A big change on the horizon for the Florence housing market.
What does the new housing ordinance mean for long-term renters and tourists visiting the historic center of Firenze?
Ciao, amici! Benvenuti a tutti. This week’s newsletter is packed with valuable information to fuel your Italian dreams..as well as some breaking news. Pour yourself an espresso as we dive into the Italian lifestyle, some mindset motivation, a colorful location spotlight, an insightful cost of living comparison, and more!
What does this mean for the Florence housing scene? ⚜️🏡
Just this week, Florence’s city council voted to stop all short-term rental permits within the UNESCO area (city center). The new law is a response to the lack of affordable housing for local residents and is expected to be fully approved within two months.
According to Major Dario Nardella, local support for the new law is overwhelming:
If you’re looking to rent in Florence long-term, this ordinance may help in your house hunt but investors may have to look elsewhere for now. Could this movement spread to other popular areas throughout Italy?
Share your thoughts on this new law in the comments.
The 5 Pillars of the Italian Lifestyle 🍽️ 🚶🏽♂️⚖️
A love for Italy means a love for the Italian lifestyle. It’s sometimes hard to describe in words — it’s more of a feeling.
Coming from North America, life is often about reaching goals, chasing a trend, or trying to maintain a pace that leaves us tired and tapped out. I imagine it’s the same for many other parts of the world. Conversely, it’s common to hear that people in Italy live longer and richer lives with much less stress.
Why do you think this is?
Smart Move Italy’s “Chief Dream Maker,” Samantha Wilson, sums up Italy’s lifestyle using 5 defining pillars:
Eat well
Stay active
Live simply
Connect with community
Find balance
For those of us who dream of a life in Italy, these 5 pillars could be the reasons behind our passion for the Bel Paese.
While it’s difficult to separate them (they’re more of a package deal), perhaps one of these pillars resonates with you more than the others. If so, share it in the comments. I’d love to hear what you love most about the Italian lifestyle.
Your Italian Mindset: Getting out of your Comfort Zone 😳
There’s just something about a comfort zone. It’s familiar, predictable, safe, and, well, comfortable.
It can also be limiting. As I pursue my path to Italy, I’ve realized that discomfort is part of the journey.
Learning a new language is hard…for the brain and the ego. Searching for property leads to a whole list of questions, mainly based on how difficult it will be to integrate into a new community. For many, figuring out exactly how to stay in Italy is like a giant jigsaw puzzle. None of it is easy.
If you dream of a life in Italy but feel stuck, perhaps you’re having trouble escaping your comfort zone. If so, consider the fact that great things happen when we challenge ourselves.
I’ve always told my kids, “You can do hard things.” 💪🏼 Now, I find myself repeating these words as I tackle Italian prepositions (!!!) and navigate my citizenship application. There’s just something about a comfort zone. It could be keeping you from an amazing life in Italy.
Location Spotlight: Spello, Umbria 🌻 🥖 🌿🏡
If your vision of Italy includes quaint stone houses, meandering streets lined with pots overflowing with bursts of color, and traditional festivals that welcome locals and visitors alike, then you may belong in Spello. A hilltop town carved into Mount Subasio, Spello is smack in the middle of Italy. It’s a treasure that deserves exploration.
With a rich agricultural history, Spello celebrates its most precious product, olive oil, during Oro di Spello (Gold of Spello) during the third week of November. This festival aligns with the end of the olive harvesting season.
In May, the town explodes with blooms as residents go over the top with their displays of flowers and greenery. This tradition is called Finestre, Balconi e Vicoli Fioriti (blooming windows, balconies, and alleys) and it’s a cornerstone of Spello’s charm.
Sticking with the horticulture theme, Spello’s Infiorata is on many a bucket list. This festival takes place on the 9th Sunday after Easter in preparation for the Corpus Domini feast. Teams of locals and artisans literally carpet the stone alleys with unbelievable displays of fragrant flowers and other organic materials.
Fast Facts
🌸 Province: Perugia 🌸 Region: Umbria 🌸 Population: ~8,264 🌸 Elevation: 280 m
Considering buying or renting in Spello? Excellent choice. Here are the recent averages, based on August 2023 prices:
Is Spello calling you? Smart Move Italy Property is a full-service real estate and relocation team representing foreign buyers in Italy. Visit the site and schedule a FREE consultation.
Retire in Italy - The cost of living 📈
Retiring in Italy is an attractive option for so many reasons — quality of life, cultural opportunities, ease of travel. etc… Whatever your reason for considering the Bel Paese, the cost of living, compared to many other parts of the world, including North America and other parts of Europe, is probably high on your list.
Looking for some motivation to pursue your Italian retirement dreams? Try plugging in your city (or closest city) and your favorite Italian location into Numbeo.com. Here’s an example of a cost of living comparison between Houston, Texas and Perugia, Umbria:
Some things, like gas, are notoriously more expensive in Italy, but the costs of daily essentials like a meal, internet, and wine are much less expensive. Fortunately, you can always turn lemons into lemonade 🍋 (avoiding the need for fuel) by utilizing Italy’s amazing transportation system. 🚊 🚌
Are you subscribed to Smart Move Italy’s property newsletter, Vendita? If not, you could be missing your perfect retirement property! Be sure to subscribe today. 🏡
Get your Elective Residency Visa (ERV)
Dreaming of a life in Italy but worried that you won’t be able to stay in Italy? The ERV may be the missing piece to your relocation puzzle 🧩 .
If you want to increase your chances of getting an ERV, don’t miss Sam’s LIVE workshop coming up in just a few weeks.
You’ll learn:
✅ What the ERV is (and isn’t)
✅ The truth about financial needs
✅ What documents you need to include
✅ How to assemble your application
✅ What goes into a killer cover letter
✅ What others have done (and wish they did differently), and more.
This really is a great opportunity to take one more step towards realizing your life in Italy. Sign up today!
ASA (Ask Samantha Anything)
Email us at sophia@smartmoveitaly.com to submit your questions.
Dear Samantha: I am an Italian dual citizen, but my husband is not. Will he be limited to staying in Italy for 3 months at a time or do we have another option?
Dear Reader: Congratulations on your citizenship! It is a little bit like winning the lottery, as the benefits are huge! Although your husband is also entitled to the same benefits, they only kick in if you both become residents of Italy.
This means that your husband will always be restricted to 90-day visits UNLESS you both move and live full-time. You (the Italian) must establish residency by moving first, and then your husband will piggyback on your residency.
Otherwise, he will have to continue to do the Schengen shuffle.
Follow & Tell Me What You Need 🗣 ✅
As the editor of Italy Per Te, I envision you, the reader, perched on the edge of your seat each Thursday, eager for the new edition to be published. I imagine you thinking, “I can’t click on this link fast enough!” as you tumble into a comfortable digital space where you can indulge your dreams of living in Italy.
So, I’m asking you to do me a favor that, ultimately, will benefit YOU. Let me know in the comments what you’d like to see in this newsletter. Questions, interests, curiosities? I want to hear about them.
Italy Per Te, by its very name, is, after all, FOR YOU.
I love writing it and hope you love reading it. Until next time…A presto!
P.S. Follow Samantha on Insta or Threads.
Ciao for now!
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