Ok, I just came back from viewing a tiny house somewhere in the mountains. Oh my God, it is wonderful. It needs some work, around another 4.000 or 5.000 then it would be perfect. It has its own water, though I need to carry a check to see whether I can drink it or not; there is no electricity but solar panels would be great; it has no land but one can have a big kitchen garden and chickens and 2 goats for milk; there is a place for all that.
And the price is ridiculous; I've never imaged that I can find a place with such a price in Italy. There is another house attached to it but it is well maintained and the owner lives in another city and comes only once a year to throw a hunting party! yuck, I do not like hunters but I can put up with him for few days per year. The friend who took me there said it is so tiny, so I was imaging a tiny tiny place but what a surprise for me. It was not tiny at all. In the entrance there is a huge fireplace, then a bathroom on the right, then a big kitchen-sitting room, then a small bed room. Then, there are other two big rooms below that you access from outside and can be used as a store, chicken coop, etc. Or one for guests, etc.
Now, what is the problem?
Well, the place is very very isolated and as I do not have a car, it would be so difficult living there. The bus doesn't pass there at all and the road is so bad that in winter one can remain blocked for weeks!
I do not know what to do? I'm torn between reserving it to buy it later when I can get the money (my best friend in London would lend me a bit of money and my brother would send me some too but that would take some time), then I move to a nearby city or town and get a job or even relocate to Britain and work for few years and save up, then return, do the work and live there. But still, even I will not be having any bills (as I intend to have solar panels; no bill for water too or for rubbish collecting, as there is none, plus I do not generate any rubbish, etc), but still I need to have a sort of income to pay for living: the stuff I do not grow, feeding for the animals, wood for heating, etc.
I do not know what to do and scared that someone would buy this little house and then I will never have such a chance. And in the same time, I'm worried if I give a word to reserve it, then I have to buy it or lose the deposit if I change my mind later. The good thing it is not through a state agency but direct through the owner (and the friend of friend of friend who is the link between us and the owner).
If you are in my position, what shall you do? Be honest please.
Dear Cyrene,
ReplyDeleteit’s so difficult…! Are you sure to buy now in Italy??? Can you find a situation in rental? Could you speak with the owner for a rental…
And are you evaluating the difficulty of isolated house without car? A big hug Ely
Thanks dear Ely for your kind words. Yes I would love to buy in Italy and the reason I was thinking to go to another country is that I had never thought to find a house on sale in Italy for such a cheap price. I know it is hard to live without a car but I'm thinking to not live in it very soon, as I need to get a job and I might need to return to my country, UK, and work there for few years and come back for short breaks to pay for the work to be done (not a lot of work needed) but for the solar panels and the water system, etc. Then I might get an ape, hehe, and it would be ok for going to the nearby village :)
DeleteNo, it is not possible to rent because the owners want to sell it, plus I believe renting is wasting of money; just imagine the amount of money you pay each month and it is gone forever! I paid rent for some years here and when I did some calculations it came up to around 7.000 Euros! All gone forever. Even though I was paying a very low rent then!
As for this place, the rent I would pay for it in 4 or 5 years would be enough to buy it! So, you see, it will be a wasted money.
Anyway, I'm so grateful for your comment; I need this conversation to make me think more. So thank you a lot dear Ely :)
It's a pleasure dear Cyrene! yes your reasoning it's correct! My comment it's about italian law and a lot of due/tax...If I could I would leave this country immediately...but it's very very difficult.
ReplyDeleteok Cyrene see you soon. A hug Ely
I know, sadly all the young Italians I met want to leave Italy :( As for the housing tax, I do not think I will be paying any as it will be my first house and small; and even if I have to pay tax, it will be small amount as it is a small house with just a garden. I do not have to pay for water as the house is not connected to the main water; there is a spring and I have to find a way to purify the water for personal use (it will be one of the project I will do); there is no electricity too,, and I plan to have solar panels, so no electricity bill too. All these things need time and money, so if I buy the place, I will not be able to have them and will wait till I save up some money and pay for them. It will be a very log project.
DeleteI understand how laws are made to help big companies here; it is just crazy. In UK, anyone can start a small business from home, like making cakes and selling them to small cafes, etc. All you need to have is a certificate from the health office that you are free from any contagious diseases and the health and safety officer with visit your house to check that you have a functioning and clean (no mice running around) kitchen. That is it! But here in Italy it is impossible! One has to have a huge industrial kitchen to be able to make and sell any food! To start a business, one needs a lot of money to start. Someone I know wanted to open a shop for wheat-free products but then when she made all the sums, she found out that she has to have 40.000 euros just to start the shop, for all the tax and VAT, etc, she has to pay first! It is just crazy.
Anyway, as I like hot weather, I like to stay here, plus I have made friends and I know my way around, plus I speak the language. If I move into another country, then I have to start from all over again, unless I move back to UK, which I might do one day, if the prices go down a bit. It is very expensive there and for single people it is almost impossible to be able to afford rent for a flat!
Anyway, as the say, the grass is always greener the other side.
Thanks again my dear and I wish you all the best. Who knows, one day if I buy the place and fix it, you can come and visit me and stay for some days with me; it is so beautiful here in the mountain. :)
Dear Cyrene all correct! Yes Yes I'll come to meet you with a big pleasure!
ReplyDelete:) :)
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