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Know before you buy.
Pre-design assessment
A professional due diligence assessment for international buyers considering an Italian property.
The moment you fall in love with an Italian villa is not the moment to discover its complications. Structural issues, heritage restrictions, planning constraints, realistic renovation costs — these are the details that determine whether a beautiful property is a sound investment or an expensive mistake.
Our Pre-Purchase Villa Assessment exists to answer those questions before you commit.
What it gives you.
A clear, honest picture of a property’s potential and its pitfalls — from an English-speaking team of architects and designers who have worked on historic Italian properties for over eight years. Not a general opinion, but a professional assessment specific to your property, your vision and your budget.
What the assessment covers
Architectural and structural review
We visit the property and assess its structural condition, architectural features and overall renovation potential — identifying what is straightforward, what is complex, and what may be prohibitive.
Planning and heritage guidance
Italy’s planning system treats historic properties with particular care. We review the property’s planning status and advise on what permissions are required for your intended works — renovations, layout changes, pool additions, landscaping — and how realistic they are to obtain.
Renovation cost guidance
One of the most common and costly mistakes international buyers make is underestimating what a renovation will actually cost. We provide an indicative budget range based on the specific scope of works and our direct experience of restoring historic properties in Italy — so you can assess the investment with open eyes.
Design potential
We outline possible design directions and layout improvements, helping you understand not just what the property is, but what it could become — and whether that vision aligns with how you want to live and what the rental market rewards.
Why this matters for international buyers
Purchasing a property in a country where you don’t speak the language, don’t know the planning system and can’t easily visit puts you at a significant information disadvantage. Most buyers manage this risk by relying on the selling agent — whose interests are not aligned with yours.
A Casatua Villa Assessment gives you an independent, professional view of the property from people whose only interest is in giving you an accurate picture. It is, in our experience, the single most valuable step an international buyer can take before exchanging contracts.
After the assessment
If you decide to proceed, our studio is structured to manage every subsequent stage of your project — architectural design, planning approvals, interior design and full construction coordination — as a single, seamlessly managed service. The assessment is also the natural beginning of that relationship. By the time you purchase, we already know your property intimately.
If you are considering an Italian property and would like a clear, independent assessment of its potential, we invite you to get in touch.
Design and Develop your dream home in Italy.
Studio Casatua
Tuscany, Italy
Email us at
hello@casatua.studio
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