorgt. Die beiden sind ein super Team, das hervorragend zusammenarbeitet und sich bestens ergänzt! Heute darf ich sie als meine Freundinnen betrachten, worüber ich sehr glücklich bin! Nicht nur, dass ich immer eine Anlaufstelle für lustige Treffen mit leckerem Essen habe, wenn ich in Italien bin; Es ist einfach ein gutes, beruhigendes Gefühl, dass jemand ein Auge auf mein Haus hat, den Garten gießt und für mich da ist, wenn ich Fragen habe, die Heizung kaputt ist oder ich einfach nur eine Leiter brauche…
Madeleine und Cristina tun weit mehr, als sie müssten: Sie organisieren nämlich auch alles, was nach
Abschluss des eigentlichen Kaufvertrages noch erledigt werden muss, wie z.B. den Abschluss einer
Versicherung oder die Anmeldung von Strom, Gas und Wasser, was übrigens in Italien zu einem äußerst komplizierten und langwierigen Prozedere werden kann…
Madeleine, Cristina, ich danke Euch von Herzen für alles, was ihr für mich getan habt und weiterhin tut!

Das ist einfach unbezahlbar!

Michaela, Emil und Tula

Simone & Michael – unser italienischer Traum wurde wahr.

Nach einer mehrjährigen ergebnislosen Suche nach einem Ferienhaus für uns haben wir dieses Jahr – Gott sei Dank – Madeleine gefunden. Ohne Sie wären wir heute noch auf der Suche. Madeleine arbeitet überzeugend professionell, zuvorkommend und ist jederzeit ansprechbar. Sie hat uns nicht nur bei der Suche einer geeigneten Immobilie hervorragend unterstützt, selbst nach der Unterzeichnung war sie für uns da bei sämtlichen organisatorischen Aufgaben, rund um die Immobilie. So hat sie uns nicht nur bei den Behördengängen unterstützt, sie half uns bei der Eröffnung einer italienischen Bankverbindung, bei der Suche und Installation einer Internetverbindung sowie bei sämtlichen Umbauarbeiten rund um unsere Immobilie.
Ohne Madeleine hätten wir das alles niemals gemeistert. Wir wollen uns an dieser Stelle ausdrücklich und ganz herzlich bei ihr bedanken. Madeleine ist absolut professionell, freundlich und hilfsbereit – kurzum einfach absolut top und wir stehen ihr ausnahmslos für Referenzen zur Verfügung.
Ganz liebe Grüße und die Besten Wünsche
Simone, Michael und Familie.

Our Special Paradise Hans-Henrik and Marianne

Buying a property in Italy can be very complicated and overwhelming, but with the help of Madeleine, everything runs smoothly.

Before we went to Iseo to look for an apartment, we spent time looking at different websites, and we contacted several real estate companies. Some never answered some made appointments for us to see the apartments we had found…… Madeleine was the only one who asked us questions about our wants and wishes, and we ended up buying an apartment she presented to us. An apartment that was perfect for our needs.

Madeleine makes sure that you feel safe throughout the whole buying process.

Even after you take over the apartment she helps with all the things that you need to get the new place up and running.

We give all our best recommendations to Madeleine, you can trust her completely, and she will help you through all the complications that you may encounter when buying a property in Italy.

Thank you, Madeleine, without you we would never have found our perfect paradise, and maybe we would have given up on buying a place in Italy due to all the unforeseen obstacles.

Thank you!

Hans-Henrik and Marianne Eggertsen
Denmark

Our Very Special Place’ – Tammy and Gil

We had been looking for the perfect location in Italy for several years.
We saw Madeleine’s website www.dreamhomes.it around mid-2021 and there we found our ‘dream home’.
Madeleine helped us so much throughout the complicated process in a very humane and professional way, she constantly kept our interests in mind and gave us a safe and good feeling.
We now have our house in a truly dreamy location and couldn’t have done it without her.
We are so thankful to Madeleine, and know that we not only have a professional person in Italy but most of all we have made a ‘friend for life’.
If you are thinking of buying a property in the Lake Iseo area she is definitely the one to walk you through the whole process, with a smile and with confidence. Thank you, Madeleine!
Tammy and Gil Shimoni – Israel

‘Unser besonderer Ort’ – Ralf und Susanne

Bei unserer Suche nach einer Ferienwohnung sind wir auf das Angebot von DreamHomes gestoßen. Der erste Kontakt mit Madeleine war sehr nett. Wir haben schnell einen Besichtigungstermin vereinbart. Sie hat uns die Wohnung gezeigt und alle unsere Fragen beantwortet. Wir waren begeistert!

Was wir an Madeleine besonders schätzen, ist ihre Kompetenz, Zuverlässigkeit und schnelle Reaktion. Sie hat uns während des Vertragsprozesses immer sehr zuverlässig und lösungsorientiert unterstützt. Auch jetzt hilft sie uns noch bei der Abwicklung von Strom, Steuern und Einrichtung. Madeleine ist gut vernetzt und hat viele Kontakte, die sie professionell nutzt, um schnelle Lösungen zu finden. Madeleine, wir danken dir!

Mit ihrer Hilfe und Unterstützung haben wir unsere Traumwohnung am Iseosee gefunden! Wir können Madeleine jederzeit weiter empfehlen!

Ralf and Susanne, Germany

Meine Erfragungen mit DreamHomes – Peter und Gabriele 

Nach fast einem Jahr Suche auf vielen Websites sowie einigen Ortsterminen im Bereich der oberitalienischen Seen haben wir die Seite von DreamHomes, und nun UNSERE Traum-Wohnung in Solto-Collina entdeckt.

So haben wir Madeleine kennengelernt. Nach verschiedenen telefonischen und schriftlichen Rückfragen zur Wohnung und Umgebung waren wir von ihr bereits sehr beeindruckt bezüglich Ihrer Freundlichkeit, Verbindlichkeit und Sachkenntnis. Es wurde trotz Corona (zu diesem Zeitpunkt in nur einem kleine Zeitfenster möglich) ein Besichtigungstermin vereinbart. Madeleine hat uns überaus freundlich in Empfang genommen und uns weiterhin mit Ihrem Fachwissen und Ihrer unendlichen Geduld, (wir hatten sehr viele Fragen) sowie Ihrer sehr kompetenten Art empfangen.

Im Verlauf des Verhandlungs- und Kaufprozesses, diverser Fragen zu italienischem Recht, Vorverträge und Übersetzungen stand Sie uns unermüdlich zu Seite. Der Vorvertrag und der Notarvertrag ging völlig geräuschlos über die Bühne. All unsere Fragen zu möglichen Veränderungen in der Wohnung wurden von Ihr aufgenommen, aktiv begleitet und in die Tat umgesetzt. Dabei stellte sie uns Fragen, die wir noch gar nicht bedacht hatten. So haben wir gemeinsam alles noch optimiert. Brava!

Madeleine war und ist für uns die richtige Person, sie denkt immer mit, ist professionell und darüber hinaus noch ein unglaublich freundlicher und liebenswürdiger Mensch.
Wir danken ihr bereits heute für alles und freuen uns, sie bald am See wiederzusehen.

Kunden von DreamHomes sind aus unserer Erfahrung in den besten und professionellsten Händen.”

Peter und Gaby aus Stuttgart, Germany

 

 

A DREAM COME TRUE – HENRIETTE STEINRUECK

I had been dreaming of a place in the lake region of northern Italy for years when the stars finally aligned.

It was a pure coincident that I happened to come upon Dreamhomes and Madeleine, however, in hindsight, I don’t know how I would have navigated through this experience without the help of Madeleine. Not only did she show extreme patience, let’s just say an encounter with a dog that resulted in a doctor’s visit, a friend of hers that saw me in his office right away, was part of it, she also explained every detail of purchasing a home in Italy over and over again.
The value of having someone at your side that understands the Italian real estate market and speaks English is invaluable.
The whole transaction was flawless, I saw the apartment on Lake Iseo in November and signed the paperwork at the beginning of January. Madeleine got my tax ID and she went to the bank to open my bank account with me. She made buying a home abroad effortless.
Madeleine could have walked away after the deal was done, but she didn’t !!!
She helped set up all the utilities and whenever I encounter a new situation, I know I just have to text her and she responds right away.
I can highly recommend Dreamhomes and Madeleine.

Henriette Steinrueck
Napa Valley, CA, USA
Copenhagen, Denmark.

Meine Erfragungen mit DreamHomes – Dott Joachim Harth and Sabine Schmidt

Schon nach meinem ersten Urlaub in Italien, damals noch mit meinen Eltern im Alter von 10
oder 12 Jahren am Gardasee, entwickelte sich Italien zu meinem Traumland und
Traumurlaubsland.

In all den folgenden Jahren ergab es sich immer wieder, den Urlaub an den italienischen Seen oder an der Adria zu verbringen. Sowohl als Student als auch später im Berufsleben, war ein mindestens einmal jährlicher Italienaufenthalt fast schon die Regel. Aus all diesem heraus, ergab sich letztlich der Wunsch, ein dauerhaftes Standbein in Italien zu haben und hier eine Immobilie, gleich welcher Art, zu erwerben. Auf der Suche nach geeigneten Angeboten, gelangten wir schließlich über eine Internetannonce an Madeleine Morgan von DreamHomes Italien. Wir trafen uns mit Madeleine und besichtigen während des ganzen Tages verschiedene Apartments. Während dieser Zeit kristallisierten sich zunehmend die essenziellen Wünsche heraus und gemeinsam wurde immer klarer, was ganz exakt suchen wir und insbesondere auch, welches Budget steht zur Verfügung. Madeleine ist es schließlich gelungen uns, entsprechend unserer Wünsche und unseres Budgets, ein perfektes Angebot zu unterbreiten und so fiel es uns nicht schwer, hier ja zu sagen. Wir hatten dabei erfreulicherweise nie das Gefühl gedrängt zu sein oder zu einer höheren Preiskategorie gedrängelt zu werden, wie es uns vorher bei verschiedenen Immobilienmaklern gelegentlich schon passiert war. Mit der Entscheidung zum Kauf war, Madeleines Arbeit jedoch nicht zu ende, sondern vielmehr kümmerte sie sich in geradezu vorbildlicher Art und Weise um die weitere Abwicklung. Sie nahm uns an die Hand und führte uns durch sämtliche bürokratische Hürden, begonnen bei der Erlangung einer italienischen Steuernummer bis hin zu Eröffnung eines Kontos in Italien und letztlich bis zur Unterzeichnung des Kaufvertrages, begleitet durch ein entsprechenden Dolmetscher, der formal korrekt den Kaufvertrag begleiten konnte. Auch anschließend bei den noch ausstehenden Formalitäten, wie Einrichtung der Wohnung, komplimentieren der Küche, aussuchen der Einrichtungsgegenstände für die noch fertigzustellenden Wohnung, war Madeleine stehts hilfsbereit zur Hand und half uns mit ihren Übersetzungen und Tipps.

Auch nach dem Kauf waren der Service und die Betreuung nicht abgeschlossen, vielmehr erstreckte er sich nun weiter auf die Benutzung und das Pflegen der Immobilie. Wir können aus ganzem Herzen den Erwerb einer Immobilie in Italien mittels der Hilfe von DreamHomes und besonders der Hilfe von Madeleine Morgan weiterempfehlen und sind bis heute zu 100% zufrieden. Wir wünschen Madeleine weiterhin alles gute und freuen uns auf die kommende Zusammenarbeit.

Dott. Joachim Harth and Sabine – Margetshöchheim, Germany

Martha and Udo – “From Italy with Love” 

“We found the property we purchased now on the Dreamhomes website (www.dreamhomes.it). When we could not immediately decide to buy the property at Lake Iseo, Madeleine was very patient and did not push us in any way to proceed with the purchase. As we were still thinking about the house after a few months, we contacted Madeleine and she agreed to show us the house again and to help us with the purchase. During the process of the purchase, Madeleine was really helpful: She patiently answered all the questions that arose beforehand and tried really hard to fulfill all of our extra wishes that we had for the property by negotiating with the builder. In the negotiations for the contract, we were so glad to have Madeleine by our side, as she was patient in giving answers to questions relating to the Italian law and to the requirements of purchasing a property in Italy. Furthermore, she accompanied us to meetings such as with the bank, the notary and the town council, which was really helpful as we do not speak Italian yet. Even after signing the final contract, Madeleine is still available for any questions and problems. Having her for the communication with the Italian craftsmen and authorities was and still is very valuable for us. We would definitely recommend hiring Madeleine as a real estate agent, as she is extremely professional, reliable and always friendly!”

Martha and Udo Schumacher – Germany

Nicole and Ron Restivo – ‘A Dream Come True’

Madeleine at Dreamhomes is not just a real estate agent, she is a magical force. We fell in love with Lago Iseo on our visit in 2014, but it took us 3 years to seriously consider a home. When we met Madeleine, she was immediately impressive with her knowledge of the market and her uncanny ability to understand our needs. She tirelessly showed us homes and researched every possibility. Four months later, she found our home! What we committed to though, was an extensive renovation project. It was through her vision that we even saw the amazing possibilities. Madeleine masterfully oversaw our project and brought us together with a first rate team for the design and construction of the property. Equally importantly, she carefully protected our interests and treated us like family. Our result is truly the house of our “dreams”. We are so indebted to Madeleine and the team. Any client of Dreamhomes is in the best and most professional hands possible. Thank you for everything Madeleine!

Love, Nicole, Ron, Nic, and Adrien – New York – USA

John and Sandra Hobson – ‘ Seeing is believing’

We were looking for a second home to invest in for tourist rental in several countries, but were put off by horror stories about untrustworthy realtors and builders and by sly sales people that we met at Property Home Exhibitions. On browsing the internet for options in Italy we came across Madeleine’s website (www.dreamhomes.it). Reading the testimonials on her website, we decided that this realtor sounded the most trustworthy we had come across in our extensive online search. We booked a trip to the area and met up with Madeleine to see for ourselves. She had listened very carefully to our wishes and took us around several apartments in the area, all different but all perfect for our investment purposes. That holiday we decided to buy and two months later we were the proud owners of an apartment in Sarnico, on Lake Iseo. Madeleine has great legal knowledge and an extensive network. She has a full service agency and sailed us through legal procedures, challenging obstacles with the selling party, administrative matters, purchases and the restoration work. It makes you feel insecure when you are sitting in the notary’s office to sign the papers, not being able to follow the heated discussions in Italian. She is there constantly when things need sorting out and to accept deliveries when you’re not there. And she connected us with a rental manager to take care of the full process of renting our apartment throughout the year. We sometimes had to remind ourselves that it was us owning an apartment in Sarnico. She makes buying property in Italy possible for everyone. We are thinking about investing in more properties around Lake Iseo and will definitely do it again through Dreamhomes. We can now say for sure that all the testimonials on her website are true. We recommend everyone to be lucky enough to have a ‘Madeleine’ when buying a home abroad!

John and Sandra Hobson – Holland

Jan and Veerle Rodenbach – Van de Weghe – A Great Adventure

“Since the summer of 2015 we had the idea to buy a property in Italy, but we didn’t know exactly in what region, whether a house or an apartment, in a town or isolated, it was just the beginning of a project.
In september 2015 we were visiting Lake Iseo for the first time and that very moment, there was the ‘Festa dei Fiori’, on the island of Montisola, an event that takes place once every five years, and that was so very special to us, like a sign that this was the right place for us.
We found Madeleine’s website www.dreamhomes.it – (beautiful!) and visited 8 houses that weekend. And another 6 houses three months later, and continued to view over and over again, because we couldn’t decide what we wanted.
And Madeleine stayed calm, always ready to show some more properties, and giving advice and information about the Lake Iseo area, that she knows so well. And in English!
After two and a half years we finally found our Dreamhouse, and Madeleine guided us through the paperwork that had to be done, all went very smoothly. All appointments were made with the bank and the notary, she assisted us in every step, and the buying process with her assistance was a piece of cake!
Also all the utilities (gas, water, electricity, council tax and the garbage cans), problems with a broken fridge, phone number of a taxi company, looking for furniture, everything was taken care of by Madeleine.

Madeleine was, and is, the right person for us, always thinking a step ahead and very competent in her job, but also a very nice and pleasant person to work and spend time with,
“Thank you Madeleine for everything, and we’ll see each other soon at the Lake.”

Jan and Veerle Rodenbach-Van de Weghe, Belgium

Glen and Jackie Murray –  “Into the unknown”

After many holidays on Lake Garda we started to look at property around Garda and the other northern lakes as it’s an area we have fallen in love with over the years.
After some viewing trips with no success, we got in touch with Madeleine Morgan of  Dreamhomes after finding her website online, we explained what we were after and our budget and within a few weeks we had arranged a viewing trip to Lake Iseo, a lake we had never been to, to see some 6-7 properties and explore the area.

Two of the properties appealed to us so we went home to discuss it further then decided to proceed with one of them. We were originally looking at a 6-8 week period to complete, however, due to a few complications with the land registry plans this stretched out to 6 months. Had we not had Madeleine and her extended team to assist us through all the twists and turns we would have given up. Thankfully the help was there and we completed the purchase of our Italian Lake property in May of this year.
Throughout the process we had help getting our Italian Tax Number, opening a bank account, assistance with utility contracts such as, electricity and gas, council registration, furniture shopping, finding a local vet and possibly more, I’ve forgotten. Basically a local expert to assist with all the process.
We also used Madeleine to project manage a  re-shape of the internals of the apartment. Again, having a trusted partner is invaluable.
Now looking forward to many happy years on Lake Iseo.

Glen, Jackie, Katelyn, Rebecca and Charlie (the cocker spaniel) – Glasgow, Scotland

Carl and Anna Lilejestrom – “From A to Z”

After looking for our dream home by the Italian lakes for a couple of years, we found Lake Iseo and Madeleine at Dreamhomes.

From there on everything was plain sailing. Madeleine helped us with the entire process and beyond; from finding interesting properties that matched our wish list to negotiating the agreement with the vendor and managing the whole complex Italian contractual process – with the help and guidance of Madeleine this did not seem as complex as everyone says – she even handled all the utilities and administration that was needed for our new home. From A to Z, everything went super smooth and we are very happy with our new apartment and with all the help and top-class assistance we received from Madeleine! “

Carl and Anna Lilejestrom – Gothenburg, Sweden

Graham and Carole Sweet Moving on – We bought our apartment in the beautiful Lake Iseo area in 2002 and have enjoyed our times in Italy immensely, whilst making many lifelong friends. There comes a time, however when it is necessary to move on and sell your holiday home. Our apartment had been on the market for some time until we were fortunately introduced to Madeleine who assisted us in finding a buyer, she also helped in ironing out problems with the buyer’s mortgage and documentation required for the completion. Although we speak Italian to some extent the legal requirements and associated language are not easy to understand and would certainly have caused more headaches without her help, I just wish that we had met her 16 years ago when she could have helped us to open an Italian bank account-we had been told it was not possible for anyone not permanently resident in Italy!
The sale of a foreign holiday home can be a difficult experience but Madeleine’s guidance and expert advice have been invaluable and brought the sale to a successful conclusion. We wish her and her company Dreamhomes continued success.
Carole and Graham Sweet.
Cheshire UK.

Marc and Carine – The Italian Adventure – I would like to tell you a story, one that starts 45 years ago ……….. every year my husband Marc went on holiday with his parents, first camping, then an apartment and later on a hotel, but always to Lago d’Iseo. Ever since we got married, we kept that tradition alive. This year, upon our return from Italy, we saw an ad on the internet ‘ buy your own Dreamhome at the lake’ it was an advertisement of DreamHomes. We made an appointment with the real estate agent Madeleine Morgan, of British origin, but resident in Italy for over 26 years, got on the first plane back and fell in love with the apartment and its location, situated on the banks of the lake, what a view! We quickly decided we wanted to buy, we made an offer that was accepted due to Madeleine who is a perfect negotiator. From then on everything went quickly and very smoothly, Madeleine took care of everything, from the paperwork, the notary, the bank,…we didn’t have to worry, she even took care of refreshing the apartment, like painting and extra electricity points and other handy jobs. After all, when you purchase in another country there are other laws and rules you know nothing about.
Unlike buying a property in Belgium, which can take at least 6 months, here in Italy everything was arranged in less than 3 months! Thanks to Madeleine and Dreamhomes we live the Italian Dream in our own little piece of Italy.
Thank you so much Madeleine, we love you

Marc and Carine Timmermans Geboes, Belgium

Karen Aloe – My Italian Journey – buying my dream property
In Feb 2017, on one of my property viewing days in Italy, I met Madeleine & the lovely Molly (dog) & my three years of searching for my dream property came to an end, I knew as soon as I walked into the property, around Lake Iseo that it was for me, Madeleine arranged a 2nd viewing the following day & managed my offer/exchange of contracts that very evening to secure the property for me…. as I was going back to the UK the following day, … yay..
I came back to Italy on a few short trips arranged with Madeleine, who not only picked me up / dropped me off at airport, she guided me through the whole process, translated into English, helped me open an Italian bank account, visit Notary, tax office to obtain a personal code and took me step by step of the way from start to completion in a seamless way, it’s been a wonderful experience, Madeleine also managed my utilities, transferring into my name as well as the building / contents insurance, arranging for a company representative to visit me with the relevant paperwork & translated / talked me through the cover and costings etc….
In addition, Madeleine and Molly have accompanied me shopping for furniture, washing machine,… such a personalised service and has been at the property to support me on deliveries, also picked up and handled queries… there is no comparison to that of a U.K. Estate agent, Madeleine offers a 1st class service, she is extremely knowledgeable, not only of the lake Iseo area but also Italian law, she wants her clients to be happy and takes you on a journey of viewings to purchasing your dream property, I cannot recommend her enough, I’m so pleased she was my acting agent, I think she would do you a great service and you would not only have a positive experience but she works extremely hard to get to know you and help you find your dream home!

Karen Aloe – Ascot, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Stephen and Helen’s ” Dream”  “We first visited Lago d’iseo over 10 years ago when I was visiting an aluminium supplier in Brescia and we fell in love with the place. We and our children have been returning to the lake ever since and it has become our home from home. We love the place in all seasons and we have sailed, skied, walked, cycled, run and then simply just relaxed, all the time with the lake being the perfect backdrop. Just over two years ago we decided that we would like to buy a place and that is when we met up with Madeleine and Molly and they have patiently been searching for us ever since. Just over a year ago we thought we had found the place but after a year of waiting for the vendor to sell, we had pretty much started to give up! Then in February this year we were over for one last attempt to make the deal happen – it didn’t, but then amazingly Madeleine conjured up the house next door. As we knew the area so well it took us no time to decide and I think we conducted the fastest deal in Italian legal history! We saw the place on a Monday, our kids flew in to see it on the Thursday and we exchanged on Sunday afternoon. Completion followed in less than 6 weeks and now, thanks to M&M (Mads and Molly), we have our place.

It is being renovated as we speak and true to her word, Madeleine is now helping us sort out all the utilities, a post box and even a mooring buoy for good measure.

Thank you Madeleine and what started as a business relationship has turned into a friendship which I hope will last for many years to come.

Stephen and Helen Richardson – Cheltenham, United Kingdom

Foto Gina and cliveClive and Gina’s challenge.
To find, purchase and spend time with our family in Italy over the special summers that we have become used to over the past 10 years. Something we really appreciated. Living in Hong Kong, the ability to spend quality time in a place on the lake was identified as special and important to us. It became a goal that we worked on for a number of years.
We found Madeleine through the website, made contact and once we spent time with her, realized that she is true to her word. Very patient, she helped us sift through what was on offer and directed us toward an understanding of what we actually wanted. Once we found the place, it was smooth as silk. The seller, a tough builder wanted too much. Madeleine brought in Francesco, clearly an even tougher negotiator and 24 hours later we went from impossible, to an agreement.
Madeleine thereafter followed through with every aspect to ensure the sale could happen and facilitated all our requirements. We simply flew in, met her schedule and the transfer took place with minimal effort on our part. We speak very little Italian and at no point did that become a problem, Madeleine supported, translated and clarified.
Both Madeleine and Francesco make for a complete team that is more than capable of turning dreams into reality. They did it for us and to them, a big thank you. Our challenge has been met.

Clive and Gina

Hong Kong

01Jones Five Year Journey – It took us 5 years to find our dream property, and Madeleine Morgan of Dreamhomes assisted us patiently from beginning to end! Our dream of a property in Italy was framed by the idea of a position between the alps and the lakes. We quickly determined that Lake Garda was too big and Lake Como too long, and focused on Lake Iseo, the home turf of Madeleine. We started on the west and northern side, looking at new-build projects, old apartments, and renovated apartments, visiting once or twice per year, assisted by Madeleine organizing the viewings for us. The search switched to the east side; new visits and new ideas. Madeleine patiently organized and helped us assess value and for a few properties giving bids, with discipline “not to get carried away”, and Madeleine advised us not to go higher on price than we agreed. That meant we did not get them, but it also leads us to new and different opportunities; new ideas of what we wanted out of our investment. So when we finally found our dream property, which we are extremely happy with, it was very different than what we started out with; a villa with a big park directly on the lake. For us, it was a process, of testing ourselves, our needs (size, logistics, views, etc), our dreams, up against a budget, and luckily not closing the purchase before we were 100% sure that we had found what was right for us. Madeleine could have given us up after 2 years, or 3 years (after we got cold feet and withdrew from a negotiation), but no; she patiently kept supporting and assisting us. When we came to the purchase phase, Madeleine professionally guided us through the various steps leading up to the formal meeting with the notary and the hand-over of the keys. What a great feeling to reach the goal and know the decision is right! We can highly recommend the passionate and expert services provided by Madeleine, and I am sure she will provide our contact details if you want to know more. Best regards, Laila and Jone.

Jone e Laila Skaara

Stavanger, Norway

The carter familyThe Carter Family – A Little Piece of Heaven – When Julie and I decided to buy a property in Italy we had no idea where to begin the process of even finding one let alone actually buying it. We knew a guy in our local village called Mike Craissatti, who was working in the overseas property market. He recommended that we get in touch with Madeleine from Dream Homes. We met up at a ‘Life in Italy’ exhibition in London and Mike introduced us. We discussed with Madeleine the type of property and budget we were considering, and also the region of Italy that we were interested in. Madeleine quickly grasped our requirements and we were left with a very positive feeling that she would find something for us.

We met Madeleine in Sarnico which is near Bergamo in the Northern Lakes area of Italy. This was where we hoped to find our dream holiday home. We spent two days with Madeleine and during this time she showed us 12 properties in several locations throughout the lakes area. These properties ranged from the older type pre-owned to brand new off-plan developments, but always close to our budget and ideas. Finally, we were shown the site where we are now buying. Le Residenze sul Porto in Sarnico, on the shores of Lake Iseo.

When we embarked on this search we had a serious ‘tick list’ of things we wanted including being close to an airport (Milan Bergamo 25 mins), on a lake or with Lake views, and close enough to a decent-sized town to not need a car and a number of smaller ‘nice to haves’. Madeleine did a fantastic job in interpreting our wishes and finding properties for us to consider.

Since then we have met up with Madeleine on several occasions as we go through the process of completing the sale. She has always been really friendly and immensely helpful as a guide and interpreter to help us through the various legal and financial hoops that are necessary to complete the purchase. She has even helped us to find Kitchen, Bathroom and Bedroom furniture suppliers as well as helping us with the builder to identify things like electrical socket positions and changes to the plans of the apartment.

Madeleine has helped to make the whole process almost painless. She has been and continues to be invaluable acting above and beyond the call of duty. I like to think that we have become firm friends through this process, and I am sure that we will keep in touch long after we have settled in, and I have learnt the language!

Steve, Julie and Kate Carter
Mortimer, United Kingdom

Mikhail testimonialsMikhail and Faina – From Russia With Love – Purchasing a home, in general, is not easy, even more so, if you purchase a home in a foreign country and do not speak the language. It is hard to express your desires, especially when there are so many possibilities, after all, Italy is ‘ bellissima’. There are so many fabulous locations and quite frankly I would like to live in each one of them!

We started off by approaching three different real estate agencies, that dealt with the lake areas, Lake Garda, Lake Maggiore and Lake Iseo. The most interesting detail of these agencies was that in two of them there were Russian-speaking agents. The third agency was called Dreamhomesitaly, where the agent spoke English and Italian, this agent’s name was Madeleine. I understood very little of what she was saying ( I did not speak Italian ), but I viewed all she had to show us, and then compared service and prices with the other two Russian-speaking agents, of course, there was no comparison we chose to work with ‘ Dreamhomesitaly’.

Madeleine interpreted exactly what we were looking for, and we did not need to speak knowing that there was a professional agent assisting us all the way. I would like to especially thank Madeleine for her care, attention, and patience as a saint at all stages of the purchase. She even took power of attorney for us to act on our behalves on the signing of the deed, assisted us with the bank procedures, and tax procedures, and a helping hand in the right direction with the interior design. She was always there every step of the way, ready to lend a hand when we needed her.

Thank you Madeleine !

Thank you Dreamhomesitaly

Faina e Mikhail Kukushkin
St Petersburg, Russia

IMG_0771[1] photo testimonialPino and Angela – A Dream Come True – We have been going on holiday to Lake Garda for about 10 years.

In June 2011 Angela (my wife) was looking on the Dreamhomes website, and noticed an apartment near our favorite town of Bardolino that looked quite interesting. We already had a holiday booked in Bardolino, so she arranged to view the apartment while we were there.

We first made contact with Madeleine from Dreamhomes when she came down to the hotel where we were staying to pick us up and view the apartment. Madeleine showed us the apartment and several others on the market over the next few days. We found Madeleine to be very professional, pleasant and jovial. We got on really well.

Buying property in Italy can be quite daunting. We were guided and advised through the whole process, while in Italy and also in England. We were kept up to date with the details and finally coordinated the exchange. We went back end of October to finalize the purchase making the whole process quite pleasurable.

Madeleine’s dedication extended to helping us find the right furniture and fittings for the apartment. We definitely recommend Dreamhomes to anyone contemplating buying a property in Italy.
We are delighted with our new home all thanks to Madeleine!

Giuseppe and Angela Russo

Essex, United Kingdom

resizedTerry & Naz – A million-dollar view – We had been thinking of investing abroad for some time and decided Italy was to be the place. In 2011 we came across Dreamhomes and made contact with Madeleine Morgan. In truth, Madeleine has been terrific from Day 1. We went out to Italy not knowing what to expect. We were shown a number of properties around Lake Iseo, Lovere, and the Lake Garda area and decided to purchase a brand new 2-bedroom house overlooking Lake Iseo. ‘Dreamhomes’ is very apt, because since July 2012 that’s precisely what we now have.

Throughout what could have been a very tricky process, Madeleine has ensured we were protected; offered first-class advice; accompanied us with meetings with the architects, developer, and notary completely removing any problems with language, legal, foreign exchange, bank accounts, and arranging meetings on-site over a 15 month period. She was even an accomplice (!) with Naz in buying some of the furniture in Bergamo. In summary, she has been our coordinator, escort, interpreter, negotiator, and ‘Italian eyes and ears’ looking and listening out for us as her clients.

Our message to any prospective buyer…you have no worries because Dreamhomes, as they say, ‘does what it says on the tin’.

Thanks a million, Madeleine.

Terry & Naz Gould
Surrey, United Kingdom

foto testimonial vincent and natashaVincent and Netasha – Finally home – We have wanted to buy a home in Italy for around 5 years now, we just never knew how to go about it. Italian law can be quite intimidating to someone that has lived in an English-based country like South Africa even though I am of Italian descent. That was until we came across Dreamhomes website while looking for a property. Firstly the website was more inviting and enticing than the other Italian real estate websites out there, so enticing that it actually made me get on a flight and see for me.

I am not the most decisive person out there, but Madeleine had the patience to take me back to some of the properties up to three times. Madeleine has got more integrity than most people that I have ever met and she followed through with every aspect of the buying process thanks to her I now own my small piece of Italy.

Madeleine has been more than an estate agent, from helping furnish our new home, to trying to get a hair appointment for my wife. She has been more like a friend that has helped us with all of our needs. I would recommend her to anyone above any other agent in Italy.

If I were to buy another home in any region that Madeleine sells in I would use her without hesitation.

I have Madeleine and Dreamhomes to thank for making my dream a reality.

Vince and Natasha Di Bella
Johanesburg, South Africa
GV Di Bella Imports
0828897473
vincent@giobella.com

SteveJacquiFamily[1]Steve and Jackie – New Adventures – We had been offering for some time to write a testimonial for Madeleine and the team and were delighted to finally be asked to do so. Buying a place in Sardinia has been an adventure with lots of ups and downs. Dreamhomes have been there at every turn to smooth the process and to explain the vagaries of the Italian system.

Let’s be clear up front: buying in Italy is as unlike buying in the UK as you could imagine. Unless you are already fluent in Italian, you are going to need an agent that can deal with navigating the system. The Italian equivalent of the estate agent is actually highly qualified and is a cross between estate agent and lawyer. In retrospect, we wish we had not used a lawyer for our purchase since Madeleine is qualified to enact the whole process. Yes, an agent in Italy costs a lot more than in the UK but I can assure you they earn the commission. Be prepared for a number of little shocks! What you are in for is a very Italian experience from start to finish. I think the real benefit of using a native English person as the key contact is at least they can be sympathetic when you hit something that simply could never happen at home. If you want somewhere that is like Brighton but hotter don’t come to Italy. You will need to immerse yourself in the culture and be prepared to take on a new way of managing your affairs. On the other hand, the locals have welcomed us into their village and many times we have come across people who simply can’t do enough for us. We are learning the language and love every minute!

We found the Dreamhomes team to be a delight to deal with throughout the process. From trying to work out what we actually wanted to buy, to get the legal stuff done and to finding a furnisher or a cleaner the helpful friendly supportive approach was always there. Even after the purchase, Madeleine has been happy to pick up the phone and talk us through some issues that we have been having. We feel we have made friends with her and the others. If you are clear that you want to buy in Italy then I can’t imagine that you would find anyone better to help you through it. The end result is well worth the effort since we now have a wonderful little apartment.

If you want to know more or discuss the joys of buying in Italy, please feel free to email us on sjgrant@btinternet.com. Good luck!

Steve and Jacqui Grant
Mortimer, United Kingdom

n747195383_2558556_3590[1][1]Nick Jamieson – A Great Adventure – I am now the proud owner of an apartment in Stresa, Italy due to the support, assistance, and incredible professionalism of Dreamhomes. The help I received was excellent and I felt they really bent over backward for me. Their response time for any of my emails was always prompt and answered fully in ‘Layman’s’ terms. Madeleine was my point of contact throughout the process and I couldn’t have asked for more. She took me on viewing trips, met me at the airport, housed me, wined and dined me, and babysat me through the entire buying process which made the whole experience enjoyable and
stress-free. I can honestly say that without her aid and support I would have really struggled and felt totally out of my depth.’

Nick Jamieson
Chester, United Kingdom

Libby SnellingLibby – A Little Piece of Magic – I always dreamt of having a property abroad. I used to watch ‘ A Place in the Sun’ endlessly, and thought one day… I’d love to own a property in the sun. I’d secretly envy the smug couples looking around the properties on t.v.

My mother and I traveled on a holiday to Lake Garda. In the evening, I drew on some pieces of A4 paper from the surrounding villas and vista with some pencil crayons on my balcony, as I listened to the melodic hum of the crickets. I wondered to myself what it would be like to live there, and thought to myself that I could live somewhere like this.

Then out of the blue, financially some cash was made available, which prior to this had been locked tight in a family trust. I decided there would be no harm in looking at holiday properties on the internet. I saw some beautiful properties. The ones I liked the best led me to Madeleine’s site www.dreamhomesitaly.com .

I’d never heard of Lake Iseo before, and noticed there were some new developments in this area. I researched it further and discovered it was close to Lake Garda, and the location was excellent. Not far away from Milan, Como, and Switzerland, and the other direction is Verona, Venice. Too good to be true I thought.

I decided no harm would come of making a property inquiry via email. I did not expect a telephone call a few days later. Madeleine from Dreamhomes asked if we would be interested in coming to view a few properties. I asked my mother if she’d like to go to Italy with me, and she said ‘Yes!’.

I honestly did not think anything would come of it. I thought we’ll have a look, and it’ll be like a bit of a holiday too.
In the summer, before I visited Italy. I ventured to a Mind, Body, and Spirit exhibition. I had a ‘unicorn’ card reading, by an angel lady. I asked about our Italian trip, and she said ‘I cannot see anything negative. I got a card of prosperity and one card said ‘freedom’. She said, ‘Italy will give me freedom’.

The properties I was most interested in were the new developments on the hillsides, however, when I stood on the balcony of the show house, even though the views of the lake were stunning, I felt a feeling of vertigo. The furniture displayed was top-class, and you could have it designed exactly how you wanted. I worried about how I would get there, unless I always had a car there.
The second day, Madeleine decided to change her property search criteria. She showed us a character property in the lakeside town of Iseo. I did not expect to like this, but the moment we saw it, it seemed perfect. There were also little ‘signs’, things which I had similar, and a gramophone player in the estate agents which reminded me of my Father.

The beauty of the property being in town is that it is close to all the amenities. It is within walking distance from the train station, and ferries across the lake. It has amazing views of the town and the lake from its balcony. It is absolute value for money and in perfect condition. We fell in love with it. We thought we must be a little crazy and are not normally this spontaneous, but decided to go for it!

I cannot speak Italian, but I’m trying – I was always hopeless at languages at school, so I couldn’t have done it without Madeleine. She helped with negotiations and all the legalities. The former owner was extremely kind and left us some furniture e.g a fridge and washing machine, which was a great help. Madeleine helped us buy new furniture as well, and drove us to a big store by the motorway which had everything.

Yes, I am the proud owner now, of a place in Italy. I still have to pinch myself to see if I’m not asleep, and it isn’t a fantasy. Madeleine is an angel in disguise. Professional, fun and a lovely lady. I would highly recommend her. Don’t be frightened. Dreams can come true.

Libby
England

IMG_1344_1Yury and Olga – A Long Way From Home – It is common knowledge that it is impossible to be competent in all matters, especially when you decide to purchase outside of your own country. Being in a foreign country brings up all sorts of problems such as insufficient knowledge of the language which is a minor concern, the major one being ignorance of the country’s laws such as property taxes, local taxes, and insurance.
At times it seemed like a really impossible challenge and we soon realized, very quickly, that we needed to rely upon someone else’s expert knowledge. Madeleine Morgan from Dreamhomes – a professional in her field, helped us with our property search showing us all the suitable properties within our tick list and making sure to see that we avoided wasting valuable time and effort by advising us every step of the way.
I would say not to be afraid of trusting someone, especially in the beginning when your thoughts haven’t really materialized in any specific requirement or preference. With Madeleine from Dreamhomes, you can always rely on her pleasant and professional services with the added bonus of being in the company of a really fun and sincerely nice person.
Yury and Olga Tatarinov
Moscow, Russia

Nuova immagineGreg – A Sunshine Experience – I bought my house in Costa Paradiso, Sardinia because of an advertisement. The ad in itself was nothing unusual, in fact, it was a standard ad inviting interested purchasers to come and look at a beautiful development on the island of Sardinia. I
had been looking at houses in various places for a while so I decided to follow up
on this advertisement. After meeting Madeleine Morgan one of the agents from Dreamhomes who was selling property from this development and listening to what she had to say about the property I was immediately interested. Madeleine was very genuine and committed from the outset and went out of her way to make the trip to Sardinia as enjoyable as possible.

Although I knew nothing about the island of Sardinia before arriving there it was impossible not be impressed with its beauty and tranquility, fabulous beaches, and of course blue, blue skies. It differs from other holiday destinations in its
authenticity. It is underdeveloped and very safe. It is free from the building explosion so prevalent in many other Mediterranean countries and any building that is going on is in traditional Sardinian style. The Sardinians I met are open, warm and extremely friendly, and helpful. there is an innocence about this part of the world that I really loved and I knew that it would be hard to find anywhere else.

While Sardinia itself made me want to buy the property it was Madeleine who made it very easy for me to purchase. she took me through all of the fiscal issues and through the laws of the country. She gave me an accurate breakdown of all the fees involved including taxes to local authorities and lawyer fees. She made a normally daunting task very easy. More importantly after purchasing the property over a year ago I am still in contact with Madeleine who is always there to answer any queries I may have.

If you want to buy a property or holiday home go to SARDINIA and if you are looking for an AGENCY go to DREAMHOMES. Both will keep their promise.

Gregory Ward
Monaghan, Ireland

scan0001D’aprano Family – A Dream Come True – We are a family living in England of Italian heritage and have been considering buying a property in Italy for quite a while. We researched many different avenues of buying a property in Italy and contacted several different agents. Madeleine at Dreamhomes stood out from the very beginning; she was friendly, helpful and approachable.
From our first viewing trip in September 2011, Madeleine showed us a collection of properties, which we viewed over 3 days. We fell in love with a newly built property on Lake Iseo. During that trip, we opened bank accounts and processed our fiscal codes. We returned to England and left everything to Madeleine. We got the keys to our property on the 17th of December 2011. It was a very enjoyable experience and the process was smooth and straightforward.
We have returned to our new property since then and naturally, there are still adjustments to be made but Madeleine has remained loyal and available and throughout this process has become a friend. If ever in the future we were to buy again in Italy, she would be our first choice.
Thank you, Madeleine and Dreamhomes – we couldn’t have done it without you!
Giuliano, Maria and Assunta D’Aprano
Somerset, United Kingdom

foto testimonialTim and Els – A Splendid Decision – Buying property in Italy is not for the faint-hearted, but as first-time buyers in this market Madeleine at Dreamhomes held our hands from start to finish. Not only found the right property, but she also guided us through initial price negotiations, detailed contractual documentation, and finally to the notary. Buying turn-key from a developer she pushed through penalty clauses for late delivery and accompanied us every step of the way. Throughout the process, she impressed us with her professionalism, dedication, and last but not least her friendliness and optimism. She pulled us through difficult moments and we are now the proud owners of a stunning property overlooking an Italian lake. We would recommend Madeleine to anyone contemplating a casa in Italy!

Tim and Elizabeth Horrocks, The Hague, Holland

235614Declan and Mary – Home from Home – ‘Buying a property abroad can be more difficult than buying at home, particularly when you don’t speak the language, therefore having the right agent is so important.
We have found Dreamhomes to be very efficient, friendly, helpful and a real pleasure to do business with. They were always easy to contact and guided us through all aspects of the buying process, we can’t speak highly enough of them and have no hesitation at all in recommending them.’

Declan and Mary Macken
Dublin, Ireland

Thomas and FamilyThomas and Caroline – A Fantastic Decision – As a proud owner of a beautiful apartment close to Lake Garda we would like to share our great experience. The whole “project”, starting from the first research on the internet until the notary meeting took only five months. Choosing Dreamhomes and especially having Madeleine supporting us from the first minute until many different issues after the closure, was at least as important and successful as having found the right apartment. Madeleine was very kind and helpful from minute one, explaining how the process of buying a property abroad works. She was very professional during the whole negotiation and contracting process, always trying to understand and fulfill our needs. She also supported us with many issues that are related to the new apartment, like e.g. organizing a fiscal number, the opening process of a new bank account, and many other bureaucratic matters that needed to be done and are difficult for someone to handle when living abroad.

We would hereby like to thank Madeleine and Dreamhomes for the whole support and trust in the last months and especially for having always a smile on her face after so many questions and requests.

From our holiday “dream home” in Italy Thomas Müller and Family

Thomas and Caroline Muller
Ingolstadt, Germany

photoEffie and Alex – Our Home on the Lake – We had been thinking of buying a property in the Italian Lakes for some time and had even viewed a number of places through another agent but were very frustrated by their lack of understanding of the basics of what we were looking for and an eternal desire to get us to spend time viewing properties that clearly did not match our requirements.
We then came across Dreamhomes and Madeleine and finally found someone who was able to present us with viable solutions without wasting our time on unnecessary viewings and then hold our hands through the whole buying process and beyond.
Italian bureaucracy is not to be underestimated but thanks to Madeleine we had a stress-free experience she was on hand to explain what was needed and to facilitate negotiations with banks, lawyers, and the rest.
The whole process from offer to completion was incredibly quick and we thought that would be the end of it, but Madeleine’s support has continued even after our purchase and she has been incredibly helpful in getting phone lines put in, offering advice on where to buy furniture and getting tradesmen in for small repairs, etc.
I cannot recommend the service we have received enough and we are certainly happy to be able to endorse Dreamhomes as an excellent partner for those looking to buy property in this area.
Effie and Alex
Berkshire, United Kingdom

yan huaYan – My Piece of Italy – Madeleine from Dreamhomes has guided us through the whole process of buying a dream apartment near Lake Garda. She has arranged everything from initial viewings through to setting up the electricity supply. She has gone out of her way to explain the Italian legal process and to offer us advice at every point and arranged for our apartment to be furnished as we required. Without any hesitation, we can recommend her to anybody interested in buying property in Italy.

Yan Hua
Shanghai, China

Samara+(2) (1)John and Mercedes – Olè Fun in the Sun – “My family and I had been going on holiday to the Costa Del Sol for many years and decided early this year to fulfill a lifelong dream and purchase a holiday apartment there. Following a Google search, one property stood out from all others that was been marketed by Madeleine and dreamhomes so after making an inquiry we decided to pursue our dream and arranged flights and accommodations for viewings. Our initial thoughts, I must confess, were one of apprehension as Dreamhomes appeared from the website that their market was solely in Italy. This apprehension was soon put at ease by Madeleine when we met up for a number of viewings. She was professional but also warm as she clearly recognized that purchasing a property abroad could be extremely daunting but above all most of all sincere in her own opinions of some of the properties viewed been critical of them when necessary which was comforting as it was clear that she was not just after a quick sale. Madeleine assisted throughout every stage of the process from the offer, to the notary, and negotiator with a Spanish furnishing company and even acted as our legal interpreter for no fee during the signing of the contracts and has so far called us monthly since the purchase just checking to make sure all is still OK. Through dreamhomes we were completely surprised how straightforward a sale in a foreign country could be and would highly recommend Dreamhomes and Madeleine to anyone considering purchasing overseas”.

John and Mercedes Redmond
London, United Kingdom

foto mark and deanDean and Mark – Our Piece of Paradise – After one failed attempt at buying our dream holiday home in Italy we were looking for an estate agent that could speak English and help us understand the many different processes involved in buying a property in Italy; thank goodness we found Madeleine! We were reassured from the beginning as Madeleine was able to talk us through the options and break down the different stages of the buying process, she helped us with every step of the journey and always responded immediately to any query or question we had. Best of all Madeleine didn’t disappear once we had completed our lovely new apartment and paid all our fees but helped us sort out all our utilities and even helped us get everything furnished. We couldn’t have done it without Madeleine and we are so grateful to her for making this dream come true for us!
Dean and Mark Johnston
Birmingham, United Kingdom

pictureGary and Mandy – What a Great Feeling – I felt that we had to write to you to thank you for your professionalism and kindness in helping us find our dream holiday home.

We hadn’t intended on buying a property when we were on holiday in September but completely fell in love with the Italian Lakes so made a number of inquiries to various agents. What set Dreamhomes apart from other agents was that you really wanted to understand exactly what we were looking for, how we would use it, where would be ideal and what “feel” we wanted. Subsequently, you showed us a property that we simply fell in love with as soon as we walked in. Dreamhomes didn’t leave it at that. They were there every step of the way to explain, interpret, negotiate and advise. I thought buying a home abroad would be very complex but Dreamhomes made it virtually effortless, taking all the strain.

We have now enjoyed our holiday home on a number of occasions and it is everything and more of what we wanted to achieve. Still Dreamhomes are there for us, whenever we need them.

An amazing service from beginning to end and now we are friends.

Grazie Mille!!!

Gary and Mandy Church

Crawley, United Kingdom

foto carlo e renèeCarlo and Renee – We love our home in Italy – As frequent visitors to Italy, we made a decision last fall to explore the opportunity of possibly buying an apartment in the
Northern lake region. Our goal was to have a minimum two bedrooms two bath home that was centrally located and that we could use comfortably for extended periods of time as well as being a great place to entertain friends and family.  We also wanted a home base to explore the rest of Europe. We set very strict parameters on what we were looking for. For example; proximity to airports, train and bus transportation was key. We also wanted a safe community in a relatively new building with lake views, a short walk to town, with lots of great shops and restaurants. I know, a pretty tall order! Well… thanks to Madeleine and her team at Dreamhomes she found us our…” dream home”, on Lake Iseo. It is exactly what we were looking for and Madeleine was terrific, she helped us navigate patiently and competently through the entire process from beginning to end. Even after the closing Madeleine was also extremely helpful and never hesitated in assisting us with information on where the best places to shop for furnishings, light fixtures etc; as well as recommending skilled tradespeople and installers. (She also gave us great tips on the best restaurants, bars and wineries. ) Not only was Madeleine a great Real Estate agent but we consider her a friend. We highly recommend her talents to anyone looking to buy or sell.

Carlo and Renee Valvassori

Naples, Florida, USA