Engel & völkers recruits big in rome

Engel & Völkers is hoping to recruit big in Rome, with the opening of a new office in the heart of the capital.

The agency's new "Market Center", which is located near to landmarks such as the Colosseum, Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain, will deal with high-end residential property across the whole city. The office, located in the century-old Palazzo Sforza Cesarini on the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, spans around 1,200 square metres and boasts a grand interior, from ceiling frescoes to mirrors.

It will soon house an equally extravagant sales force: there are 97 real estate agents already working on site, but the company plans to hire another 240 agents by the end of 2015.

"Rome is one of the most attractive markets for property investments," says Marco Rognini, Managing Director of the Market Center in Rome. "The prices for high-end properties in first-class locations like those inside the so-called ‘Tridente’ between the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza di Spagna can reach of up to 20,000 euros per square metre. The high level of international demand brings a great deal of stability to Rome’s real estate market."

Enquiries from overseas buyers originate from the USA and Germany, as well as France, the UK and Spain.

The agency's ambitions to expand its market presence follows reports of demand rebounding for Italian property, partly fuelled by the attractive exchange rates available between the weak euro and strong pound sterling. On TheMoveChannel.com, the country climbed three places in the site's July 2015 rankings to become the sixth most popular destination in the world.