Rocco Zardinoni: A real estate professional operating by the book

Whether Mauritian or foreign, finding a place to live that fully matches one’s expectations can easily turn into an obstacle course. Unless one turns to a trusted professional. In the field of real estate agents in Mauritius, Rocco Zardinoni stands out as a reference: a man who delivers the villa or house of his clients’ dreams turnkey, with zero complications.  

At sixty-two, this Venetian, descendant of one of the oldest families of the City of the Doges, has already lived several lives. His curriculum vitae, almost as long as an arm, bears witness to it.  

A youth marked by culture and law  

He lost his parents at a very young age in a car accident when he was only twelve. Faithful to his father’s wish that he become a lawyer, he enrolled in law at the University of Bologna and followed the course for five years. At the moment of sitting the final examination, however, he decided to orient himself towards a liberal profession. “I followed my heart,” he simply confides.  

From early on, culture occupied a central place in his existence. He took theatre courses at the Giudecca Theatre and Research Centre in Venice, directed productions and organised artistic exhibitions. He later took charge of Round Midnight, a nocturnal cultural centre. A journalist in his spare time, he contributed notably to  La Gazzetta d’America . With friends as passionate as himself, he founded the company Wake-Up and the Compagnia della Calza degli Accesi. Together they secured a contract from the City of Venice for the organisation of spectacles and events, including the Venice Carnival in 1987. The challenge was successfully met for three consecutive years.  

“I always accepted everything that was proposed to me because I was guided by my enthusiasm.” When the municipality changed and culture became the poor relation, subsidies disappeared and his functions came to an end.  

Arrival in Mauritius and the Palladium Years  

In 1992 a distant relative, Nino (Virginio) Palmarin, owner of the nightclub Le Palladium in Trianon, invited him to take over the establishment. Rocco was twenty-eight. He accepted. The moment he set foot on the island he was conquered.  

He trained the staff and relaunched Le Palladium through the organisation of magnificent theme evenings. The venue eventually dethroned the legendary Sam’s Disco. Every Friday, several hundred night-goers gathered there. It was the era of U2, Depeche Mode and INXS. “We went beyond what the clientele expected. We went against the current — to catch attention, to surprise. It was a permanent spectacle, an enormous creative undertaking.”  

The adventure lasted eight years. “I loved that period because it allowed me to refine my contacts with the Mauritian public. But it demanded a great deal of effort for limited returns.”  

Knowing he could not continue indefinitely in that vein, he returned to Italy. There he completed two professional courses: one in the management of restaurants and public venues, and another as a real-estate agent at the Chamber of Commerce of Venice. To obtain the title he was required to follow one hundred and fifty hours of instruction and master every aspect of the profession. Of the sixty or so candidates, he was among the twenty who passed.  

Property Mauritius: An agency built on principles  

In 2001 he returned to Mauritius and opened Property Mauritius in Pointe-aux-Canonniers . At the time, real estate agencies were still few on the island. His specialty: taking a project under exclusive mandate and seeing it through to completion.  

His beginnings were difficult. The agency was deliberately somewhat out of the way. “I am a little old-style in my thinking. I did not want a shopfront because I consider that real estate is not a supermarket. And then, I also had to prove myself.”  

Gradually the clientele was built. Today it is approximately 60 % Mauritian and 40 % foreign. Among the landmark files: the marketing of the 241 villas at Port-Chambly, and more recently the sale to Mauritians of nearly all 62 plots of Morcellement Alexandra in Pointe-aux-Biches, a project where everything is “state of the art”.  

Ethics as a guiding principle  

Rocco Zardinoni does not mince his words when discussing the excesses of the sector. He has seen “adventurers” improvising as real estate agents and dishonest brokers. It is always the clients who suffer the consequences.  

“I have met numerous foreigners who told me they would never set foot in Mauritius again after being so badly swindled. When one loses one’s house or makes a poor commercial investment, one has lost everything. And that harms our profession as well as the image of the country. For the first fourteen years I remained silent because I had not yet obtained Mauritian nationality. Today I believe the problems must begin to be addressed.”  

He regrets that the sector is not better regulated. “This leaves room for charlatans. The number of operating agencies should be limited. With the positive objective of encouraging foreigners to settle in Mauritius, the Economic Development Board could usefully consult specialists on the ground. Certain areas of governance remain too closed and do not encourage collaboration. Ultimately this is detrimental to the country’s reputation.”  

He insists on a point particularly close to his heart: respect for the rules. He himself complies scrupulously with the procedures of the Financial Intelligence Unit, even when they are cumbersome. Meanwhile other operators work clandestinely, sometimes without even paying VAT.  

“We follow the rules and we are penalised by an illegal parallel market. The sector must be cleaned up. I know pizza sellers who today sell buildings. Proper order must really be restored to demonstrate that Mauritius is not a country of thieves.”  

Assist Invest Mauritius and comprehensive support  

To better assist foreigners wishing to settle and invest, Rocco Zardinoni created Assist Invest Mauritius. He has also found in Natacha Goryve an exemplary executive assistant who allows him to delegate and who adds a further dimension of professionalism and genuine care.  

“In many cases our clients have almost become friends.”  

The villas most sought after by the foreign market currently range between €250,000 and €350,000. “For the preparation, drafting and presentation of acquisition permits intended for foreigners, I cost a little more than others, certainly. But I handle the file from A to Z. The owner has nothing to worry about: everything has been done by the book.”  

Concrete proposals to the authorities  

With humility and respect, Rocco Zardinoni formulates several suggestions for better regulating the profession of real estate agent:  

• Establish a commission that issues operating permits only after thorough examination of professional qualifications and curriculum vitae.  
• Limit the number of permits in order to facilitate control of transactions. “Given that there are twenty constituencies, each district council could limit itself to ten permits. Two hundred well-controlled agencies would be sufficient for an island the size of Mauritius.”  
• Grant permits only to Mauritian entrepreneurs, for obvious reasons of knowledge of the territory and institutions. In the event of dispute, Mauritian agents are present on the ground and are legally bound to assume their responsibilities.  
• Create a government-recognised association of real estate agencies operating according to a code of professional ethics.  

A life choice  

Rocco Zardinoni chose Mauritius. Not merely for the privilege granted to foreign investors. In his case it goes far beyond that. It is a life choice.  

He sometimes likes to think of Mauritius as Plato’s Republic: an ideal republic, a utopia. “It is a young country, forward-looking, one that knows how to adjust — and quickly.”  

Thirty-four years after his arrival, he continues to practise his profession with the same exacting standards: weighing every word, respecting every rule, and never selling a project in which he does not believe.  

“I worry more about my clients’ money than about my own. Good deals are made by two parties.”  

Frequently Asked Questions  

Who is Rocco Zardinoni?  

Rocco Zardinoni is a 62-year-old Italo-Mauritian real estate professional, founder of Property Mauritius (2001) and Assist Invest Mauritius. Trained in law in Bologna and certified as a real estate agent in Venice, he is recognised for his ethical standards and complete client support.  

How long has he been practising in Mauritius?    
Since 1992. He first managed the Palladium in Trianon for eight years before founding Property Mauritius in 2001 in Pointe-aux-Canonniers.    
 

What is his professional philosophy?    
Never to sell a project in which he does not believe. To protect the client’s capital as carefully as his own. To treat every transaction as mediation rather than a mere sale.    
 

What does he propose to regulate the real estate sector in Mauritius ?    
The creation of a qualifying commission, a limit on the number of permits (approximately 200 for the whole island), the reservation of permits for Mauritian entrepreneurs, and the establishment of a recognised professional association bound by a code of ethics.    
 

What are the landmark projects of Property Mauritius?    
The marketing of the 241 villas at Port-Chambly and the sale of nearly all 62 plots of Morcellement Alexandra in Pointe-aux-Biches.