The dream of starting a new life in the stunning Italian countryside and becoming self sufficient, living off the land, owning a farmhouse in Tuscany or relaxing into the Mediterranean lifestyle is one that many people share; in fact 19,000 British citizens have already made a permanent move to Italy in search of a new life living la dolce vita.
So what are the practicalities that you need to get a grip of to start a brand new life in Italy and what considerations do you need to bear in mind when going in search of your dream Umbrian or Tuscan farmhouse or Mediterranean villa?
First things first you have to do your research into which areas of Italy appeal to both your lifestyle requirements and your budget. A farmhouse in Tuscany doesn’t come cheap these days and as a result the regions of Umbria, Le Marche and Puglia have grown in popularity. They still offer rural rundown retreats in need of TLC at fairly affordable prices to those with enough dreams, inspiration and cold hard cash to turn a ruined wreck into a dream home. However nowadays even these areas are getting pricier and if your budget is tight you should be stepping off the beaten track, getting away from the strong expatriate haunts and searching out bargains.
Once you’ve determined the area that appeals to both your pocket and your lifestyle requirements visit that area, spend time there on the ground meeting people and getting to know your way around. The sooner you’re familiar with the area in which you’re going to be living the sooner you’ll be able to settle into your new life and feel happy and comfortable. When you know where the local shops are, who the local doctor is, where there’s a school for your child and you know how services work and how ‘things’ get done in Italy you will feel the familiarity that makes a place feel like ‘home.’
If you’re considering moving into the rural Italian countryside you need to be able to speak Italian! This may sound ridiculously obvious - well it is! But unless you really go armed with a strong degree of fluency in Italian you will struggle to find true bargains. If on the other hand money is no object but learning Italian is, you can employ the services of a relocation expert or real estate agent to research the availability of property in your favoured area to match your budget. However it can be very expensive to use the services of a registered real estate agent as together with your essential lawyer you’ll have to pay upwards of 10% of the purchase price of any property on their fees alone. A good lawyer is undoubtedly essential but if you can avoid using the services of an estate agent or use one who agrees a fixed fee, so much the better.
Once you’ve established the area in which you want to live and you’ve begun your property search you’re well on the way to achieving your dream. Now you need to consider the practicalities of earning a living! Do you intend to relocate to Italy and find a job, if so know that depending on the country you herald from getting an employment visa can be a fairly straightforward affair. If you’re from another of the EU countries you can work in Italy unrestricted. However unemployment in the country is quite high and the cost of living isn’t so low that you will be able to survive indefinitely on any savings income you may have in the bank.
If you can, then look for work before you relocate, that way you have a stable base on which to make your life changing move. Alternatively if you intend to start a business on the back of the property you purchase - e.g., offering B and B accommodation from your new farmhouse in Tuscany or selling olive oil from your grove in Umbria - research the practicalities of your idea and exactly how much money you can expect to earn from your produce of offered service. As a result of the many popular TV shows that have followed people establishing a dream new life abroad in the Italian countryside a lot of people have fled their seemingly mundane 9-5 office based lives in search of something better; but a recent report in The Telegraph newspaper has shown that a large percentage of these people who failed to do their research into the practicality of their business idea are now struggling to earn a living and some are considering selling up and returning home.
Don’t make the same mistakes - be very honest with yourself about the practicalities and realities that you will face, always have enough money in the bank to survive for a few months in case you hit a hard time and think positive, focus on your dream and you will find a way to make it a reality.
