Sicily turned into Rublev, and Montenegro – in Sochi
Residents of Rublevo-Uspensky highway in the summer do not go to the country, they already live in nature. For several years now, our politicians, artists, athletes and just wealthy people have been renting villas in Europe. Where, how much and with whom the Russian elite spends the summer at European “summer residences”, Turklub found out.
The last 2-3 years, the rental market for real estate in Western resorts is growing at a frantic pace. In Russia, the baby boom, and people travel to Europe with their entire families, even with infants. Who wants to stay with the kids in the hotels – there is food unsuitable for the child, limited space, and the prices are high, ”says Denis NOVICHKOV, Director General of the rental company in Europe. – As a rule, we receive rental orders for the year, otherwise there will be no good houses.
The most popular among the rich and famous today are northern Sardinia and southern France. The main requirement of customers is the pool and proximity to the sea. And then everything else: houses for servants, a personal chef or trainer for York. Russians usually rest on the principle of “I take everything with me” – nannies, personal assistants, masseuses and manicurists take their own. And rental housing with service staff, as a rule, is much more expensive. The chef is considered the most expensive of the staff, his services will cost 2000-3000 euros. At the request of the tenant will be met at the airport and provide escort. The price usually does not include expenses for electricity, gas, water, telephone.
More democratic holidays in Spain and Montenegro. The latter has already become a branch of the city of Sochi – here it is entirely the summer cottages of Russians. Those who used to rest on the Black Sea, now settled in Budva. Rental prices are ridiculous, the sea is clean, the food is tasty and inexpensive. True, the boom in the real estate market caused by Russian moneybags has greatly affected prices. You can’t buy expensive luxury housing – English monopolist companies sell it only to their compatriots. Ours are content with apartments – lower category housing.
New to the rental market – Portugal. A house by the sea for 3-4 bedrooms in the popular resort of the Algarve will cost from 2000 euros per week. The rich are attracted by long sandy beaches and a large number of golf courses.
“The Russians are the most profitable, but also the most moody customers,” Denis explains. – Our fellow citizens are very fond of finding fault with the shortcomings of the house, having arrived at the place (the house is chosen according to the photo). For example, they complain that the walls of the villa, standing on the seashore, are wet all the time. Or that the floors in the house are stone, not wooden. We have to explain that in southern countries only stone saves from heat.
It’s difficult to rent a house without agency help – Europeans trust only theirs. Having entered into an agreement, tenants make a security deposit (from 10 to 30% of the rental price). The deposit is intended to compensate for possible damage. From it they pay bills for electricity, water, telephone. The company can hold the amount up to two months after departure. But if no damage is done and all bills are paid off, the company returns the security deposit on the day of departure.
Ministers prefer Sicily
“Italy has been leading the list of the most sought-after rental destinations for the third year,” my source said. – Sicily, Sardinia, Amalfi Coast – the town of Positano, where the villas of Sophia Loren, Claudia Cardinale are located. It’s funny, but for some reason our government officials for a vacation chose exactly the homeland of the mafia – Sicily. This island is most popular with governors, heads of administrations, regions, mayors and deputies. Sardinia is also a popular place. In Costa Smeralda, Oleg Deripaska and Rustam Tariko bought their own villas. The stars of show business also fell in love with this island – Igor Butman, Sergey Belogolovtsev, the Resurrection group.
Children of Andrei Konchalovsky also spend two summer months in Italy. The director’s family rents a house here. By the way, in the kitchen of this house are shooting the summer season of the culinary show of Julia Vysotskaya.
“We found a house through an Italian agency that our friends advised us,” says Julia. – With their help, we have been renting a villa for 6 years. A house without maintenance, we cook and clean ourselves, we have our own nanny. We used to rent a villa on the coast, but now it has become too expensive, and we moved to Tuscany. We never required any additional services, the only condition was the presence of a tennis school or court nearby. This year we are going to look for a riding school for Marousi nearby.
“Did the landlord know who you are?”I know. We had such a good relationship with him that if something broke, he would come and repair everything. We also knew everything about him, but I can’t divulge this information. And the prices too.
And what is cheaper: renting a house in the suburbs of Moscow, where you live, or in Italy?
It all depends on what house you rent in Russia and here. In Italy, the price depends on the number of bedrooms and proximity to the sea. In the suburbs, too, there are all sorts of housing – the Soviet period of state delivery, which are inexpensive, or mansions with all amenities.
In Europe there are fashionable places where prices are exorbitant. In the same Italy, the insanely expensive north of Sardinia, and housing in the south of the island is much cheaper. There are small villages, there are no fashionable clubs and pathos hotels. A three-room house with a veranda and a kitchen will cost only 5000-7000 euros per week. Whereas in the north, prices start at 15,000 euros …
Someone rents a house, and someone buys. The famous restaurateur Arkady Novikov recently purchased a Versace family villa on the shores of Lake Como. The deal cost 35 million euros. Mansions of the XVIII century, and even with such a story, are not sold every day. Now the owner of the restaurant chain is adjacent to George Clooney himself.
Arkady was very lucky. Such houses are sold only when people really need money, ”says Larisa TAVOBOVA, general director of an international real estate company. – Information about the sale is available only to their own and is not laid out on the Internet. Surely Novikov had his agents in Italy.
By the way, such closeness also applies to some types of business. For example, hotels in Venice are the most profitable real estate in the world. Every year this city is visited by 25 million tourists. Not a single hotel room is empty. There are queues for this property. But it’s very difficult for a foreigner to buy a hotel here, they go only to their own. True, the Russians were already able to break through there. But the names of Russian owners of hotels in Venice Larisa, according to her, can not disclose.
Another type of VIP business is vineyards. They rise in price every year and are considered an attractive investment. Our here marked. The most expensive Italian wine is made from grapes owned by a Russian …
“Citizens of Russia have become one of the main buyers of real estate in Europe,” notes Larisa. – More recently, the British and Americans were considered the first. In addition, the house in the old Europe guarantees not only a comfortable old age, but also a residence permit, which can be very useful to you or your children.
True, Western agents are sometimes very cool profiting from our fellow citizens. Recently, a Russian sold an estate in France at 700,000 euros more expensive than its price! And all because the client did not initially know that the guest house is included in the price of the villa, and decided to pay for it separately …
• How much: from 7000 euros per week (in Tuscany). From 10,000 euros (on the coast).
Bedroom for “Miss Russia”
The Cote d’Azur of France, the Russian elite chose a few years ago. This is the most expensive direction on the market. Especially during the Cannes Film Festival. And if a person spends summer here, everything is in order with finances.
These include rapper Timati (he and his friends rent a villa in St. Tropez for the summer and celebrate his birthday here). Here lives the hero of the last World Cup hockey player Ilya Kovalchuk with his family. The former “Miss Russia” and now the TV presenter Victoria Lopyreva also prefers to rent a modest mansion here for two months. This year, Vika plans to celebrate her 25th birthday on the Cote d’Azur.
– I rented a house in St. Tropez before, but in a different place. I found this villa through an agency advised by a friend of mine. The house is located near the sea, it has 4 or 5 bedrooms, I do not remember. I like living in a rented house, because at the hotel you are forced to communicate with those who live nearby, and in your home a more secluded, relaxed atmosphere. In addition, this is a good opportunity to invite friends and relatives who cannot afford such a trip.
Does someone help you around the house?
No, I do not have attendants, we do everything ourselves. I don’t order a cook either, I like to cook myself. But I bring personal assistants with me.
Is this villa expensive?
I can’t say that, last year’s robbery was enough for me!
• How much: from 15 000 euros per week (villa with pool 10 minutes from the sea).
“Wave” nailed customers
After the “New Wave” contest appeared in Jurmala, it was just a boom of Russian tourists. But since there are few hotels in the city, they have to rent entire houses here.
Last summer, we rented a two-story villa with three bedrooms and a garden. As the agency told me, last summer a large Moscow official shot him. True, it turned out that this is an expensive pleasure – 50,000 euros for three months. But the house is very beautiful, with all amenities, ”says the owner of the bookmaker Yegor, who rents a villa on the Baltic coast every year. – A cleaning girl came to us three times a week. I found this house on a local site.
In Latvia, you can find cheaper housing, in addition, the service “eats” a third of the price. Cleaning ladies get money for hours, so it is beneficial for them to clean long and badly to come again.
• How much: from 3000 euros per week.
Economy class for VIPs
The resort of Marbella is called the Spanish Riviera. This is the most fashionable holiday destination in Spain. Larisa Dolina, Alexander Peskov and Valery Leontiev love to relax here.
In Marbella, you can rent a cottage with a private pool or apartments in the village with a shared pool at all.
By the way, recently Valery Leontyev bought a villa in Spain. Victoria Beckham and former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev became the singer’s neighbors. True, experts say that such a purchase will not bring good dividends.
“Today in Spain there is a serious mortgage crisis, demand and real estate prices have fallen sharply,” Larisa continues. – This explains the cheapness of the Spanish mansion. By the way, according to forecasts, housing prices here will not grow in the coming years.
• How much: from 3000 euros per week (villa with pool by the sea).
This post is also available in:
English 
Русский (Russian)
