Original subtitles

This view is priceless.

[narrator] Imagine a world of bargain dream real estate.

-Just $41,000. -[Larry] What?

This is unheard of for the States.

Global destinations.

-Bonjour! -I'm gonna embarrass myself.

[laughs] Fromagerie.

I love it!

Great way to meet your neighbors.

-Yeah. -[woman #1] Yeah.

-[bell tolling] -This architecture is amazing.

And local expert know-how.

[Suzanne] The cost of this in the States --

[Brittnee] I think it would be double for sure.

The cost of living here is so much more affordable

than the U.S.

It is definitely a bargain.

Thank you!

You can afford to live your dream.

Whoo! [laughs]

I can't believe this is going to be my new home.

At a price you never thought possible.

You did incredible!

This is exactly what we came all this way for.

-[Natalie] Cheers to our gelato. -Gelato.

Think you can get used to this?

[Natalie] Gelato every day? It's not like the States, huh?

Tuscany, one of Italy's best-loved regions,

a Mediterranean hotspot on the West Coast,

known for its amazing views and fabulous cuisine.

At just under two hours train ride

from both Rome and Milan,

its tourist hotspots, Florence and Pisa,

are famous around the globe.

And if you know where to look,

you can still find your dream home

for under $150,000 U.S. dollars.

-Yikes! -[Natalie] We've had this dream

to purchase a home in Italy

to move our family of four for about 20 years,

and the time has come.

-Whoo! -[Mike] I was a firefighter,

and this is gonna be retirement for me.

I'm gonna call it quits, too.

We are younger than most typical retirees,

but we've set a plan, and moving to Italy was part of that plan.

I'm gonna put my slippers on, and I'm gonna enjoy it.

We're coming from New Mexico. It's really dry.

We want to see some mountains, some trees,

some hills, some greenery.

[Natalie] We've decided on Tuscany

because we feel like it has all of that.

We're hoping we can find a bargain.

It's a great place to raise the kids.

-Wow. -Is that a school over there?

[Ryan] I'm really excited to learn more about the culture

and immerse myself in the language.

Because I feel like I'm already kind of decent at it,

but I'd like to get it to the top level for sure.

I love the food in Italy, and I also love all

the views, the mountains, the lakes, the rivers.

-I just love being out here. -[Natalie] It's safe.

They can run around.

They can do things that they can't do in the United States.

-[Mike] Learn another language. -And eat lots of pasta.

To find the real bargains,

Mike and Natalie require a little local know-how.

[Fabrizio] If you have a family, Tuscany is a great region to live

because it's peaceful, it's authentic, they know how

to live in a community, and, you know, they have

this strong sense of neighborhood.

So, guys, you wanna move to Italy, right?

-[Natalie] We do, yes! -[Fabrizio] It's great news.

-So, tell me, why now? -We're looking to slow down.

-[Fabrizio] Mm-hmm. -We're looking to live a slower pace of life

than we do in the United States.

And myself and the boys are dual Italian-U.S. citizens.

-Yes. -Wow, OK.

So we have an Italian passport.

-OK. -[Natalie] Which allows us to move here

and live here without any type of visa.

So, what are your expectations for this property?

We want to be in the mountains.

We're looking for a two-bedroom.

-The boys will share. -[Fabrizio] Mm-hmm.

-[Natalie] Two baths. -Mm-hmm.

And a property with a fairly good amount of square footage

for our family of four.

OK, so what about the budget?

Our budget is $100,000 to $120,000.

Are the boys join us?

No, they're gonna stay behind.

They're gonna go out adventuring.

-We'll move faster, probably. -Yes.

-Boys, enjoy your soccer. -Thank you.

[Fabrizio] See you.

Leaving the town of Lucca,

Fabrizio's driving Natalie and Mike an hour north

to the province of Massa-Carrara.

Famed for its exquisite Tuscan architecture,

rustic village homes,

and the small hilltop village of Verpiana.

[Natalie] I love Tuscany because this architecture --

we don't have these old wooden doors,

these windows, and the shutters. I love that.

Just 30 minutes from the coast, this classic family home

offers a quieter pace of life,

but is only an hour's drive to the city of Pisa.

At 1,300 square feet, this bargain compact house

is smaller than their home back in the States,

but the price per square foot is less than half

of what they'd pay in New Mexico.

OK, guys, here we are.

[Mike] Wow, the curb appeal is great.

[Natalie] This is exactly what I'm looking for.

[Fabrizio] This is a great location because schools

and sport facilities are just 15-minutes drive.

[Mike] It'd be perfect for the boys.

[Fabrizio] And one more huge plus is that this family home

is just $116,000 U.S. dollars.

-[Natalie] Good! -Wow, great bargain!

Ciao!

Friendly neighbors are also included in the price.

[Fabrizio] Now we got a friend.

OK, guys, let's have a look, please.

[Natalie] The last time we looked for a house together

was probably, maybe 17 years ago, so it's been a while.

-Wow. -[Mike] It looks really nice.

[Natalie] Nice natural light.

I can see this being our dining room

for our family dinners. I like it.

But do you put the TV down here, or no?

[Natalie] Maybe no TV.

I don't know if I can do without TV and sports.

[Natalie] Wow. Nice kitchen.

-Oh, the fireplace. -[Mike] The wood-burning fireplace.

Really nice.

With the main entryway and kitchen

on the ground floor,

upstairs there are two double bedrooms.

So this is a bedroom. It's nice and big.

This is actually a little bigger

than the boys' room in the U.S.

[Mike] We're gonna have to get used to the different tile.

We're used to always having one same color

throughout the whole house. -[Natalie] Right.

It's always consistent in the U.S.

[Mike] It's consistent, where out here,

the tile is a lot more different.

[Natalie] Oh, wow.

-This is a view. -[Mike] That's beautiful.

[Natalie] We definitely don't have this in the U.S.

-This is exactly what we came all this way for. -Yeah.

Honestly, with a view like this,

I am blown away that this house is within our budget.

[Mike] But where are we gonna barbecue?

Where do we set up, you know, for the kids?

Where are we gonna do our outside living?

Don't get me wrong, I'm OK not cutting grass.

Yeah, me too.

And pulling weeds, but we don't have outside space.

I don't know if I love that price,

for the inside of the home.

And not having a yard or anything for the boys,

it -- it's gonna be a little challenging.

OK, guys, what you think?

Um, the things that we may need to get used to

are the lack of modernization. -[Fabrizio] Mm-hmm.

[Mike] There's a lack of outside space.

-To spend time with family members, of course. -Yes.

But the view is unbelievable.

You nailed it on the view. I think it's a great start.

[speaking in Italian]

-Yep. -Good!

Great pronounce, good pronounce!

-[Ryan] Thank you. -Very well done.

[Natalie speaking in Italian]

To ensure the move to Italy is right for all the family,

it's important to take in as much culture

and pasta as possible.

Sunday lunch means family.

The way to spend time together, you know?

My grandma was shouting every time I was not going

to her home for Sunday lunch. -[all laugh]

You know, so this is part of our tradition.

[Natalie] So when I grew up,

I had a similar experience like you.

Sunday dinner at my grandmother's

was very important.

[Mike] The reason we're here is to create those family values

for our children, just like you experienced

with your family. When you --

Family first.

-[Natalie] Family first. -Yeah, always.

Tell me, how were finding, uh, this Italian adventure?

So far, I -- I really like Tuscany.

-I like the mountains and the architecture. -[Fabrizio] Mm-hmm.

-[Ryan] It's very cool. -[Fabrizio] What about the food?

My lips are numb. This is so hot.

[Natalie] What is it called again?

-Aglio. -[all] Aglio.

-Olio. -Olio.

-E peperoncino. -[all] E peperoncino.

-[all laugh] -It means garlic, oil, and chili pepper.

So if you see it on the menu again, you probably

shouldn't order it. -Yeah, it's a little too hot.

[all laugh]

Fabrizio has just found out about an amazing property

nestled in the mountain town of Corsagna,

a cozy medieval village close to the town of Bagni di Lucca.

Famous for its hot springs.

[Natalie] Good grief! Wow!

I'm already out of breath.

And steep climbs.

-[Natalie] Whew! -[Mike] Do you need me to pull you up the hill?

-[Natalie laughs] Yes. -[Mike laughs]

[Fabrizio] Don't worry, guys, it's not far.

[laughs] Trust me.

At just 30 minutes from the town of Lucca,

this could be the bargain home of their dreams.

-[Natalie] Whew! -Guys...

Here we are.

-[Natalie] It's beautiful. -[Mike] I just want to know why we did that walk

when I see nothing but cars here?

Well, look at that.

They're all Italian cars. [laughs]

-We'll definitely need a smaller car. -[car honking]

-[Mike] There's the car we need. -[all laugh]

I love all the stone. I love the wood.

[Natalie] This architecture is amazing.

You do not find this in the United States.

It is definitely giving family home vibes.

Well, I thought, according to what you told me already,

the family needs and stuff,

you might need a bit more space. -[Natalie] Mm-hmm.

[Fabrizio] And it's a little, little, little bit out

of your budget. It's $139,000 U.S. dollars.

But this house has five bedrooms.

-Five bedrooms? -[Fabrizio chuckles] Five bedrooms.

I think, uh, we need to see this.

Five bedrooms might be worth it.

Maybe spend a little more to get a little more.

Yeah, yeah.

Wow! This feels bigger already.

-[Mike] This is great. - [Natalie] Wow.

Look at that view.

This is so cool.

[Mike] That's amazing. I cannot believe

this could be ours.

This is exactly what we're looking for.

That is beautiful.

I could definitely get used to this.

Oh, me too. This is unbelievable.

[Mike] We haven't even seen the rest of the house yet.

[Natalie] And I already love it.

This stone townhouse, built in the mid 1600s

but recently renovated,

houses a sitting room on the main floor

and a combined kitchen, diner, and living space

on the lower ground floor.

The second and third floors house double bedrooms,

and two bathrooms.

[Mike] Be very careful. Look how steep this is.

Watch your head.

[Natalie] I love the exposed stairs.

Wow, look at this room. Here's my living room.

[Natalie] Oh my gosh! I love it!

Well, look at this.

Looks like I can pick up a new hobby.

[Natalie laughs]

[Mike laughs]

I think it's a perfect combination of a lot

of typical, authentic elements.

It's a piece of history for just $139,000.

-Let me just try this. -The space is nice.

Let me see how this is.

-Let me kick off these shoes. -[Natalie laughs]

-[Mike] That's great. -Well, does it feel like home?

-This feels like home. -[Natalie laughs]

Kitchen. Wow!

It's so big. Lots of counter space.

I love it!

-Nice seats -- -This is a beautiful kitchen.

Yeah, I -- I like that it has some storage.

This feels like an American kitchen.

I'm very excited.

I can see us as a family in this kitchen,

having dinner, cooking together.

I love it.

-First bedroom? -[Mike] Looks like a great size.

Yeah, it's a nice size. I love this old-world feel.

[Mike] We don't have a lot of homes with anything

like this. -No.

In the U.S., everything's much newer and more modern.

Ah, nice bathroom.

-[Mike] This is a good-sized bathroom. -[Natalie] It is.

-[Mike] Big shower. -Almost enough for two people.

I almost said that, but I didn't wanna sound cheesy.

[both laugh]

Look at this. This is perfect for us.

[Natalie laughs]

Aah! Another bathroom.

Love it.

Being a boy mom, this is my bathroom.

-I think we're gonna talk about that a little bit. -[chuckles]

Another bedroom. I love the vaulted ceiling.

-This would be our room. -[Mike] OK.

[Natalie] I love the size.

This isn't just a vacation or a holiday.

This is where we're moving our family to live.

We have to have that feeling.

We have to get that vibe of this is the one.

[Mike] Look at this. Another view.

-[Natalie] Lovely. -[Mike] Listen to that.

[birds chirping]

[Mike] It's quiet.

Coming from firefighter background,

big city, all the noises...

I really, really think I could get used to how quiet this is.

"Romeo, Romeo, where art thou, Romeo?"

[Mike chuckles]

-[Mike] Outdoor space. -I love it.

Could put a nice patio table.

Boys could play soccer, football.

But look, I don't have to mow the lawn.

-[Natalie] Right? -Could this be our family home?

It has great space.

The boys could have their own rooms, they're not sharing.

-A great kitchen space. -[Fabrizio] I can't wait.

[chuckles] What do you think about it?

[Mike] Well, you definitely did great on this property.

[Natalie] I feel like it has plenty of space for our family.

But obviously, it's a little over budget.

The budget is just something we can deal with.

Everything in this life is negotiable.

That's good, because I love it.

The charm of Tuscany is its changing seasons,

which gives Fabrizio a chance to share the key

to living like a local.

Italians, you know, we are master in the art

of doing nothing.

We kind of have a brand, you know, all the world

copy it. It's -- [speaking in Italian]

[both] Dolce far niente.

"Dolce" is "sweet."

"Far" means "doing." "Niente" is "nothing."

[Mike] We can't wait to do nothing.

[Fabrizio laughs] I think you have to learn how to do it.

It's -- it's very different than the U.S.

-I know, of course. -We're always --

-In a rush. -[Mike] Yes, in a rush.

I could get used to this.

[Fabrizio] The sweet art of doing nothing.

Before Mike and Natalie can truly relax,

Fabrizio is taking them to an absolute bargain

of a family home.

An hour's drive north of Corsagna

lies the picturesque lakeside village of Vagli Sotto.

The rain is beautiful. We don't have this at home.

[Mike] No, not at all. New Mexico, it's extremely dry.

I love it. I love it.

And look at the fog on the mountain.

-It almost looks like snow. -[Fabrizio] Magic.

-[Mike] It is magic. -It's magic.

-Yeah. -[Natalie] It is.

The village sits by one of the largest man-made lakes

in Europe -- Lago di Vagli.

[Fabrizio] Oh, oh, oh, it's here.

Oh, here it is?

Yeah, it's this one.

This picturesque three-story home comes

with an unbelievable price tag.

The reason why I took you here in this beautiful rainy day,

is because this location is amazing

and it's just $87,000 U.S. dollars.

-Wow! -Wha -- [chuckles]

We can't get much in New Mexico for that.

Not even a garage, probably?

-A garage? -No, no garage.

[Natalie] Definitely not. Nothing for that price.

This 860-square-foot home, set over three floors,

is filled with authentic Italian charm,

and all within walking distance of local bars and restaurants.

-Wow. -[Natalie] Wow.

[Mike] It's a little tight, but it's authentic.

[Natalie] Look at this.

-[Mike] Yes. -[Natalie] That is so cool.

-[Mike] It's amazing. -[Natalie] Should we check out upstairs?

The ground floor has a foyer, laundry room,

and bathroom with shower.

The first floor is a dedicated kitchen.

The second and third floors house the two double bedrooms.

Oh, wow.

[Mike] I have to tell you, for tight quarters,

this is a warm, inviting kitchen. -It is.

Wow! It has a fireplace?

It is very cool.

I love this again, this old wrought-iron metal.

-I could see this being really fun. -[Mike] S'mores.

-We could do s'mores on the fireplace. -[Natalie] S'mores!

For sure.

-[Mike] More stairs. -More stairs.

-[Mike] Might have to get used to going up some stairs. -[Natalie] Yep.

It's cute. The angles.

I love the different angles.

-[Mike] Look at the stone in this. -[Natalie gasps]

-Oh, my gosh, I love it. -[Mike] It's great.

Look, the wood mantel.

-Great wood mantel -- -How old do you think that is?

If this thing could tell stories.

[Natalie] Oh, my gosh. I love it.

As of right now, I like

the feel of this home. -[Natalie] I do, too.

You can tell there was a lot of love here.

Oh!

Look.

[Mike] It's like the boys are gonna have their own tree house.

[Natalie] You don't see wood like this at home.

Oh, my gosh. I love it.

[Mike] This would be great for the boys.

[Natalie] Now, do you think, though, if they stand up,

they might hit their head, right?

[Mike] It could be a possibility.

They're not gonna be jumping on the beds in here.

[Natalie laughing] No.

However, there's no wardrobe, there's no closets.

I guess we're gonna have to figure out

where we would put that.

And I only saw one bathroom

and it's all the way downstairs. -[Natalie] Downstairs.

So there are some challenges with this house,

but the price is unbelievable. At $87,000, you can't even

touch anything in the United States for that.

[Mike] It might be a little tight for a family of four,

but that property was beautiful.

[Fabrizio] Do you think the kids will like it?

[Mike] We definitely think they're gonna love

the outside, the lake. -[Fabrizio laughs]

[Mike] There's something about this house.

That home had a lot of what we want to feel

when we're out here in Italy. -Mm-hmm.

This makes me pretty happy.

[Natalie] This home feels like Italy.

It has the characteristics of Italy.

It really makes moving to Italy feel more within reach.

Tuscany blew me away.

I mean, it is unlike anything I've ever seen.

The mountains -- even the rain and the fog was gorgeous.

You know, we don't see that stuff at home.

-The views, everything is so much fun to see. -Yeah.

You know, something I realized on this is,

I've married a girl that likes some antiques.

And apparently lots of wood.

[Natalie] I do. I love it.

It's so different.

The village house, you know, you start thinking

about the size of our family and the boys.

I don't know if they'd be able to deal with those spaces.

[Natalie] Yeah, I thought the same thing.

That lake house property.

[Mike] You know, that one was on the market for $87,000.

That's a great price.

That leaves so much more room in our budget

to make changes to the property if we need to. -[Mike] Right.

The stone townhouse.

[Natalie] The stone townhouse, it was awesome.

I mean, walking into that property

and just immediately seeing that view -- -[Mike] Right.

It kind of sold me.

Well, the bedrooms, your own bathroom.

And the fact that the boys would be able to have

their own bedrooms. -Yeah.

Because the kids are fairly young still

and they're still going to grow,

and I don't wanna outgrow a property

and then have to end up looking for another property.

I think, uh,

maybe we can figure something out.

It's very exciting. Taking that final leap is here.

-You ready to leap together? -I'm ready to leap.

[both speaking in Italian]

We have been thinking a lot about the stone townhouse

and the lakeside house.

We really liked the lakeside house.

However, we realized that it is a bit small

for our family of four.

[Mike] And Ryan and Carson, they just keep growing.

As much as we love the stone townhouse,

we got to be realistic. We're retiring soon

and we got to stick within our $120,000 budget.

The Tuscan dream is definitely still a reality.

So our plan moving forward is we're gonna find

a rental home in Lucca

and we'll be able to use that as our home base.

And then we can go and continue our search,

and I'm pretty confident that we can find

our forever Italian dream home.

Ciao.