Out of personal experience: I would always abstain from putting dry wall on moist walls. This creates an ideal climate for black mould growing in-between the walls. Even if you don´t see it, it might cause health problems. The only viable way I see is to block out all possible sources of moisture entering from above and from the ground, the usage of silicate plaster and colours and a good heating system.
@@fuckit1967 again out of personal experience: this might even worsen it. There is not only humidity inside but also outside plus it might cool down the space. In summer time it might help to some extent - especially in the dry Sicilian climate - but in winter time the air cools down at night and dispenses the air humidity to cool surfaces (below 13 degrees C), leading to more moisture and mould. Much better are electric dehumidifiers connected to the water drainage. They cost around 100-200€ and lower the moisture levels of the air and surfaces significantly but use also a lot of electricity.
long story short: leave walls breathable and open. Don't use plastic painting. Create drainage on ground level and around bearing outside. walls. Facade walls should be breathable as well, if painting use lime. Greetings from 🇩🇰
@@robert_sovitskyyou cant be sure and depends how inner construction materials has been done. Serious work REQUIRES proffessionals! Just because it looks good it doesnt needs to be good.... Do you research before doing any home renovation. Cheers
Hi I am a renovator of some years and I really need to say I love your thoughtfulness and the detail you are going to sharing what you are doing. I remember seeing this reno and thinking why am i seeing a reno I could see in Australia, UK or USA when I am in Italy. You now must learn how to renovate and maintain the integrity of the age of a building. These original walls need to be treated with a breathable surface treatment, this allows the stone to breath. the moisture is a direct result of the plaster and rendering. If you look at the renos being done in Salento they are removing the render so the building can breath again. You need to look more at the balance of old with the new, I dont want to go to Italy and live in a modern house, I want the age and patina of these old houses. Having said all of this you have inspired me to go to this part of Italy and look at houses. I am seriously addicted to renovating and I have on my bucket list one in Italy and one in France. I cannot wait. I will definitely look you up, you have a beautiful spirit and are so generous to share with the world your renovating adventures.
Hi Anne, thank you for sharing what you would do. What I recommend is you should do exactly what you are recommending for yourself. That's the beauty of life we are all entitled to an opinion and to do what we want want with our money.
I just found your videos and channel. My wife and I dream of living in Sicily, this is very good information to know! While we cant afford it yet this does aid us in our planning
Hi Karl, great video. Thanks for explaining some of the damp issue. We are leaving in 11 days to head to our new fixer upper in Calabria. I plan to discuss that issue during our remodeling appt. I totally get what you’re saying about adding some Italian feel and warmth, we plan to do similar. I get a lot of inspiration from looking at Italian air bnb’s. I can’t wait for our project and to be back in our village. Btw, your a local now speaking with your hands lol.
IKEA has great kitchens, I placed one in my home here in the states 11 years ago and it still looks brand new. Even my contractor commented on how good the quality was.
Same. My kitchen is all IKEA, wooden cabinets. A contractor didn't believe that it was IKEA either. I had to pull out the manufacturer booklets to prove it.
Hi Karl! Thank you so much for sharing your experience on renovating homes 🏡 In Italy 🇮🇹 . It’s such a refreshing experience to see people of color, branching out and showing others to create generational wealth, while being a breath of fresh air to communities.
Their it goes,,why do people ( Color ) always have to refer to people as color, just say great job. and leave it at that....everything is always about race, yet certain people always bring up race..
Karl thanks for sharing the behind the scenes! Wow I didn't know about the humidity issue. In 2020, I was considering purchasing one of those 1 euro homes as my first investment property but I ultimately ended up purchasing a four apartment rental property here in the states. It is a 250 year old home and needed a gut renovation. On my channel, I'm sharing what it was like buying, rehabbing, and managing my rental property.
@@Karl__Pierre thank you! I went to Sicily for 2 weeks in 2019 and fell in love so I appreciate you sharing your experience buying, renovating, and living there. It helps us stateside feel more confident giving it a go 😊
Funny - I started watching your videos two or three years ago just as the pandemic was starting so I put my plans regarding Italy on hold. Now that Italy is open again, your content will be my guide to if and how I might buy property in Italy or Sicily. (Sicilians view themselves as a separate country.) I hear Albania has cheap property too but it's just not the same.
Your videos are amazing and what a beautiful place you and your team have created. I'm heading over to Musomelli next month to explore doing the exact same, I'm on a budget but your videos make it feel so doable THANK YOU 🙏🏾
I am a little sad about this Reno.The house as you bought it I feel only needed light renovations.it had a lot of character which I feel has now been eroded. An incredible buy for the money! Your original idea for renovation was spot on. Consider your market for rental as well as for sale and what they are looking for and it is certainly not a bland boxlike place. They want the character and feel of the old town and of Sicily but slightly updated. It is a one bed and that is something to consider. Who will pay this kind of money for just a one bed when they can get a premium property in the same town with more rooms and in great condition needing very minimal work for €25k upwards? Your original instincts were spot on I think and that is the lesson here. I am not trashing your property as you have updated it and made sure electrical etc are in top condition but in my very humble opinion you could have spent less. Still, someone will come along and fall in love with it eventually and I wish you luck with it.
For sure I could have spent less. Instead I spent more and chose to take a modern take on this one to show what is possible for those who prefer a more modern setting while also wanting the old town charm. Also decor can help bring some of that back in.
@@Karl__Pierre5:12 that pipe could be done much better. I also agree with the origin poster: the house inside has lost its charm, but congrats on your purchase.
It has been fascinating watching your journey with the Italian properties. I also came across another channel, 'Leave Everything and Wander'. They have recently bought a 1 Euro house in Sicily and are currently renovating it. The level of renovation required seems to be on par with what you had to deal with. I'm wondering, as they are Italian, whether that makes a difference to the quality of home that is available to buyers, as I thought that anything decent, and in that bracket, was snapped up a long time ago?
8:31 What are the taxes on the property? 9:19 When does the water supply fluctuate in Sicily? Where does the tank water come from? Is the tank water supply available all the time?
Have you done a video of the renovation or the 2nd of the 2 houses you bought initially, ie the one you live in with your family, not the AirBnB. That would be interesting!
Yes, I'm releasing soon, but it's not done yet. It will be done this summer. I'm living in it as the work progresses. All that is left is decorative and some minor other fixes. Also the first floor bathroom remodel but that might be in a year or two.
These cheaper homes aren't investment grade in my opinion. Better for vacation homes. But if you are interested in investing in real estate check out my courses and group investment options on my website www.entplife.com so you can see what I am doing firsthand and have someone to guide you.
I would have done something about a damp at ground level I.e. a damp course. Damp courses can be easily established with the newer products which are injected into drill holes in the walls. It then inundates the level being drilled, easier to apply than underpinning and works well. That will solve major damp problems but will not fix sad roofs and leaky windows.
As an American, you can start with a long-stay visa, which is valid for over 90 days, and then apply for a residency permit (Permesso di Soggiorno) once you're in Italy. It's best to consult with a legal expert or immigration advisor to guide you through the specific requirements and process.
Ok since you bought this home as a premier property. Is there still a time frame you need to get renovations done or you can go according to your cashflow and pace yourself?
any chance of a video on the real world numbers associated with living in Italy? like how much do you pay in property tax or by living there how much do you pay in income tax, as you can tell your vids have peaked my interest in the prospect of moving to Italy
Property taxes on my properties are less than $700 a year. And income tax no idea since I'm not a resident of Italy I don't have to pay income tax. I can try to do a video on soft costs. There's also another video here where I cover the cost of living in this town.
I can explain, since I'm Italian with properties. You don't pay any taxes on your home. I mean, the residential one where you live in. Moreover, if you have debts with the State it cannot reposses it. You start to pay taxes from your 2nd house (and could be repossessed in case of debts over 120.000 euros with the State). So if you buy a house in Italy, and you don't want to pay txes on it, you must move yourself as an immigrant and register yourself in the house as a stable residential. Taxes on propertis are calculated on the "rendita catastale" (cadastral income) decided by the State.. Every house has one, depending on it's age, how far is from services, it's value on the market, etc.. There are categories, such as A1 = luxury, A3 = residential, C1 = garages, etc. and each of one has it's percentage. For example: if you have an apartment of about 60mq near Milan, which is a big city in northern Italy,, you could have a cadastral income of about 350-400 euros, which means about 80 euros (almost 90$) in taxes per year, according of the calcules on a A3 (residential) house. In Italy you pay taxes only on properties the State consider as a possibile incomes, and not just for living.
COULD. YOU PLS. INBOX ME REGARDING THE PURCHASE 'HOW TO'...I WAS IN ITALY IN 2018 FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND LOVED IT?! I WOULD CONSIDER DOING THIS! THANKS
If the walls are plaster over the stone, I'd remove plaster and replace it with a mold resistant plaster or just paint the stone walls. But then I have severe mold sensitivity and have become ill from mold on drywall. It's a magnet for mold.
Very good video. Articulate informative and realistic. I am now thinking about a home. I am retired and moved to Spain. Have been disappointed. My son lived in Santander Maria outside of Naples. I am going to contact your website and hopefully can find a 2 bedroom for under 10,000
@CJ-ph6zk just telling you the reality of what's possible I'm here now and based on what I saw if you want something move in ready 2br 20k will do it. 10k gets you something that will need work. You can live your life looking for conspiracies that's cool
I could live there year round but wont because I want my kids to be raised with a more popular language. Italy is a nice country, good cost of living vs lifestyle, but with 2 little kids I would rather then grow up learning Spanish, English, Portiguese, Mandarin.
I'm interested in moving to Italy on a digital nomad visa, but I need a fast internet connection to work remotely. How is the internet in Sicily compared to places like Tuscany and Umbria?
@@Karl__Pierre Thank you for the fast response. We're going to be traveling Italy in March and April to find out if, and where we want to live. I have a data privacy consulting company and concentrate on life science, healthcare, and medical device companies. Currently my clients are mostly US companies who are expanding into the EU, but I also have clients in the EU, UAE, and Saudi Arabia.
what are the first steps when you have the cash ready? Would I need a real estate agent or a buyers agent? also how long did the process take for you to actually buy the home?
Does Sicily have an inspection process whereby they certify the property as safe to inhabit? I could see myself there but would have to renovate sloooooowly
@@Karl__Pierre that's unfortunate. Good to know though I just watched that video the other day. Didn't seem like he had a good business model. Do you know if anyone has been successful that is not a resident?
Because I have 3 properties in the town. I bought another house next door to my other house. The one I recently got for $1 and posted. I will combine those 2 houses as my home with guest attached...no need for the other
While I admire him, I wish he'd add "plus fees or costs" when he says he paid €5,000 for his home. Simply stating that price gets dreamers like me excited not realizing he invested additional money to reno and protect the property from potential future weather issues and typical wear and tear
Biggest issue: The original house was $5K for a reason. Location, location, Location! You can get tons of low prices homes/apartments/ruins in central and southern Italy because over the decades the populations have moved away to the big cities. So you have to ask yourself: "Is the money investment to renovate for personal use or future sale?" If it is for you, . . .do your thing but just know you will probably never get that renovation investment back on a future sale. These videos look good and have interesting content but the practical realities of owning in Italy need a much deeper dive.
Because I have 2. A two bedroom 3 level house for my family and this why. I don't need two I bought this one because I thought it would be a fun project.
@@bambino920 that could be certain places if 1 euro homes. The 1 euro homes that are managed by the local government have conditions attached. This house I bought for 5000 euros and there were no conditions
There are a few sites. But mostly you'll find homes between 10-30k we are assisting with properties we are marketing on www.cheaphousesinitaly.com reach out and I'll put you on the list of what we have.
I am have Italian I will like to buy property in south Italy. I was tinkering buy old house and renewing and selling but the town I am freed there will no buyer
Renovation will cost 5-600 Euros per square meter. Double that for extensive renovations. These costs assume that there aren't major undetected problems and that you'll find a competent and honest contractor (which in some areas is next to impossible). If you need to go to an Italian court of "justice", you'll never see your money again. EVER!
I’m curious your opinion on flipping a house in an undesirable neighborhood. I am here in the states and wanting to get into house flipping. We have one property that we lived in and now rent out. Is it worth it to try to flip a house that is in an undesirable neighborhood in the US?
the renovations + everything you purchased that can be seen in this video and the other videos about this renovation of this house, do not amount to half of what you have stated. I was following you profusely and enthusiastically to get involved, and you have just murdered my appetite, because you raising the costs implies to me that there is a hidden agenda. The renovation and furnishings cost you no where near 38000
Ok idk what to tell you if you choose not to believe that that's on you. I could have done it for 25 if I didn't duplicate work the first time I had the paint scraped and then my friend convinced me to redo it and she'll manage the design and renovations. Labor is inexpensive and what drives prices here. The next house I'll do a video just for you to dispense this unjustified doubt based on what you feel vs reality.
@@Karl__Pierre First of all, I applaud the type of work you are doing, lets set that aside. You are saying in this video, that in hindsight, you could have done it all for 38k instead of 46k (including purchase cost). That would mean only 8k less, but now you are saying that you could have done the renovations for 25k instead of 38k (not including purchase costs). Yet that is 13k less, now these may seem like small numbers you are fluctuating with, but they are large percentages of the entire property cost. So my question to you: why did you say in the video you could have done it for 8000 cheaper and why are you now saying 13,000 cheaper, what has changed since you did the video.
@Rami-Jarrah the approach, familiarity with what works, The contractor being my partner and completing work at cost, no reworks due to changing my mind, no time lost to covid not including furniture, not having to pay Cecilia for project management and design. For example the house I just bought starting from scratch in worse shape with a design already done my quote 28k. As long as the work is continuous since the labor is salaried. If I start and stop and change my mind the crew still needs to get paid. On this job we redid work that was already done. I didn't like the AC placements had to do the install twice and repairs. The built in closets and shelves were an after thought had they been done at the same time less costs since there is down time when installing drywall. This is a 6 week job 4xlaborers at 1200 euros a month. That's 7200-8k labor. Everything else is hard materials and miscellaneous " we need to fix this unforseen issue". Tiles are all original bathroom is epoxy of 80/sq feet this isn't a huge job by any stretch. In the USA it would be maybe 3-5x the cost mainly due to labor and inspections. Bathroom materials seen here are less than 1500 2 guys 10 days that's 2700! No way I can do that in the States and I flip properties here. 4 man crew runs 6k a week just a different ball game.
@@Karl__Pierre What is that saying, where one can say too much and it ends up being worse off than saying too little? Are you basically saying that when you said it could have cost you 8000 less in this video, you were in fact wrong, and it could have cost you 13000 less?
With this total price it lose all point of cheap house. For 40k I can already buy house what is done and save the hassle. 20k total is good, up from that then only if I can get one in sea side and only because location.
