Sotheby's International Realty Collections
February 2009
The client comes first
...After working in the Venice, Italy, market for 20 years, Ann-Marie Doyle opened Venice Estates in 2004 and joined the Sotheby’s International Realty® brand last year. The firm now operates as Venice Estates Sotheby's International Realty.
Because the majority of Venice real estate buyers are foreign and English-speaking, Ann-Marie splits her time between her homes in London and Venice, while her colleague, Piero Schiavon, is based full-time in the Venice office. “Our clients are from all over the world, and very often will come to Venice for only a short period of time just to see the properties we have selected. So there is a lot of work done prior to their visit to make sure we understand their needs completely,” she said. “It is crucial that we make the most of the little time they have by showing them properties that are absolutely right for them. Also, my ability to speak fluent English and Italian is critical during negotiations. Purchases of palaces and historic buildings of this level by foreign clients are complicated and I am uniquely placed to be able to interpret their needs, negotiate on their behalf and steer them through the vagaries of the Italian legal system.”
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