Most thought it wasn’t possible but Donald Trump has been elected the President of the United States.  I don’t believe this is a place for my personal political beliefs as my writing here is a way to escape and dream.  Maybe you are sickened by the results?   Maybe you are simply uneasy about what Trump may do?   Maybe you are excited for the future of the US?  Who knows but now may be a good time to consider moving to another country?  Turn your shock, horror and fear into the motivation you need to do something out of the norm and consider moving aboard.  By now you likely know Aleth and I love Italy so I’m going to offer some great real estate options in Italy.

Comano, Tuscany: ($215,000) Comano is a classic town in Tuscany with 800 residents and a 90 minute drive from picturesque Cinque Terra.  The home is a perfectly restored 3-bed, 3-bath stone village house that comes fully furnished.  The home features an open kitchen layout with a large living-dining area that opens onto a sunny patio.  Here are some photos to demonstrate this home’s value.  For reference, San Francisco has 6 condos for sale below $300K, 5 of which are Below Market Rate offerings (meaning you cannot make more than $75K) and there is a 330 sq. foot studio in the Tenderloin for $299K.  Is there any comparison?

Filattiera, Tuscany ($213,000) Switching gears a bit here and presenting a 25-room (11 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms) on 3 levels that is in need of some rehab work.  When completed this would serve as an ideal bed & breakfast or small hotel opportunity.  As you can see below many of the rooms have original medieval frescoes and vaulted ceilings.  I am not sure how much it would cost to complete the rehabilitation of this home but the structure appears to be ready for it’s next existence.  Have a look below and start your Tuscan dream.

Now let me remind you of the $213,000 price tag, this place has tremendous potential.  Filattiera is about 75 miles Northwest of Florence in the Tuscan countryside.  Podere Conti is a beautiful, small hotel in the same town of Filattiera that rents rooms from $250 to $900 per night…demonstrating travelers will visit this part of Italy and spend a considerable amount on accommodations.   Is this a viable option for you?  Are you willing to put the time and effort into restoring this house to its former glory?

Luxurious Properties: ($1M-19M)   While $1,000,000 is still considered an entry-level condo in the San Francisco real estate market, it can be a 5-bedroom house with a view of the sea or an ancient farmhouse atop a hillside.  Click here to have a look at the $1M possibilities.  If budget it no object then the possibilities are endless with 20-bedroom villas, newly built modern estates, vineyards with pools and even ancient castles.   Here are a few examples.

I realize moving to another country and starting over is not easy and certainly is not for everyone but if you are truly upset by the election results there are various options available to you in Italy.  One thing to keep in mind is the exchange rate and it is mostly favorable right now as this chart of the USD versus the Euro illustrates at nearly 10-year lows.

I hope this post inspires someone and always please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have as I’d be happy to help.  Here are some helpful links for additional info:

Living In Italy – Helpful website written by Deborah Swain who moved from the UK to Italy in 1994.

Homes & Villa Aboard – Real estate website where you can search tons of properties.

Lunigiana 2000 – The real estate company that helped us with our purchase.

Global Property Guide – Very helpful website that gets into transaction fees, processes and offers directories of realtors, accountants, lawyers, mortgage companies and such.

Mortgage Calculator – Figure out what you can afford and more properties.

Ciao!