Test Before You Buy. Why Living in a Place First Is the Smartest Way to Invest in Italy (and Avoid Big Mistakes).
Whether you're planning to relocate or invest in multiple properties, don’t let the dream blur your judgment.
Italy is a beautiful place — but beauty alone doesn’t make a house profitable, liveable, or manageable. Here's what no agent will tell you — and how we're doing things differently.
PREAMBLE
Every day, we receive messages from international property investors — some naïve, others quite sharp — who seem to have just "discovered" the Italian village market.
Often, they write as if they’ve spotted a hidden treasure everyone else has somehow missed. "Why not buy cheap, get some grants, rent short-term, use a little leverage — how hard can it be?"
And honestly, when We see this approach, We usually say: “Go ahead. Do it. But not with us. Not with ITS ITALY.”
There’s often an underlying presumption — one some Italian destinations unfortunately encouraged with ridiculous media stories about €1 homes — that money alone will solve everything, as if success were simply a matter of spreadsheets and cheap acquisition costs.
That the market was blind for decades, and now they, the "smart ones," have cracked the code.
But reality disagrees. A quick look at occupancy data from platforms like AirDNA shows that in most small Italian towns, short-term rentals struggle to reach even 20% annual occupancy. After expenses, taxes, and local overheads, there’s often not enough margin to cover even minimal debt service. And it’s not the kind of regeneration that’s needed right now. It’s not necessarily bad, but it’s not THE Solution.
So what’s missing? The answer is simple: these places need livability first — not speculation.
Investing in residential life, in services, in community infrastructure is what creates real value.
What we’ve seen work is something else entirely:
A lifestyle choice, a commitment to place, that can evolve into a smart (and modest) investment. But if you approach these towns like a spreadsheet exercise, with the mindset of a developer...
You’re likely to fail — and honestly, you might even deserve it.
That’s why we built a different path, for people who see these places as life opportunities first — and who may also happen to be financially savvy.
For us, it’s not about the property itself. It’s about how you arrive at that choice. That’s the real message — and our challenge to you.
1. Not Every Italian Village is the Same — And That’s the Point
One of the biggest mistakes buyers make? Assuming that "Italy is Italy." It’s not.
A charming hilltop village in Tuscany is a different world from a sun-drenched hamlet in Puglia or a rugged Sicilian town clinging to the mountainside.
Culture, climate, logistics, community, services, WiFi speed, even social dynamics — all vary dramatically from one village to another.
And what looks enchanting on Instagram may feel isolating, poorly connected, or economically unsustainable in real life.
That’s why we encourage you to spend real time in a place — not as a tourist, but as a test resident — before making a decision.
Call it emotional due diligence.
2. Buying More Than One Property? Great. But Be Smarter Than the Market Hype
We get it. Some people don’t just want to buy a home — they want to buy more than one. For investment. For rental income. For future development.
And that’s perfectly valid. But here’s what most agents won’t tell you:
Many investors get it very wrong.
They buy based on hope, not data.
They overlook local dynamics.
They underestimate costs and overestimate returns.
And they have zero idea of how hard it is to manage a property in Italy — especially if you don’t live there.
In short, they get seduced by "cheap houses in beautiful places" and end up with:
Unrealistic expectations
Empty properties
Difficulties with management, tax, and bureaucracy
Little or no community integration
And once you’ve signed the deed, the typical real estate agent disappears. That’s when the problems really start.
3. Our Approach: Properties Designed to Be Lived In — and Managed Well
Unlike traditional property sales, we’re not here to offload houses.
We work on regeneration projects that only make sense if:
The homes can be lived in by real people (not just fantasy buyers)
The properties can be rented and managed easily for flexible use (both short and medium-term stays)
The location offers more than just beauty — it offers potential and resilience
That’s why every property we renovate comes with a dual purpose in mind:
It can welcome full-time residents who want to start a life here (with onboarding support)
It can be used for seasonal rentals or long stays by digital workers and travelers
Our mission isn’t to flip houses. It’s to build functioning ecosystems.
4. Digital Nomads Aren’t Tourists. They Need a Different Kind of Italy.
We’ve seen it happen too often: small towns roll out the red carpet for "digital nomads" — and then offer them Airbnb rentals or short leases at tourist prices.
But here’s the truth:
Digital nomads aren’t just on holiday. They need homes with:
Decent WiFi
Quiet workspaces
Affordable, flexible leases
A minimum stay of 1 to 6 months
A livable, local rhythm that isn’t seasonal
They want to integrate — not vacation.
That’s why in some of our ‘destinations’, we’ve worked to provide:
Flexible rent models (longer than Airbnb, more flexible than traditional leases)
Rent-to-buy options (where rent builds equity if you later choose to buy)
Live-before-you-buy opportunities (try the house before deciding)
This is how ITS ITALY is rethinking real estate — with life, work, and hospitality at the center.
5. Why We Only Do This in a Few Places (For Now)
It’s easy to launch real estate portals. It’s much harder to build trust and real-world infrastructure.
That’s why, out of the 20+ towns we’ve scouted, studied and invested in, only two are currently ready for our full “test before you buy” experience:
🏡 Caprarica di Lecce (Puglia)
🏡 Mussomeli (Sicily)
We didn’t choose them because they’re trendy. We chose them because we could:
Renovate homes that make sense for real lives (not just investor fantasies)
Build community partnerships
Offer real services for residents and long-stay guests
Operate with transparency and long-term vision
And we’re expanding soon — but only where the conditions are right.
6. The Takeaway: Try Before You Tie Yourself Down
Whether you’re dreaming of living in Italy or hoping to turn property into passive income, don’t rush it.
Don’t trust the glossy photos.
Don’t believe the "it rents itself!" pitch.
And don’t buy three houses in a place you’ve never spent more than a weekend.
Instead, live there. Work there. Cook a meal in the kitchen. Try a Zoom call in the living room. Talk to a neighbor.
Then decide.
Final Thoughts
Italy isn’t just a destination.
It’s a commitment.
And the best way to make it work — for your life or your investment — is to live it first.
We’re here to help you do exactly that — with honesty, flexibility, and all the support traditional real estate never offers.
✅ Explore our current destinations at www.itsjournal.com
📬 Interested in living or investing? Write to us at info@itsfor.it with subject: “Test Before I Buy”
🧳 Ready to spend a season in the village before deciding? We’ll make it possible.