Quick Notes: The Part They Don't Show You on "House Hunters International"

So what actually happens when you decide to buy a house and live in Italy?  It's a lot harder than I imagined.  (Unless of course you are George Clooney and you have teams of people working on your behalf. If you do, don't pay attention to the rest of this post .) 

We (my ex-husband and I) started with a dream that had been concocted over many, many years and many, many bottles of red wine and prosecco, accompanied by nuts, olives, bread and pasta.  We would buy a Tuscan farmhouse, retire early, simplify our lives, have dozens of dogs and live happily ever after (with each of us dating other attractive and stylish Italian men and women).

Five house-hunting trips and many frequent flier miles later, that vision had changed. (Expect that it might take a lot of time and resources just to find the right property, before you even make your first offer.) Here are a few insights into the process:

1) The house where you blissfully spend a week's vacation might NOT be the place you want to live full-time.  Consider what life will be like in the quaint little hamlet with a post office, bar, tabacchi and pizza restaurant when that is all you have for 30 minutes in any direction.  Doctor? Veterinarian? Music? Museums? Is a farmhouse where your neighbor hunts birds and wild boar really conducive to your vegetarian/vegan lifestyle? Hmmm....food for thought (pun fully intended).

2) The pictures posted on the myriad "come buy property in Europe" real estate sites? Not necessarily representative of what you see once you get there. When house hunting from afar, it's good to diversify your search by employing a few agents or what I would call real estate "consolidators" and find one (or two) whose judgement is a good fit for you and in whom you can place your trust.  Unfortunately, the house that you thought looked like a sliced of heaven could turn out to be plagued by flooding problems and the sparkling blue swimming pool next to which you are supposed to enjoy a sparkling glass of prosecco might turn out to be a cracked "hasn't been used in years and is green with algae" swimming pool.

3) Before you even think about getting on a plane, do some reading about the real estate purchase process, immigration and residence requirements, taxes, cost of living, healthcare, etc.  It's best not to be surprised.

• What does the negotiation process look like?
• How long with the process take?
• How do you open a bank account in Italy?
• How do you obtain a codice fiscale (the equivalent of a social security number which you will need to purchase everything from the home, to a car, to a washing machine)?
• How will you close escrow on your property if you are thousands of miles away?  (Some day I'll recount a full day spent driving to San Diego to meet the Italian attorney/notary who would notarized our Italian powers of attorney...procure speciale... and then racing to Downtown LA to the Secretary of State's Office to get the official seal verifying the validity of the notary...and then racing to Fed Ex in Brentwood to ship the documents to Italy.)
• What are the visa requirements based on your citizenship?   A specific example.... it's good to understand that you are technically required to show proof of health insurance when you apply for your visa and for  residence, but once you obtain residence you are entitled to take advantage of the national health service and you don't need private insurance. NB:  Most international health insurers will not cover anything related to pre-existing conditions, so take that into account. I could share many other examples, but I'll save them for later.

4) Think long and hard about what kind of project are you willing to take on. We've all read or seen the Hollywood versions of the renovation of historic buildings a la "A Year in Provence" and "Under the Tuscan Sun".  My experience so far has been somewhat different.  But do make sure you figure the time, money and emotional investment required to take on a renovation. (I'll write later about my project.) Maybe it's better to buy a property in "walk in" condition to save your sanity. NB:  I am still looking for my Sig. Martini. (My sister will appreciate what that means.)

5) Be open minded. We started our search with a pre-conceived of what our property and our life might look like.  Where we have ended up is a bit of a departure...in a region we had not visited before we started this search. Half of the fun...if you let it be...is exploring and finding the right match for you. Tuscany didn't work?  Maybe Piemonte.  Or Puglia.  A farmhouse?  Or maybe a house 15 minutes from the beach?  City vs. Country?  Italy offers a multitude of beautiful options. 

I have to admit that there were times during the search that I almost gave up hope.  My dream felt dashed. Being my own worst critic is probably what saved me. I had a lingering voice in my head....one that had plagued me for much of my adult life.  A feeling that I never see things through. That I bail when the going gets tough....relationships, jobs, hobbies, etc. And this time I was not going to let that happen. (Side note: I will write later about the other motivation I have for moving to Italy that relates to my passion for animal welfare and a lady who has inspired me to take this leap.)