In this article I will tell you how I ended up (for the third time) on the American television program House Hunters International, a well-known format of the HGTV channel watched by millions of American citizens.
It's finally out! After several postponements and cancellations from the schedules, On January 24, 2020, the second episode of the famous American TV program featuring our beloved city of Verona with its beauties was aired in the United States!
After the installment filmed in 2017, the Scaliger capital is back on the big screen, thanks to the story of Frank and Lisa, a couple from Texas who decided to move with their entire family to Italy.
How did it all start?
It was an autumn afternoon in 2018. Through a real estate portal I receive a request for an apartment for rent in the city, written in English.
As always, I try to delve into the client's needs, to offer the right solution without wasting energy.
Thus began an exchange of mails in which I got to know this lovely family consisting of: Lisa, an American doc, Frank born in Germany and transplanted to the states, Archie ( short for Archibald ), Rhett the newest addition to the family, and Odin, a 9-year-old little dog.
I understand from the conversation that an apartment is not really suitable for a family accustomed to living in the large spaces of American cottages with attached gardens.
What to do then?
Through my network of collaborative real estate agent colleagues, I find a property that can match their needs, make them a video to better appreciate it, and they decide to take it without batting an eye.
I mean, can you believe it!?!!
We are talking about a rent of more than 1500 € taken sight unseen ( they never saw the house in person except when they arrived to sign the contract and live there ) confirmed overseas, with advance payment of security deposit and agency commission, without ever even having spoken on the phone with their interlocutor!!! All this in Italy, a country infamous for unreliability.
If this is not trust.... I don't know what else it can be.
During the online correspondence, Lisa confesses to me that she is waiting for confirmation from an American TV program to tell their "relocation" story (that's what it's called when you move your shack and puppets to another country) the program is called HOUSE HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL!!!
WAIT A MINUTE.
The first time was luck.
The second a case...
But the third....I'LL JUMP RIGHT IN!!!!
Trying not to sound snooty, I reply that I have already participated in two episodes of the program (one of which is already in Verona) and that I could lend a hand to the production (already knowing the format) in finding locations in the city where to shoot.
GAME-SET-MATCH!!!
Why rack your brain explaining to an Italian everything you need to do a show, when you can have one who knows how things work??!
This was probably the thought that the Leopard production house manager came up with once she read Lisa's email where she introduced me as the contact person for the site.
A skype call from New York (where they have offices) and that was it. I was in. For the third time! ????
As usual, I should have found 2 more properties where I could shoot the research scenes, got the owners to sign releases, and helped them with the unfolding of the plot.
Since they are both interior designers, the focus of the episode would be on the architecture and historical appeal of the properties.
Thanks to the availability of Andrea Quiriconi Owner ofHotel Trieste (winner of Bruno Barbieri 's TV show 4 Hotel), we provided a location for the initial interview stage. In fact, the hotel is an exhibition of modern and contemporary art and not the classic downtown hotel, an ideal stage for their arrival in the city.
With colleague FrancescoGentiliof "Dimore gentili," I obtained permission to shoot in a real piece of art in the heart of the city, a magnificent frescoed apartment that the production particularly appreciated.
After a HOT week of filming in June 2019, our sweats were broadcast earlier this year. Obviously I could not show them to you so as not to violate blatant distribution and copyright rights, but before I get arrested, I give you the link where you can preview the episode.
While waiting for it to be released in Italy, our story ended up on the local news program Telenuovo, which wanted to tell viewers in Veneto about our adventure.
A fantastic experience that once again brought to the fore the city where I live and work, offering new perspectives to those who want to move to Italy. In fact, after the episode aired, through social media, I was contacted by a wealthy American client who saw the episode asking me about real estate in the city because he wants to make Verona his second home!!!
When you say combine the useful with the pleasant..... 🙂
