By Chiara Sebastiani
Sometimes the most desired places are not those the ones everyone knows, but those that still retain the privilege of discovery. It is a reflection that emerges almost immediately when we return to meet Roy Santi, owner of the real estate agency Dimore Toscane – HousesinTuscany.com, a year after our previous conversation.
In the meantime, something has changed. Or perhaps, more simply, a trend that has been running through the Middle Valley and Garfagnana for some time has been strengthened: the growing interest of those looking for an authentic Tuscany, far from the most beaten paths and the now inflated images of international tourism.
“There was a good movement,” says Roy. “There have been several sales, even of properties that had been on the market for a long time. In fact, I could almost say that today I lack houses to sell!”
A phrase that captures the moment well. If for years the local real estate market has proceeded at a cautious pace, today there is a more lively demand, especially from foreign buyers who are not just looking for a house, but a different way of living.
According to Roy, the strength of this territory lies precisely in its ability to surprise. “You are in Tuscany, but not in the most famous Tuscany. You are in the Tuscany to discover. It is a dimension that continues to fascinate.” It is no coincidence that many of the new buyers come from countries such as Denmark, Holland, Belgium and Poland. The British remain present, strong in a historical bond with Barga and the valley, but today the international panorama has expanded.
Those who arrive here have often already visited the area and understood its character. He is looking for authenticity, real landscapes, human relationships and a different rhythm of life. He is looking for a Tuscany that is not only to be photographed, but to be inhabited. Of course, not all expectations correspond to reality. Roy emphasizes this with the sincerity that distinguishes him: the internet and social media can fuel romantic visions that risk being superficial.
“You have to experience the place,” he explains. “Seeing, touching, understanding. Some fall in love with an image without really knowing what they are buying.”
For this reason, the search for the right property remains a path made up of listening and awareness. The most sought-after properties continue to be those that tell a story: villas with character, traditional farmhouses, houses restored with respect for the original architecture. Details make the difference. Wooden beams, terracotta floors, ancient stones, terraces overlooking the landscape. Elements that for generations have been considered simply part of everyday life and that today are being rediscovered as cultural heritage. Roy often recalls how it was foreigners, as early as the sixties, who were the first to grasp the value of many aspects of local rural architecture.
“The English saw beauty where the Italians saw old things to be replaced. They have observed these houses with new eyes.” An external gaze that, over the years, has helped to enhance entire villages and spread a new sensitivity towards the recovery of historical heritage. Today, however, the phenomenon is accompanied by new opportunities. The growth of tourist rentals and widespread hospitality formulas is changing the way we look at real estate. Recent national regulations dedicated to short-term rentals also testify to how the sector is now considered a significant component of the Italian economy.
For Roy, this represents a concrete possibility especially for territories such as the Media Valle and Garfagnana, where real estate values still remain competitive compared to other areas of Tuscany. “There are properties that, if they were on the hills around Lucca or in other more well-known areas, would have very different prices. Here there are still interesting margins and opportunities to be carefully evaluated.” It is not just a matter of economic investment. In fact, more and more people are choosing to spend long periods in the area or to move permanently, thanks also to the spread of remote work and a growing search for quality of life.
In this scenario, the most important concept remains the same. Roy repeats it almost like a mantra: “Location, location, location”.
But the meaning goes beyond just geographical location.
The location is certainly the panorama, the view, the landscape context. It is the village, the square, the path that passes behind the house. But it is also something less tangible: the history of the place, its character, the feeling it transmits. “There is a physical location and a cultural location,” he explains. “The details of the property must dialogue with the territory and tell where we are.”
Perhaps this is precisely the reason why some houses seem to have a personality of their own.
Roy uses an image that is as unusual as it is effective to describe this relationship between a person and their future home. “We don’t choose the houses. It is the houses that choose us.”
Then he adds an even deeper reflection: “In front of a property we have to undress, we have to be metaphorically naked. If we feel comfortable there, if we perceive a form of authenticity and belonging, then we can deal with all the practical and bureaucratic issues that follow.” It is a vision that goes far beyond the real estate market. The homes that leave their mark are not necessarily the largest or most expensive. They are the ones that manage to establish an emotional relationship with those who visit them, those that tell a story and that, in some way, seem to be waiting for just the right person. Those that have character.
And these are the properties that Roy continues to look for.
“I am always looking for houses that reflect the historical and cultural context of the area. It doesn’t matter if they are humble or prestigious. They must have charisma, personality, identity.”
After all, this is what makes the Tuscany to discover unique: not only landscapes, but stories kept behind every door. Stories that are still waiting for someone willing to stop, listen to them and imagine their future in these mountains.
Info: Dimore Toscane, Via G. Marconi 14, Barga (Lu) / Tel. 0583 723698 / Mob. 348 8607786 (Roy) / www.dimoretoscane.com / www.housesintuscany.com / roysanti@dimoretoscane.com / roy@housesintuscany.com
