When you enter our home in Lucca, the first thing you’ll notice is our family photo prominently displayed in the entryway. This might seem unusual for a vacation rental property, where many hosts focus solely on aesthetics and branding. However, this was an important choice for us, because after all, this is our home first. It symbolizes the warmth and memories we've created here and invites our guests to experience the same sense of belonging that we cherish. Of course, we also hope it serves as a gentle reminder for our guests to treat our home with the respect and care it deserves.
A few months ago, we received a message from Alicia, a reporter for Fortune Magazine, asking if we’d be willing to speak with her for a story she was working on. One of our trusted real estate contacts in Italy, had passed along our information. The story Alicia was writing focused on Americans who bought homes abroad that they now rent out.
We weren't sure how comfortable we felt talking about our home as a rental, especially since we didn’t purchase Casa Campolattaro with the idea of it being an investment property. For us, it’s always been a home first—a place we could enjoy with our family and friends. In fact, we never set out to rent it. After some thought, we agreed to share our experience, hoping it might offer insight to others who are on a similar path.
We set up a time to chat with Alicia, and during our 30-minute conversation, she asked thoughtful questions about how we made the decision to buy abroad, what the process was like, and how we’ve managed to rent out the property when we’re not there. The article came out a few weeks ago, but we've been reluctant to share it.
Beyond the Headline:
Why Our Home in Italy Is More Than an Investment
One of the main reasons we hesitated to share the article is because the headline made us squirm a bit. In today’s fast-paced digital age, people tend to skim through headlines without delving deeper into the content, and we worried that some important insights might get lost. But maybe that’s exactly the point: a catchy headline can be a double-edged sword—it grabs attention, but it can also oversimplify or mislead. We hope this one does more of the former, encouraging readers to click and discover the full story behind it.
The Fortune article does accurately share our story, even though the headline wasn’t our favorite. It highlights different experiences of Americans purchasing homes abroad—some with positive outcomes and others with more challenges that serve as a cautionary tale.
When we started apartment hunting in Lucca, we weren’t looking for a rental property. The decision to rent out Casa Campolattaro came later, mainly to avoid leaving it empty when we weren’t there. From the beginning, our focus has been on creating a family space, not an investment. This home is part of our long-term vision, where we plan to spend more time as we approach retirement, shifting from renting it out to living our dream.
The truth is, buying a home abroad wasn’t about wealth; it was about priorities and choices. We spent years saving, planning, and making sacrifices to turn this dream into a reality. It wasn’t a decision made lightly, and while it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, we have no regrets. Our journey is about cherishing a place that feels like home, rather than merely viewing it as an investment opportunity.
The Reality of Buying Property Abroad
Our experience, thankfully, has been very positive thanks to our "dream team": We were fortunate to have Italian Real Estate Lawyers guiding us through the process, which made all the difference. We also worked with a wonderful realtor in Lucca who helped tremendously. Finally, we have an amazing Property Manager in Lucca who is worth her weight in gold.
As the article points out, buying property abroad can be difficult. The challenges of navigating another country’s legal system, managing a home from afar, and renting it out to visitors all come with their own set of hurdles. The story of another man in the piece showcases how things can go wrong, with unexpected obstacles that make the process much more difficult.
No Regrets: Why We’d Do It Again
For us, owning our apartment in Lucca has been an incredible journey. The ups, the downs, the lessons learned—it’s all part of the adventure, and we wouldn’t trade it for anything, even when navigating seemingly simple tasks with Italian bureaucracy has us pulling our hair out! Ok, maybe not then.
There’s been a lot in the news about 1 euro homes, which can make buying property abroad seem like a an easy breezy path to ownership. However, those stories often gloss over the challenges and commitments involved. Dario having Italian citizenship certainly made the path a bit easier, allowing us to navigate the complexities of property ownership with more confidence and understanding. Additionally, his fluency in Italian has been a tremendous asset, helping us communicate effectively and tackle any language barriers that arise.
While renting out our home has helped offset some of the costs, that’s never been the driving factor. Our motivation has always been about the life we wanted to build there—a life centered on family, connection, and embracing the slower pace of Italy.
I hope our story offers encouragement to anyone considering buying property abroad. It’s not just about the financial investment; it’s about making intentional choices that align with your values and dreams. If you’re curious to learn more, here’s the full Fortune article, where our story and others are shared, highlighting the highs and lows of buying abroad. Thanks for reading!
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