Column: Dream house wanted in Italy

Moving to Italy. I've been toying with that thought all my life. But for all kinds of reasons that have to do with work and relationships, I can't seem to find my dream house in Italy and live there.

And then you turn 60 and before you know it 63 again. And then the realization starts to sink in that it is now or never.

There are still obstacles that prevent me from making a permanent move. But in April of this year I suddenly thought: there must be a sleeve that can be adjusted?

my mother

The main reason that stops me is my mother. 90 years old and still living independently.

Suddenly I had the solution. My sister lives in France and I want to buy a house in Italy. What if I sold my house in the Netherlands and bought a house in Italy? Then my sister and I could take turns living with my mother. When I am with my mother, my sister can stay in France and when she is with my mother, I can go back to Italy. Luckily my sister thought it was a good plan.

The roadmap

I immediately started with step 1: I put my house up for sale. The market is picking up, I hope it doesn't have to be for sale for years.

Step 2: find a house in Italy.

How do you handle that? On the internet sites of real estate agents I soon lost track. I am not interested in projects for foreigners who want to buy a house in Italy. I don't want to be among the Germans or British, I want to live among the Italians!

Another complication is that I don't like flying. The cottage must therefore be located in the north, reachable by car in about 13 hours.

Dream house wanted

One evening I was at the program Dream house Wanted and I thought: I'll give up, you never know, they often find very affordable houses. I'm just trying.

After a week I was called: test shots were made and people were enthusiastic. Only: we had to be together: I immediately thought of my sister. On July 26 we left for the region with a television crew from Omroep Max piedmont, where the editors had selected 3 houses for me.

Until the broadcast (spring 2016) I am not allowed to say much about it, but one of the houses was indeed a dream house. I have since been back and I am still excited. I just hope it stays for sale for the time being, because I also have doubts. It is located in a fairly isolated village.

My friends on Monte Isola in the Iseomer had also found me a house. So I have already seen that house. But it was expensive and not really nice. The houses in the Iseo area are much more expensive than those in Piedmont. Only: I have friends here and not in Piedmont. What weighs heavier?

Liguria

Last month I went to Italy again, also to see another region: the hinterland of Liguria. The houses there are also very affordable.

I rode through places like Apricale, Baiardo, Pigna, Triora, Molini di Triora, Castelvittorio, Montealto, Ceriana and Taggia. There are many Germans and Scandinavians living everywhere, but I find the places very isolated.

We even got a lone German who lived in Baiardo after us and almost begged us to come and have an espresso at his house. A beautiful region, but not to live there.

Ferrara

There's one more potential spot for my Italian dream home that's been ringing in my head: Ferrara.

The city I've been to dozens of times because I did the research for my thesis here. Ferrara, the pink city, the culture city. An expensive city too, a bit chic. I think it's beyond my financial capabilities.

On the way back from the holiday I walked a Raststätte within. Suddenly I saw an old colleague sitting there. How is it possible! We greeted each other and he introduced me to his wife. He told me they had just come from her sister. She had just bought a house in Ferrara with her husband.

Later, when I walked back to the car, my traveling companion said: 'Ien, this is a pointer. You should also go and see Ferrara. And now I'm going to Ferrara for a few more days this month. You never know…'

Update December 2015

The Droomhuis Gezocht broadcast is on March 14, 2016. I am now busy closing the Bussum period (my house has been sold!) and I am in consultation with the real estate agent in Italy about my dream house in Piedmont.

Update March 2016

Yesterday evening, March 14, 2016, the Droomhuis Gezocht broadcast in which Ineke found her own dream house in Italy (in the region piedmont) chose. It became the first house that Sybrand Niessen showed the sisters. A 100 year old house that has been stylishly refurbished inside and with a spacious kitchen.

It is located in the village Mombarcaro in the province Cuneo. For the people who wondered on Twitter whether Ineke is actually going to buy the house: yes, the transfer is on April 11th.

📺Missed broadcast? Here you can watch the episode of Dream House Wanted.