How I bought and renovated my dream Italian villa for less than £100k - and everything you need to know to quit pricey and crime-ridden Britain
As autumn settles in and the weather becomes increasingly chilly, many of us may be fantasising about leaving the wet and cold of Britain in favour of sunnier climes overseas.
But for Jonathan Smith, a 38-year-old father of two from the outskirts of Manchester, this fleeting daydream became reality just over a year ago.
In 2024, Jonathan said goodbye to life as he knew it in the UK. He quit his day job, bought an abandoned Sicilian villa for €21,500 (£18,701) – at an €80,000 (£69,406) discount – and has spent the past six months renovating the property to make it liveable for him and his family.
Here’s how he brought his Dolce Vita dream to life for less than €100,000 (£86,758), and why he believes anyone yearning for change should also take the leap.
La Dolce Vita
A former hotel maintenance worker, Jonathan and his partner Aby, an accountant, had long toyed with the idea of buying a second property abroad for themselves and their children, 13-year-old Eithan and six-year-old Hugo.
Over the course of 15 years, ‘any spare cash’ amassed was carefully stashed away, building slowly towards an €100,000 (£88,000) pot, which they deemed would be sufficient to cover both the property purchase and renovation costs.
Jonathan Smith, a 38-year-old man from the outskirts of Manchester, made his decision as the cost of living and crime rates escalated in the UK
He began to wonder: why not make his holiday house his home, all year round? And so, ‘Operation Sicily’ began
Instead of splashing out on expensive cars or trips abroad, the family always lived well below their means in the hopes of affording a dream holiday home – with a dream climate to boot.
But as the cost-of-living and crime rates escalated in the UK, Jonathan began to wonder: why not make their holiday house their home, all year round? And so, ‘Operation Sicily’ began.
He and Aby committed to the Dolce Vita: initially, Aby would continue work in the UK while looking after the children, and Jonathan would buy and renovate the property abroad. Then, with the work complete, they would sell their Manchester property and move the whole family overseas, using the capital from the sale to purchase secondary properties to renovate, while Aby continued work remotely and the boys attended local schools.
Location, Location, Location
In his original vision of life abroad, Jonathan had his heart set on a rustic Grecian home. However, with an average property price in Greece of approximately €325,080 (£282,725), he was forced to reconsider in order to stay within the €50,000 (£43,492) he had allocated for his initial property purchase.
After considering alternative destinations such as Portugal and Spain, he eventually stumbled upon Sicily.
‘[Sicily] felt like quite a mysterious place to me,’ Jonathan recalls. ‘I don’t hear many people talk about [it], and I didn’t know any that had been [there].’
The property Jonathan settled on had been on the market for five years
Weighing up the pros and cons of each of these Mediterranean options, it was food that eventually became the deciding factor. Sicily, with its reputation for high-quality fresh pasta and pizza, was crowned the destination of choice.
Sicilian life
The early stages of Operation Sicily, as Jonathan concedes, were certainly not easy. But firmly committed to their shared vision, Jonathan and Aby set in motion their plan for her to look after the children back in the UK – with help from friends and family where needed – while Jonathan spend six months traversing the coast of Sicily to find the perfect property.
Supported by Aby’s income to preserve the renovation budget, Jonathan explains how he stayed in an assortment of budget AirBnBs during this initial phase, using the freedom provided by the apartments to get a sense of the surrounding neighbourhoods.
‘I wanted to really look at the different areas,’ he says. ‘I didn’t want to be impulsive, so I spent quite a bit of time getting the right location.’
Eventually, he settled on Mazara del Vallo on Sicily’s west coast, charmed by the town’s bustling centre, and its proximity to amenities such as high street shops.
Mazara del Vallo is also only an hour’s drive from Palermo airport, or 40 minutes from Trapani-Birgi airport, from where Ryanair flies direct: allowing the family to reconvene in Manchester or Sicily wherever possible.
‘Aby and the kids come over whenever they can,’ Jonathan explains, ‘and it’s great for the boys to get to see the renovation process in action.’
Bagging the property
To stay within his €50,000 property purchase budget (he also set aside €50,000 renovation budget), Jonathan decided to view distressed or abandoned properties in the Mazara del Vallo area, listed up to €100,000. From there, he would negotiate 40 to 60 per cent lower than the asking price.
‘While this level of negotiation won’t be for everyone,’ he says, ‘it makes sense to low ball. Some of these abandoned properties, like the one I went for, have been sat there for a long time.
In order to stay within his €50,000 property purchase budget, Jonathan decided to view distressed or abandoned properties in the Mazara del Vallo area
‘Mine, for example, was in particularly bad condition, with no running water or electricity, and has been on the market for five years. Common sense tells you to start low with your offer – there’s no need to be shy.’
His instinct proved right from the off: after finding his would-be home listed on the market for €100,000 (where it had gone unsold for the previous five years), Jonathan made an initial offer of €20,000 (£17,397), before he and the owner settled on €21,500 (£18,701) – keeping him well within budget, and securing almost €78,500 (£68,282) in savings.
‘I got lucky first time,’ Jonathan admits, ‘but it makes sense to find two or three properties you’re interested in, and then start the negotiation process as soon as possible.
‘Plus, if you don’t want to commit to such a big renovation process, there are properties in much better condition than mine was, too – there’s something for everyone.
The Villa
While its exact construction date is unknown, according to locals and property records, the villa is thought to date back to the late 1960s. Original built by a farmer’s family, it was then abandoned in 1995 and has sat unoccupied ever since.
As well as two bedrooms, a kitchen and bathroom – all of which Jonathan has begun to renovate – the original property also features a tower, where he plans to incorporate a free-standing spiral staircase.
It’s the outdoor space, though, with which the family family are particularly taken: the house is surrounded by a 1,000sqm garden filled with various fruit and olive trees, and Jonathan also plans to install a pool – much to the delight of his six-year-old son.
The tower was an attractive feature - but needed plenty of work
The decor was dated, but has allowed to Jonathan to develop the house just how he wants
Admin nightmares
Many will be put off moving abroad on account of the feared administrative nightmare it may entail – particularly following the UK’s departure from the European Union. However, Jonathan explains that in the case of Italy, the process of both buying property and obtaining a visa was ‘not complicated at all’.
As a UK resident, buying Italian property requires simply acquiring a tax code (Codice Fiscale) from the Italian consulate (located throughout the country in London, Edinburgh, Dublin and Manchester, where Jonathan visited), which is free of charge (conslondra.esteri.it).
After this is issued, and a formal offer has been made on a property, the buyer needs to hire a notary to perform due diligence and complete the sale.
‘It’s as simple as that,’ says Jonathan. ‘Six weeks from now, you could own a property in Italy.’
With regards to visas, Jonathan currently holds an Elective Residence Visa for non-EU citizens, sometimes referred to a Long-Stay Visa, which he is able to renew annually for as long as he wishes to stay in Italy.
Designed for those who wish to spend extended periods in the country, the visa is free of charge to obtain, with Jonathan only needing to prove that he is able to support himself financially, without taking local employment (visa.vfsglobal.com).
When the renovation process is complete, Aby and the children can join Jonathan under the family-reunification option linked to his visa.
Aby already enjoys a great deal of flexibility with her work and will be able to continue working remotely within the visa restrictions, which she plans to do.
The couple will also sell their home in Manchester once the Sicilian villa is up and running, using this capital to buy and renovate similar properties which they intend to market as rental homes.
‘It’s actually a simple process once the main visa is in place,’ he says. ‘It allows the whole family to live here legally while we transition toward permanent residency.’
Renovation
After a career in hospitality, Jonathan had never so much as set foot inside a building site before beginning Operation Sicily. Although he concedes he is ‘naturally good with his hands’, he began renovation work with little more than basic DIY skills.
Jonathan has spent the past six months renovating the abandoned Sicilian villa, making it fit for purpose for both himself and his family
Having spent his career working in hospitality, Jonathan had never so much as set foot inside a building site before beginning Operation Sicily
He explains how internet tutorials became a key resource during the process.
‘I’ve sort of learned as I’ve gone along’, he says, ‘watching YouTube videos, researching, and looking into different things.’
‘You learn from your mistakes too,’ he continues. ‘And if you don’t plan far enough in advance, you might have to do stuff twice. It’s all just part of the process.’
Despite his lack of experience, though, Jonathan’s plans for the property are ambitious.
He has already knocked down one of the existing walls in the living space, creating a large, open plan lounge with lots of natural light.
He has similarly redone both the draining and plumbing system for the entire property, and begun work on a 40,000-litre underground rainwater storage system, which will eventually provide the running water.
In the 65m rear garden terrace, he plans to build an outhouse, as well as a fully functioning outdoor kitchen.
And while the process has certainly not been without trials – he mentions, for example, having to reconcrete the kitchen drain line due to a wrong measurement – the property is ‘really starting to feel like a home.’
‘Getting connected to mains power was a huge milestone,’ he says. ‘Now we’re about to start plastering, and it’s looking like I’ll be able to move in by May next year, with the kids and Aby coming over at some point in the summer.’
And, importantly, Jonathan has managed to stay well under budget throughout the whole process, having spent just over £8,740 so far thanks to a favourable exchange rate, and affordable local materials. The additional budget will, no doubt, assist with the more costly processes yet come, such as full internal plastering, and the tiling of the kitchen, bathroom and floors.
Staying local
Despite not speaking Italian himself, Jonathan explains what a big help local people have been to his project.
‘The neighbours have a lent a hand here and there,’ he says, ‘especially with some of the heavier lifting and traditional building tips. One of the nearby farmers even brought his tractor round to help cut the grass,’
He also notes that the younger generation have provided help with translation too.
Beyond this, though, Jonathan has been overwhelmed by the emotional and moral support he has received from the members of the community.
‘The people are absolutely lovely,’ he says. ‘They are really supportive, because they don’t want to see these properties abandoned forever.
‘It’s a small farming community, so people are always stopping by to check on progress, offer advice or simply say ciao – and they often drop off local products like olive oil, honey, oranges and figs, which is really nice.’
Indeed, he explains how connected the property remains to those around him: ‘When my elderly neighbour was a child, his dad sold the land to the person who would then build the house. He and his dad planted the olive trees still here today.’
Jonathan’s boys have also begun Italian lessons back in the UK, which he hopes will further cement their place within the community.
YouTube
Aside from DIY tutorials, YouTube has played another major role in Operation Sicily. Jonathan decided to film his whole project for the purpose of documentation; he liked the idea that his children would be able to watch the process when they were older.
‘It was important for me to document it for my young children,’ he says. ‘My youngest boy is six, so I wanted them to look back in later life and see all the hard work and sacrifice and dedication behind it – not for them to think we just bought a villa.’
However, interest in Jonathan’s project quickly began to extend beyond his family circle.
Despite the fact that he had never intended to become a content creator – or really for anyone else to watch his videos other than his family and friends – at the time of writing, Jonathan’s YouTube channel, Operation Sicily, has more than 39,000 subscribers, a number that continues to grow. He has been blown away by the response.
‘There’s literally so many... inspiring and kind messages,’ he says, reflecting on the response to his channel.
‘It’s my first time talking to a camera regularly, and when I first started recording, I did get properly nervous.
‘There’s a big difference though now, from when my first videos went live, and my videos now – which are much more polished and better quality.’
Advice to others
What Jonathan continues to notice, though, is how many of his viewers express a desire to take a similar plunge to the one he’s made.
‘So many people say that they wish had done this. And they feel like it’s too late.
‘And then there’s people that say that wish they could take that risk – and they come up with loads of excuses, like not wanting to leave their house or car behind.
‘But I feel like I’ve made the right decision – if I’d had the cash, I would have done it ten years earlier.’
In fact, not only does Jonathan believe he’s made the right decision – but he firmly encourages anyone else who has a hankering to spread their wings to do the same.
‘My only advice would be to plan ahead as far as possible – when it comes to renovation work, you can never look too far ahead. Other than that, just go for it.’
- Follow Jonathan’s renovation diaries on @OperationSicily on Youtube, Instagram and TikTok.
