Ah, Italy. Land of pasta, picturesque vistas, and, apparently, a real estate market ripe for the picking (or at least for the scrutinizing gaze of HGTV cameras). This episode of House Hunters International whisks us away to Lucca, where a couple of high school sweethearts are trading in the familiar comforts of American stability for, well, la dolce vita. Or so they hope.
“Trading Stability” isn’t about some impulsive, eat-pray-love escapade. These folks have kids, responsibilities, and the kind of shared history that suggests this move to Italy is less a midlife crisis and more a meticulously planned dream. They want a place big enough for their visiting children, which already adds a wrinkle to the romantic “just the two of us” fantasy.
But the real sticking point, is the outdoor space. These two yearn for a Tuscan terrace, a garden fit for leisurely lunches, a spot to soak up the Italian sun. Will Lucca’s real estate offerings meet their al fresco expectations, or will their romantic vision wilt under the harsh realities of limited square footage and, one suspects, the inevitable budget constraints?
Frankly, it’s House Hunters International. We know the drill. There will be charming but impractical options, sticker shock masquerading as quaintness, and agonizing deliberations over whether a slightly larger balcony justifies sacrificing a second bathroom. But hey, that’s half the fun, right? We get to vicariously live out our own expat fantasies from the comfort of our perfectly adequate (and, crucially, already paid for) couches.
House Hunters International airs Tuesdays at 10:00 PM on HGTV.
