ITALIAN HOUSE TOUR & SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! - expat life in Italy

In October 2021 we fell in love with Umbria and unexpectedly purchased a villa in the Umbrian countryside. In our last video we shared that we bought the home. Today we take you with us on a tour of Villa Destino, our new Italian home.
We start with the ground floor of the house where we have focused our renovation efforts so far. We show the upstairs areas that still need work and end the tour with a walk through of our large yard. We end the video with a surprise announcement.
Follow us on Instagram: / our_italian_destiny
Like us on Facebook: / two-creative-travelers...

[@Where_in_the_world_are_we_now]

I had tears in my eyes watching the grand tour of your new home! I’m so thrilled for both of you! Your new home is exquisite and I’m excited to see the changes you will do to make it yours. Love the name, too! My husband will retire in two years and then we are going to slow travel the world for several years. I would love to be able to visit with y’all sometime. 😁 I would be interested in finding out more about buying property in Italy and the requirements for residency there. Congratulations!! 🍾🎉🎊

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Aww, thank you Lorrie, and we would love to have you as our guests. We will be working on a video soon sharing what we experienced buying our home, so stay tuned. Thank you so much for watching and your lovely comment 😊 💞🇮🇹Debbie and Stijn

[@gregmertz1202]

🎉❤❤ Yes i'm a new subscriber I love the video. Can I ask you about how much did your house cost there in italy.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

@@gregmertz1202 we paid 185,000 € and fees. A really good deal we felt💞🇮🇹

[@gregmertz1202]

That's a great deal

[@RetirementTravelers]

Love your new name!!! It's so perfect, as is your new home!!! Can't wait to watch the olive harvest!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Aww, Thank you so much John and Bev! We're hoping we can bring you guys some Villa Destino olive oil in December 💞

[@sabrinamandarello2410]

Villa Destino is absolutely beautiful!! Wishing you both all the best, what a great way to enjoy Umbria and everything it has to offer. As for suggestions, take us on a grocery trip, local shopping etc. Explore your local town, bars, restaurants and all the wonderful hiking 😊

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much Sabrina. Great ideas! We love the local Monday Market and had actually talked about doing a video around that, as well as a food tour of sorts of our favorite restaurants. But I love the idea of including just simple everyday living in Italy! Thank you so much for watching and your great comment!, 💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@kateversole]

You can wrap the spider light arms around a 3 foot 4x4 beam allowing the bulbs to hang at different heights. Then hang the beam from the ceiling with chain. It’s a beautiful rustic look.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

That sounds perfect! We were thinking we could also use the bottom of a wine barrel somehow?

[@hillock10]

Alrighty - What about plumbing? Septic or regular sewer? Water - Well, or supplied by the city? Heating plant - gas or oil or wood? What about shopping? Grocery stores- how close? Basement - fInished or unfinished? Washer and drier - where are they? Hardware stores like Menards and Home Depot - close or not? Homes need constant maintenance. What about city festivals? Few or none? What about medical care? Hospitals nearby? What is the cost? What about parks where the kids can play ball or tennis courts, or bike trails? Any bike trails nearby? What about taxes? High or low? Cost of living? High, medium, or low? Just a few questions. The real story is in the details, not the look of the kitchen or bedrooms, or yard.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Hi, thanks for your questions. Not sure how we missed your comment. Our house is on a septic system which was installed and functional, there is no city sewer. The leech field is below us in the forest. Water is a deep 110m well, we had a very dry summer and didn't face any water pressure issues. Again there are no city water services either. We have plans to start harvesting rainwater for irrigation. Our water is heated with lpg from a tank. Our heat is wood (kitchen fire place), gas/pellets for radiators. The same lpg tank is used for the gas heating of radiators. We are about an 8min drive to the nearest decent sized grocery store. That town has 3 or 4 decently sized grocery stores, bakeries, multiple nurseries, a car repair shop, hairdresser, dental office, everything you might need. There is no basement or storage building on site, we miss having this but its really the only thing this house is lacking. We do have a recently acquired storage shed on another piece of land we just acquired where we can store things like our outdoor furniture during winter. We have opted to only have a washer, it's stored in the room where the heating system is. We dry our clothes on a line or drying rack generally outside since it's almost always sunny. We have a small hardware store in town and a larger one (obi) about 30mins away. The best and biggest option is leroy Merlin which is about 45-55 mins. There are a ton of festivals, typical of rural life. I'd look for an Umbrian festival overview for any more specifics, there are multiple options each weekend throughout summer. We have only used dental services which were good and affordable (75 euro for a cleaning and 80 for a cavity without insurance). There is government managed healthcare offered to residents but we are yet to use that. There is a large public hospital about 25mins away with several other smaller ones nearby. The main problem with the public healthcare system is that appointments can take a while to schedule. For that reason some people might prefer to go private for which there are paid insurances. The public healthcare system is very cheap, certainly under 100 euro as a couple per month. We have many bike trails nearby, you can just drive on the generally steep asfalted roads or opt for the gravel roads. Most popular are mountainbikes, generally e-bikes. We have a tennis club in town which we have not tried. There are two golf courses within 30 mins.. Generally I'd say the cost of living is low to medium. Restaurants aren't that much cheaper but other things like fresh food are. Most people have a garden from which they eat most days. Car fuel is at least double what the us cost is and cars of similar size are a lot more clostly here. My sentiment is that it's not about replicating the life we lived in the us. It's about living a full life and to us that doesn't always require multiple restaurant visits a week, one car per household member and 500 channels on tv. We'd rather relax in the yard and watch the sunset or listen to the wildlife getting readu for the night. Hope this helps give you an idea of those details the video was lacking. Please ask any follow up as needed.

[@hillock10]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 I never heard of gas pellets for heating. I don't know what that is. Thanks for answering all the questions. By the way, I live in a house in the USA with a forest in the back and plenty of wild life incluuding deer, foxes, all kinds of song birds. And of course our home is heated and has full utilities for heating, plumbing and sewerage. Good that you like living in Italy. My ancestors are from Florence. I have had thoughts of moving to Italy because the American government is corrupt.

[@stijnt2377]

@@hillock10 Sorry, we have both gas and wood pellets as heating options. There is no such thing as gas pellets as far as i know.

[@MissRed92837]

I love your house. It looks very cozy. And your garden is gorgeous with all the trees, berries and veggies. Huge plus point is your own water quell.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

@@MissRed92837 thank you so much 💞🇮🇹

[@jerryriccio5680]

In bocca al lupo...good luck! Umbria is a beautiful region of Italy. Assisi, Perugia, Spoleto, are wonderful medieval towns that warm the heart and elevates your spirit with so much joy and peace.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We are definitely loving it here and all that Umbria has to offer! Thank you so much for watching! 💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@JoanMaddie]

Thank you for showing us your beautiful new home, Villa Destino! You have done a great job. I especially love your new kitchen. The garden and surroundings are beautiful. I love following your projects. Also would be interesting if you take us around in the local area, small villages nearby etc. Best wishes. :)

[@LorenaBeneduce-su5eq]

Umbria, my region....the green heart of Italy 👍👍👍

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

It certainly is 💞🇮🇹

[@geralds.rotunda9926]

Bravo!!

[@reneknott2141]

So happy for both of you Debbie & Stijn! I really enjoyed visiting your home and hearing the exciting news. Hopefully we'll get to come and visit one of these years! Love what you're doing and glad to see you both so happy.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Aww, thank you Rene💞We're definitely looking forward to that day! Just know your room is waiting and ready.... And you will have a personal tour guide!

[@terrinelson1753]

It's mind blowing to see what you two have done in less than a year!! All the renovations inside are fantastic! The breakfast nook is the heart of your lovely Villa. The bar area you created looks great, except for the light fixture 🙂 The Pergola is such a nice addition to your patio. I have no doubt that all your olive trees will do well, and all the flowering shrubs you have planted will reward you with beautiful flowers, too. This is so exciting to see the after photos from what your home looked like when you bought it, but Debbie has shared some photos with me along the way in this journey. Howard wanted me to tell you both that I am just like Debbie in that I would be sweeping and cleaning every day during a Renovation project in a home!! I love the name Destino using the letters of both your names. Look forward to seeing and hearing your next Video. Sending big hugs to you both from NV

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Aww, thank you so much Terri 💞 I'm so looking forward to the day you can see our house in person💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@gillfirth3654]

How wonderful it all looks and you both are so full of joy in your new home. So exciting to have ongoing projects and a new chapter in your life. xxx

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much Gill💞🇮🇹

[@poliver12345]

So exciting to see your happiness & energy! Enjoy life in Italy!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much 💞🇮🇹

[@evablcher8788]

I absolutely love what you are bringing, thank you for your interesting videos. Please keep them coming and I really look forward to your olive adventure and what your plans are.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much Eva. We're excited for the olive harvest in October, crossing our fingers for a good year!

[@susanvp4685]

Love, love, love Villa Destino! You did an amazing job with your design choice in all rooms. Can’t wait to follow you on your new adventures!!🇨🇦❤️

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Aww, thank you so much Susan! It's been fun making this house our home. Now I just to decide on something for all the bare walls! Can't wait to show you more..... Bathroom redo coming up! Thank you so much for watching! 💞🇮🇹Debbie and Stijn

[@CarolsFree2You]

Thank you!!! Loved this!!!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you Carol so much for watching. If you ever want to take a trip to Italy you know you have a place to stay here. 💞 Say hi to my little Miss Bri for me.

[@NaturalFitNurseRN]

Congratulations! Beautiful home & Thank you for the tour. I know y’all are enjoying your new home♥️

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you! We are definitely loving living here 💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@jonimarchese7655]

Ciao, I stumbled onto your channel about 5 minutes ago, it's good to see Americans in Italy. We are also planning on making the move ourselves, my boyfriend and I are both Italian and we are researching areas where we have family. I can't wait to see your progress and hopefully a good Olive harvest will come to you, I will be following and watching your Italian Destiny Journey. "Buona Fortuna"

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Wow! Thank you so much Joni. We're so excited for you and your future plans to move to Italy!! Welcome to our channel and we will do our best to pass on little tidbits about living in Italy 💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@JayandTanyaTravel]

Tanya and I love Villa Destino and are excited about hearing more. Super!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you Jay and Tanya. If you two ever make it back over here, your room is waiting for you💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@monicagrigore7067]

I really love what you have done here. Congratulations and enjoy it! 🥰 Thank you for your videos.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much! And thank you for watching 💞🇮🇹

[@joecutro7318]

Complimenti! Just found you. You both seem like great people so I am sure the Italians are receiving you with open arms. My retirement is not far off and I am planning Sicily as my part time residence. Can't wait! My family bloodline citizenship application is all prepped and will hopefully be completed by the time I'm ready. Benvenuti alla vostra nuova casa!!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Oh how exciting for you!! Thank you so much, we do love it here and have settled in quite nicely 💞🇮🇹 Thank you so much for watching 💞

[@calmmusicforsleep]

Awesome tour and so beautiful house with amazing backyard! Congrats friends! Thanks for sharing! Have a wonderful week

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much, we're so glad you enjoyed the tour💞🇮🇹Debbie and Stijn

[@2GoRoam]

Wow! Channel refresh... So excited to see your new life! It looks absolutely fabulous! ❤️❤️❤️

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thanks Neil and Sarah, we hope your travels take you to our area one day💞🇮🇹

[@awaken24]

Oh this is so beautiful 🌺 Blessings to you both as you continue with your remodeling 🍷🍷

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much Susan 💞🇮🇹🍷

[@NewLife23Star]

I watched with admiration and joy your tour of your beautiful house in Italy and its site! I subscribed to you and will be happy to watch your renovations! I wish you success

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much and welcome to our channel 💞🇮🇹

[@glennazuck4434]

Love your journey and everything Italy, wish I could live that too, but only through videos like yours.Thanks for sharing!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Awe, thank you so much Glenna 💞🇮🇹

[@RoadiewithRich]

Wow congratulations you are really “living the dream” good for you and best of luck. God bless!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much! We truly are feeling blessed.

[@mariannewire5729]

Love love your Italian home. Thank you for giving us a tour. I discovered your site through the Retirement Travelers site when they came to visit you! I found my soul place in Taos New Mexico. Renovated and expanded a 600 sq ft Adobe into our retirement home. We have begun to travel around the USA in our Geo Pro travel trailer. Hope I can one day visit Italy! My Dad’s family is from Sicily

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you Marianne, we're so glad you enjoyed our tour. I love showing off our new home! I just gave another tour yesterday! 😂 Your home sounds amazing too. Home is definitely where the heart is. My great grandparents came from Sicily as well! I was lucky enough to be able to visit the town they came from, Castelvetrano in 2016. Thank you Marianne so much for watching and we hope you enjoy our channel and some of our other videos as well. 💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@TravelingTramps]

We loved the tour of your new home Debbie and Stijn. We also apologize for arriving so late. I think the channel name through me off and we don't get on Instagram as often as we should. (Saves us money, Stijn!) We just recently moved also but ours was to downsize and ease off of the work. We're sure it's a labor of love for you with Villa Destino! Love the villa, love your new channel name! Thanks so much for bringing us along.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We know you two have been busy, no apologies needed. We're looking forward to a tour of your new place as well! Sending our love, 💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@laurieclarkson9180]

That's a really challenging layout! but you guys have done a great job!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you! It really worked out great!

[@margerykirner5604]

Stunning home!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much!

[@jamies1468]

Looks amazing!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much!

[@taniakeldin]

Once you get used to bidets, you'll really appreciate them!

[@destinationdero]

Such a cool Italian villa. Nice share 👍

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much! We're so glad you enjoyed our video! 💞🇮🇹Debbie and Stijn

[@riccardodotto84]

Bellissimo posto ragazzi,veramente immerso nella natura(come ognuno dovrebbe vivere)!😁👍

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Grazie Mille 💞🇮🇹

[@pakwatan1875]

Marvelous, congratulations.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much 💞🇮🇹

[@teresacesario6247]

I enjoyed this.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you Teresa!

[@leighevans1394]

Fabulous property . Love it :)

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much!

[@lisalangley8292]

Beautiful property!!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much💞

[@az2pt]

Congratulazioni, che bella villa del destino italiano 😍

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Grazie Mille!

[@kikibridges8370]

Loved this! One day I hope to visit You! Going to London and LA this year. Hopefully Italy again next year. Enjoy!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

So glad you enjoyed it! We hope to see you during your travels!

[@gabrieladramba1663]

The lightening în the bar room is not apropriete. May be you should put on the wall behind the bar a lamp on the vertical wall

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Good idea!

[@JennyAlaman]

Fontastic villa verry organize inside and out

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much!

[@theflyingcorktx]

LOVE how Chamay follows you around the yard! I'm catching up late on your videos but this is great!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Sadly we lost Chimay this past September 😭 He loved making videos with us💞

[@1tbriscoe]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 OHHHHH I ama so sorry to hear that!! Tom (Texas)

[@RoseBornagain]

This house is stunning.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much💞🇮🇹

[@traveladventure7745]

Greetings Debbie and Stijn. Very beautiful villa in Italy, beautifuly decorated. Thanks for sharing. Stay Blessed.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Ciao! Thank you so much! We're so glad you stopped by and enjoyed the tour 💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@traveladventure7745]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 My Pleasure.

[@salvatoreemma]

Hi! Loved the tour. Magazine ready.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much 💞🇮🇹

[@goodphone156]

Very beautiful.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much 💞🇮🇹

[@Liveyourbestlife905]

Love your videos! Coming from Canada soon to find a house close to there. 3rd time in Italy and have fallen in love with it. It would be great to meet you guys for aperitivo.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We would love that!!! ,💞🇮🇹

[@havechopstickswilltravel2990]

New subscriber here. Love it! Congratulations. Italy is one of my future destinations. I love how you use your names and incorporate it into the house name. Yes, please tell us how to get to Italy.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much and welcome to our channel! We will have a video this weekend on how we bought our house in Italy and others in the future with all the details on how we are able to live in Italy 💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@rickunknown7832]

Hello Im thrilled for you guys making the move to Umbria ,its so beautiful and the rolling hills remind me of places in Montana but with amazing rock and stone houses centuries old. Villlas can be very affordable there even with acreage some with vineyards and olive orchards for under a million. I would like to know your yearly cost of living versus USA. Did you post a video about that? Thank you

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Hi Rick and thanks for your comment. We haven't made a video about this but could certainly consider it as it's a hot topic for most people considering a move. In general I'd say cost of living is about half of what we were accustomed to in the US. We lived in Northern Nevada for the most part (Reno to be exact). Sites like Numbeo can also help you with comparisons although I'm not positive Perugia has sufficient data to offer the comparison. The biggest difference in cost of living can be attributed to a few key categories: 1. property tax is 0% currently in Italy for a primary residence 2. Healthcare is a lot cheaper, depending on your status it is either 2000 euro per year (for most retirees on the government system) or it's part of your income taxes for those that work. Co-pays are minimal with surgeries often costing less than a tank of gas. 3. Restaurants and food in general. We enjoy the local cuisine and go out quite regularly, we can have a nice meal with wine/beer, an appetiser and desert for about 50 euro. In our experience in the US it's difficult to stay below 100 dollars if you both have a few drinks. 4. Construction is cheaper here but an important piece is related to the red tape. Italy has excessive red tape, particularly for construction projects. However; if you have a project where you are updating an existing space then you don't need any of the permits/engineering consulting so the cost is way lower. Most blue collar professionals (electrician, plumber, builder, ...) here charge 30 euro or less per hour. Hope that helps to understand a bit where the difference may be. Fuel for your car is a lot more expensive (about 8 to 9 dollars per gallon currently) which is partly offset by the fact that you will most likely end up driving a much smaller and more efficient vehicle here. American amenities are also going to be more expensive if you can even find them (good luck finding a double shot soy macchiato on ice :-) ).

[@brianc.612]

Beautiful home and property.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much💞🇮🇹

[@ruoshi8234]

I love Perugia and plan to live there.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

@ruoshi you'll love it💞🇮🇹

[@zoe440]

Exciting! Love how you've furnished and decorated inside. Might you build a swimming pool?! X

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much! We're not really pool people and It's really expensive to put one in. We do have the perfect spot for one though. I always say, Never say Never😁

[@debsholly5183]

Beautiful! My husband and I will be in Italy for the Month of September. It is my biggest dream to move to Italy. We will be looking around on our trip. It will be my third trip there.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Cool! What areas will you be looking in?

[@debsholly5183]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 It is his first trip. I enjoy Tuscany and western Umbria. This trip we will be near Certaldo, then Marsciano, then over to the Adriatic since we haven’t been there…then up the coast, Ravenna….then to Dolomites, then down to Parma/Modena/Bologna then back to Florence. I would be happy within a long oval, between Florence-Terni, then Grosseto-Assisi….

[@MsWarriordiva]

I've done some research & know some basics but have some questions. 1. How to buy a car when you move to Italy? 2. How to get a mortgage? What are interest rates like? 3. I'm also looking at smaller towns, probably with few expats. How are you treated by locals? And what if you don't speak Italian? ( am working on it & some basic phrases)

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Hi Wendy, this is Stijn. Thanks for your questions. 1. Buying a car here is only possible if you are a legal resident. If you want a brand new car it can take a while but used cars aren't too different from the US. Do expect a few days before you can drive it, i dont believe you can drive it off the lot like in America. Several financial institutions offer mortgage options and the rates depend heavily on whether its a primary or second home. We don't have a mortgage so i am not familiar with exact rates. However, rates are typically quite a bit below the US rates. Down payments are higher though. We live in a very small town and have been treated wonderfully by both locals and expats. I wouldn't necessarily recommend seeming out towns with high expat communities because it will slow your integration and learning of the language. Good that you're learning some Italian. Small Town residents don't speak English as well as folks in big cities but all Italians appreciate someone who tries. Popular expat towns are generally also more expensive.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Hi Wendy, this is Stijn. Thanks for your questions. 1. Buying a car here is only possible if you are a legal resident. If you want a brand new car it can take a while but used cars aren't too different from the US. Do expect a few days before you can drive it, i dont believe you can drive it off the lot like in America. Several financial institutions offer mortgage options and the rates depend heavily on whether its a primary or second home. We don't have a mortgage so i am not familiar with exact rates. However, rates are typically quite a bit below the US rates. Down payments are higher though. We live in a very small town and have been treated wonderfully by both locals and expats. I wouldn't necessarily recommend seeking out towns with high expat communities because it will slow your integration and learning of the language. Good that you're learning some Italian. Small Town residents don't speak English as well as folks in big cities but all Italians appreciate someone who tries. Popular expat towns are generally also more expensive.

[@brianfilkowski]

Great new name and reorganization. I plan to retire in Italy within four years. I am visiting this September staying in Pieve di Chio a little north of Cortona. I will probably focus my time north of the lake, Castiglion Fiorentino, Arezzo, Sansepolcro, Città di Castello and Apechio. I may wander up to Emilia Romagna for a day trip. I love the Niccone river valley. I gather you are on the south side of Lago Trasimeno. I want to go to Gosparini and have a drink on the terrace at Lo Scoiattolo. I will have a ton of logistical questions. First of which….did you bring the cat or adopt it there? Anyway, I am glad for you both and look forward to a summer of new videos. The house look great!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much Brian! Your trip sounds amazing! We've been to Citta di Castello, its actually where we went to order our dining room table that we had made by a local woodmaker! Yes, we are on the south end of the lake in the Piegaro area. We are only about 10 miles from the Tuscan boarder and about 40 minutes from Montepulciano in Tuscany. Thank you so much for watching and we wish you great time in September! 💞🇮🇹Debbie and Stijn Ps, we were asked if we wanted a free kitten😻

[@Nicole-kx9to]

Grandi ❤

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you!

[@janefarero455]

Your home is beautiful. I would love to have a home there!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

It is a dream come true! Thank you so much for watching! Debbie and Stijn

[@nancyesposito1020]

Hi, love the video, I would get a piece of barnwood and hang those lights on the barnwood

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

That's brilliant! We have actually seen that done in a little bar, I actally took a picture so we could replicate it.

[@excavator4289]

Wow beautifull

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much 💞🇮🇹

[@gabrieladramba1663]

Property is gorgeous.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much!

[@WITYTRAVELS]

How exciting! Congratulations again. The kitchen turned out great. This is such a beautiful home. We would like to hear more about the process of buying the house and staying in Italy long term.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much! We will be creating a video in the near future sharing our experiences of buying our house as well as acquiring Italian residency. We hope we can help others understand what it takes to live in Italy. Thank you so much for watching and your great comment! 💞🇮🇹Debbie and Stijn

[@Mustanggurl99]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 we would love to hear more for sure about the entire process! We learned about this region of Italy via Stanley Tucci’s show on CNN and have now become super interested in learning more! We stumbled upon your videos of Italy and followed your journey! We booked a trip for this October…staying in Lake Como for a few days then staying in the Asti/Alba region thereafter! Thanks for sharing and look forward to learning more! 🍷 🇮🇹

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

@@Mustanggurl99 oh my you are going to fall in love with the Asti/Alba area! It's absolutely gorgeous 💞🇮🇹

[@Mustanggurl99]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 I can’t wait! 🙌🏻

[@bijanrisdanaa]

❤

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you for watching 💞🇮🇹

[@gabrieladramba1663]

You have a wonderful house

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much! 💞🇮🇹

[@lostamonglocals5382]

Congrats guys! The house is so beautiful! We have always loved Italy and have said we could live there in the future. We might be a little jealous, but also happy for y'all.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Aww, thanks guys! It truly is a dream come true for me (Debbie) to live in Italy 💞 If your travels ever bring you back to Italy we'd love to have you as our guests and show you around this beautiful area! Thank you so much for watching! 💞🇮🇹Debbie and Stijn

[@roxythefoxsayfurismurderan3187]

You’re living my dream and I’m so jealous!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We do feel very fortunate 💞🇮🇹

[@roxythefoxsayfurismurderan3187]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 You should. It’s been my dream for many, many years and finally, I have enough saved up to buy a bolt hole. Just hoping it won’t be a huge project.

[@dorismeusburger4219]

I also need a bar like you have... ;-)

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We do love it💞🇮🇹

[@emilycadamagnani7887]

Congratulations!!!! Would love to hear about how to make this happen;)

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much Emily💞We will definitely be including this in a future video. 💞🇮🇹

[@nevisscot7697]

Great to see a sensible buy...moving adroad is not easy ,but when i see people buying a ruin with not even a roof , i cringe.ive lived in Italy 40 years now and beaurocracy is endless.well done.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We've met people who indeed bought their Italian "dream" home unseen and now they are certainly paying the price. Thank you so much for watching and your great comment! 💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@nevisscot7697]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 i can imagine.keep your eyes wide open.

[@SuperRenato7]

My Questions. 1. How did you find this house, through an agency. 2. Where is it located. 3. What was the asking price and selling price.. Grazie

[@jenc8953]

Your home is beautiful and I love the kitchen, so well done. I noticed the chain link fencing around the property, do you have wild boar or animals that roam the area?

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Oh thank you! And yes we do! Wild boar, deer, fox and even porcupine!

[@jenc8953]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 😳

[@korenng5553]

Amazing home...very lucky !

[@theresabigwideworld2632]

What an exciting time for you! The house is lovely and you have so much land, do you have a village close by so you can participate in local life?

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Yes we are close to several actually. We are only about 4 miles from a little place that has 3 grocery stores, a pharmacy, doctors, dentists etc. as well several restaurants and cafés that we frequent a lot. The biggest city in Umbria is only 40 minutes away with an airport! Rome and Florence are only about 2 hours away in either direction. We love going to the smaller hilltop towns for their festas and events. If you watch our previous video we show you a map of the area where we live. Thank you so much for watching and your great comment 💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@letsexploreandtravelonadis6424]

Hello, you have a very informative channel about relocating to Italy. I am wondering about the issue of burglary when it's unoccupied while you are on a vacation elsewhere or if you in the states for half a year?

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We live here full time and in the forest so no crime here. Thank you so much for your kind comment and welcome to our channel 💞🇮🇹

[@Quatrocanti59]

Great video we are moving to Umbria as well and about to place an offer on a house we like.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

That's awesome! Where in Umbria will you be? Congratulations and thank you for watching 💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@Quatrocanti59]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 The house is located in Collazone not far from Todi or Montefalco. Looking forward to your up and coming videos. Thanks Sal and Cathy 🇮🇹🌹

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

@@Quatrocanti59 oh that's also such a beautiful area! 💞🇮🇹

[@gabrieladramba1663]

You are beautiful people. Look I am looking my serf for a nice property In italy. Do you know near you în toscana a property like yours? I suppose you have seen a lot of properteis before you bought yours. Maybe I am Lucky. I have find one but needs a lot restoration. Anyhow your house is absolutly stunning!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Actually this is the first and only house we saw. We fell instantly in love with it. Tip: you may want to look in neighboring Umbria as prices tend to be cheaper here then Tuscany. We only live about 30 minutes from the Tuscan boarder. Thank you so much for watching 💞🇮🇹

[@mike-oh8if]

Where do u buy cabinets and renovation goods from. Are there big box stores. I dont think so

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Yes there is an OBI which I equate to a Home Depot and a Leroy Merlin which I equate to Lowes. We purchased our kitchen cabinets from a private supplier.

[@giorgiovinciguerra2938]

Ho visto i vostri video. Mi congratulo con voi per aver scelto L' Umbria come residenza.Vi informo ( forse lo sapete già) che L 'Umbria è la terra che ha dato i natali a grandi santi: San Francesco d'Assisi,patrono d'Italia. Santa Chiara ( Assisi).San Benedetto ( Norcia ). Santa Rita ( Cascia ). Nei vostri viaggi visitate il borgo di Solomeo e informatevi sulla bella storia di Cucinelli. Grazie per la vostra cortese attenzione.Vi saluto caramente.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Grazie Mille 💞🇮🇹

[@irishinusa1615]

Congratulations to you both and your journey ahead. Looking forward to seeing more. QUESTIONS are you both bilingual? Is it necessary in buying and remodeling your home?

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Thank you so much! In the beginning our realtor was our translator but now Stijn does all the talking😂 I'm still learning. Piano, piano the italians tell me💞🇮🇹 Debbie and Stijn

[@jaiphony]

We'd love to know more about the Visa process.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

There are so many variables for a visa. It depends on your situation as to what visa you would apply for.

[@paulstuart67]

Is it 2 or 3 bedroom? How many square feet? Are you willing to share how much you paid for it and how much you put into the interior? Thanks, and it's a beautiful home and property.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

They called it a 3 bedroom but one of the rooms was the size of a walk in closet in America LOL! We turned it into am office. It's about 1800sqft and we paid 185,000euros plus fees. We've probably spent about 25,000 euros inside and out. Thank you so much for watching and your great comment 💞🇮🇹

[@paulstuart67]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 thank you for the reply! Wow, that's less expensive than I thought it would be. Makes me wonder if we should cash out of our home and move too.

[@nellanickwatson2534]

Could we asked how much you paid and the fees & charges. All the best in your new Italian home

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We feel we paid a very good price, 185,000 euros + fees. Thank you so much for watching! 💞🇮🇹

[@taniakeldin]

Beautiful. Rude question: How much did you pay for your house?

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Not rude at all, 185,000 euros 😁

[@flowerfairy1950]

I know it ia personal but would love to know the cost at purchase of the property.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We paid 185,000 euros

[@flowerfairy1950]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 Thank you. That was excellent. We are in our 70s and always dreamt of what you achieved. Very well done! Congratulations!

[@debsholly5183]

May I ask, is there a real estate company that you suggest?

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We used Castello di Tara in Panicale.

[@debsholly5183]

And do you recommend them, and did you do online searches beforehand, etc. lol

[@debsholly5183]

LOVE that area!!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

@@debsholly5183 We do too!

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

@@debsholly5183 yes, the house we found and bought , Tara happened to be one of the listing agents.

[@laurieclarkson9180]

Are you close to a home depot? lol..or some kind of home improvement stores?

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Yes! We are fairly close to an OBI and Leroy Merlan. I call them Home Depot and Lowes😂🤣😂

[@Iamalemonwhy]

How much?

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

185,000euros + taxes and fees

[@Iamalemonwhy]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 Great deal for a beautiful house

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

@@Iamalemonwhy thank you! We seem to think so💞🇮🇹

[@europainvicta3907]

2 bathrooms a luxury in Italy? I’ve never seen an Italian house or flat that does not have 2 bathrooms.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We've seen several 😁

[@M.C.K.111]

In old houses or small flats there is one bathroom, but bigger and new flats or houses, or on two levels, have always at least two.

[@elapaszczynski495]

I hope is not too rude to ask how much you paid for your beutyfull place?

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Not at all, we offered 180,000 euros and they did not accept our offer but someone else's unofficially. Then that didn't work out for them so they came back and asked if we would pay 185,000 we could have the house, DEAL! It was listed for 195,000 which was the reduced price from 280,000. So we feel we really got a good deal💞🇮🇹

[@lucchese20]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 Wow! That’s a steal! All the best. 👍🏻

[@margerykirner5604]

Do any of you speak Italian?

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Stijn speaks italian very well. I on the other hand, I'm still learning!

[@margerykirner5604]

I will take that as a no? Interesting!

[@maulikpatel9026]

what is the pick temperature in summer in Umbria?

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

This summer it reach into the 90's in our area.

[@beaulong3270]

How bad will this break the bank? :)

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We had cash from the sale of our house in the States back in 2020. We feel we got a great deal at 185,000 euros+ fees!

[@beaulong3270]

That is a good deal. Is that all in including the renovations?

[@beaulong3270]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 I was thinking it was going to be closer to 300k.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

@@beaulong3270 oh no, the renovations are on top of the purchase price.

[@theCreativeAssemblymachinimas]

2 bathrooms in an italian house a luxury? really? trust me it is quite common.

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

We found that in the price range we were looking it was certainly not as common as you might expect in other countries.

[@theCreativeAssemblymachinimas]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 it may be but it is more a way the house was made rather than a luxury. Like a balcony, some houses have it, others do not, but it is not a luxury.

[@paoloerpotenza]

Lo dico in italiano perché scriverlo in inglese per me sarebbe molto faticoso oltre a non dare il giusto senso (c'è il traduttore per questo). Bene vi siete stabiliti in Italia, adesso cercate di entrare in armonia imparando prima la lingua italiana sia la mentalità e le tradizioni. Perché tutte e tre devono per forza fare tutt'uno col territorio. Gli italiani si sono modellati e amalgamati in questo territorio in 3000 anni e penso che questo territorio non prosperi mancando uno di questi 2 elementi: il territorio e gli italiani. Senza uno dei due la cultura cade come un castello di carte. Per voi che avete un età adulta è difficile ambientarvi, perché non avete avuto tutto il percorso di italiano. Che inizia quando i tuoi genitori e i tuoi nonni ti fanno fare interminabili passeggiate nelle campagne ,per poi buttarti nel mare con i braccioli ad agosto, poi a 8 anni cominci a giocare a calcio con gli altri bambini per 10 ore filate,il primo album di figurine dei calciatori che mancano i soliti 10 giocatori introvabili per finirlo. Poi a 10 anni tuo nonno ti dà mezzo bicchiere di vino perché ha deciso che sei abbastanza grande.poi la scuola con le recite di natale e i lavoretti .A 14 anni il motorino è fai le prime impennate e sogni la macchina per fare colpo sulla ragazzina. A 18 anni la macchina ,lo stadio la discoteca le vacanze in campeggio. Tua madre a 18 anni ti fa il caffè perché ha deciso che sei grande. All epoca mia a 19 anni dovevi fare il militare e ti confrontavi con tutte le persone da ogni regione d'italiano. Dal Veneto alla Sicilia. Poi la ricerca del lavoro che all'inizio è precario e poi diventa fisso. Poi con i soldi che guadagni, fai le vacanze al mare in agosto e a febbraio a sciare. Cominci ad avere i tuoi ristoranti quello specializzato in carne quello in primi, quello in pesce. Capisci che devi bere il vino bianco col pesce e il rosso con la carne. Poi diventi vecchio e dopo la dormita di 2 ore dopo il pranzo vai a giocare a tressette nel baretto della zona.

[@paoloerpotenza]

Sono sicuro però che almeno un 30 % di italianità la raggiungereste

[@ouritaliandestiny7955]

Grazie, in queste due primi anni abbiamo tutte le due fatti delle lezioni italiani per capire meglio la cultura e mentalita. Non siamo esperti pero facciamo tutte quelle che possiamo fare per capire veramente bene che significa vivere in Italia non solo fisicamente ma fare parte dal territorio. Siamo contenti che lei e i nostri vicini sono pronti da far capire a noi tutte queste tradizioni. Ogni giorno l'Italia piace di piu a noi. (mi dispiace se mi sono sbagliato pero non ho voluto utilizzare un traduttore per la risposta)

[@erpotenza3260]

@@ouritaliandestiny7955 Apprezzo molto il vostro impegno e l'amore per l'Italia. Sapete anche io amo molto gli Stati Uniti perché anche se è un paese relativamente giovane ha influenzato molto la cultura occidentale. Il jazz il blues il rock Hollywood i telefilm ecc. Ecc. Tutti noi siamo cresciuti con la vostra cultura. Elvis, Frank Sinatra John Wayne ,Paul Newman,Tom Cruise i Doors Lou Reed Andy Warhol Johnny Cash ecc ecc