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00:00I'm Maggie Malloy and I'm on a mission to help Irish house hunters discover the
00:05overlooked gems of affordable European property. We're on the hunt in Italy,
00:10Spain, Portugal and France for great bargains. You've definitely surprised us.
00:16Feels nicer in the sun for sure. Property experts in each country will help guide
00:20our search. Vanity and toilet you'll be like 3,000 euros. And our very own
00:26intrepid reporters Kevin McGahern and James Cavanagh will be getting to know the regions
00:31we visit. Can we give it a bit of welly? I suppose we could. Clubs are a great way to
00:36connect with people. They'll be giving our house hunters a head start on local
00:40complexities, customs and most importantly the crack. What you just said is, I want to live.
00:48It's wonderful. From forever homes in Portuguese villages. Massive crack, not in a good way.
00:54To sun-drenched Spanish cities. We need to talk about this price. You could throw anything at me.
01:00I'll help find the best homes a modest budget can buy. It's a cracker of a house. It's massive inside.
01:06So grab your passport, pack your bags and join us on the hunt as we go in search of cheap
01:12European homes.
01:19This week, myself and James are in Ostuni, the so-called white city of the Puglia region of southern Italy.
01:27Set along Italy's Adriatic coast, this region is known for its dramatic scenery, unique architecture and long hot summers.
01:36It's warmer and more rural than many parts of northern Italy, with a distinct character and pace of life.
01:44So we're in Ostuni and you can really see why they call it the white city, can't you?
01:48It's gleaming.
01:49I think the thing about Puglia is that it's more rural, isn't it, than the north.
01:54It definitely has a different, more traditional feel. Do you go with the flow? The sun's shining.
01:59Yeah. And the value. You know, I would think this part would be more expensive because it's so coastal and
02:05it's so rural.
02:06I want to show the house hunters beyond the house. I want to show them the culture, how to integrate.
02:10So I think maybe if I introduce them to some couples who've done it before and maybe walk that path,
02:15I think that'd be useful.
02:16The things that face couples buying versus someone buying on their own is totally different.
02:20This is going to be fun. It is, but I think we should get to work.
02:23Yeah, maybe a little bit of work.
02:26Todd Posius and Niall Sherry have been together for over 20 years.
02:30Both work in the HSE and are starting to think about the next chapter of their lives and possibly even
02:37an early retirement.
02:38After years of travelling the world together, they're considering putting down routes abroad.
02:44I'd say probably together we've been to about 100 countries in the last 20 years or so.
02:49But I think on the final count, we're around 117 countries that we visited.
02:55Now as I get older, it's like it'd be nice to live, to try to live somewhere else.
02:59And we've travelled to different parts of Italy and there's lots going on there.
03:04You know, the people are great. The food is great there.
03:07We'd be interested in immersing ourselves a bit more in what's going on and the language and the people.
03:12And the variety what we feel Italy can offer.
03:15And again, it's cheaper to live there.
03:18Our maximum budget is £150,000. So that's ultimately all what we've got, including any renovation.
03:25Kind of would like to probably a two-bedroom apartment, maybe a house.
03:29Ideally close to people, so we don't want to be too isolated where we are.
03:33On our holidays now, we would do an awful lot of hiking and trekking and walking.
03:38And so we do like to get out.
03:41We're not afraid of a bit of renovation in the property. We're not afraid of getting our hands dirty.
03:45The bones and the structure of the building has to be that Italian, there has to be Italy.
03:52It's traditional, it's old and it's probably been there well before us and will be there after us.
03:59We'd ideally like to have some kind of terrace. If that was real, that would be the ideal.
04:04Or there's a little bit of land around it or at the side, a little garden.
04:09It is a project. I mean, now it's a project.
04:11And it's not a month project, it's probably a good few-year project.
04:16And we're OK with that.
04:18Whatever Maggie can show us, we're happy to see it.
04:29Julia sits in the heel of Italy's boot. It's famous for its welcoming people, rich food culture
04:36and the distinctive Trulli houses with their cone-shaped roofs.
04:40And while property prices in northern Italy and the major cities have soared,
04:45this part of the south remains far more affordable, particularly if you avoid the touristy coastal hotspots.
04:54Property here averages around €1,400 per square metre,
04:59meaning a modest two-bedroom home can often cost in the region of €120,000.
05:05Good news for Todd and Niall, whose all-in budget is €150,000.
05:11They're looking for a two-bedroom property with outdoor space, ideally within walking distance of a
05:18lively village or town. Value is really important to them, and they're happy to get their hands dirty
05:24with a renovation if it helps them achieve it. So with all that in mind, for this week's house hunt,
05:32we're staying off the coast and searching between the dazzling white city of Ostuni and the faded grandeur
05:39of Morro Luchese, a search area where their budget will stretch further than they expect.
05:45So, Todd, Niall, welcome to Ostuni. It's a beautiful place, very nice around.
05:50Enjoy the square here. It's lovely, isn't it? Amazing, so historical and pretty, really cool.
05:55You're our first couple house hunting this season. That's cool. How do you think you're going to work
05:58as a team? I think we do work well together. We know what we like and we do know what
06:04we do not
06:04like, which helps. It helps me anyway. Yeah. We know our budget is quite modest,
06:10so we do need your expertise. We need the help on the ground. Okay, well, I definitely am known
06:15for finding cheap houses, so you've come to the right place. There you go. That's good. Looking
06:19forward to it. Well, look, I'm going to go exploring, so I'll see you later. See you later. And our
06:25first
06:25house is just 10 minutes from here. Oh, great. So, will we hit the road? Let's go. See you.
06:33As promised, our first property is tucked away on quiet farmland, just five kilometres from the main
06:40piazza in Ostuni. This two-bedroom country villa is full of rustic southern Italian charm. It's surrounded
06:48by mature fruit trees and olive groves on over an acre of land and costs 105,000 euro. But the
06:57low price
06:58does come with a few quirks, such as the lack of an indoor toilet. So, while the setting is beautiful
07:05and the price is tempting, Todd and Niall will need to roll up their sleeves if they want to turn
07:11this
07:12rustic retreat into a comfortable modern home. Architect Elizabeth Francis, a Donegal native who's
07:19been working in Italy for over 20 years, is meeting us at the property. Her local knowledge will be
07:26invaluable for our search. Okay, boys, welcome to your first cheap Italian home. Well, the setting is
07:33amazing. It's so rural, but so close to the town as well. I like the surrounding. I like the olive
07:37tree
07:38surrounds. It's a typical country feel. It is. And what do you think of the style of the house?
07:43Looking from outside, yeah, that's Italy. That's good. So, these would typically have been farm
07:49buildings, solid stone construction. The roof is also stone, so it's very good protection from the
07:55heat and also from water. I don't see anything that's structurally of concern. So, what about the windows
08:01and doors, Elizabeth? They definitely would need to be replaced. A bit prison-like now. They're not
08:05very aesthetically pleasing, are they? Are you ready for the notebook? Oh, we're ready for the famous
08:10notebook. There you have it. Oh, look at this. Well, it's a nice space, isn't it? It's very authentic.
08:19You wouldn't touch the floor, like the stone. No way. It's big enough. It's big enough for us anyway.
08:25What do you think about the ceiling? The ceiling is amazing. It's like a vaulted ceiling. You can feel the
08:30cool. You can feel the cool in here. Which, in the summertime, that would be pleasant to be
08:34inside in the even time. Yeah, absolutely. And look at the fireplace in the corner. That's
08:38really nice. That's authentic. That's authentic. There's no cooking in the room. No, I don't think
08:42there's two fridges hiding in the corner. I know. You have two for one, but you probably need to,
08:47some sort of appliances. Don't see any heating or air conditioning or anything. So,
08:52that's something. Maybe we can ask. We could ask that. Yeah, yeah. But you probably wouldn't
08:56touch here. No, I wouldn't touch anything structurally in here, or walls, or anything.
09:00It's pretty cool. You have to watch your hair there. Okay, that's a big room. That's nearly
09:05an equally sized room. Again, super high ceilings. There's no wardrobe space at the moment. So,
09:11that unit there in the corner, what do you think that is? Is it heating? Yeah, I'd love to ask
09:15that,
09:16I think, as well. I'm not sure how comfortable it would be here in wintertime. How do we get heating
09:21into it to get it comfortable? And what do you do to bring the comfort levels in the cooler months?
09:27So, it's another bedroom. Slightly smaller than the others, I think. Is this a modern edition?
09:33More modern, because they have a kind of a modern tile on the floor. Though, it feels dry inside.
09:38Yeah, yeah. There's no dampness on the walls. Yeah, yeah. Looks like our last room is still no
09:42toilet in sight. There is no toilet in sight. Interesting. Okay, let's have a look. Oh, kitchen.
09:49You have to walk out to come to the kitchen. That's the Italian living, I suppose. Outdoor living,
09:54maybe. It's okay again. It's okay in summer. Could be work and cooker. And another fridge. So,
09:58we have three fridges so far. There's no toilet. Okay, I have the most amazing outside bathroom
10:08in this building here. Okay. I hope it's worth a trek all the way through the garden. Through the
10:15forest. In the pyjamas. When it comes to moving a bathroom, Elizabeth, from outside to closer to the
10:22house. In the context of the overall spend, I don't think it's a huge cost. Okay. You would have a
10:27demolition cost, and then rebuilding, and then obviously the plumbing. Would you need some sort
10:31local planning permission? Yes, you would need a building permit. So, you'd have to get a local
10:37professional to help you, and you'd have to look into what are the regulations? What volume do I have?
10:43Because they look at volume here rather than square footage. And the kitchen outside needs work for sure,
10:48I think. If you just link it in some way to the house, that would be, that would solve that
10:52problem.
10:53So, we have over an acre of land. An acre's a lot now, yeah. It's a lot of space. And
10:57it's well-matured
10:58garden. You can see around it. It's been here for quite some time. Talk to me about this list. I
11:03can
11:03see a couple of things. A few things. We saw some like air conditioning, maybe heating units on the walls.
11:09They do have air conditioning, and those machines do heat and cooling. There's nothing in the main room
11:15that we saw. There's only in the two bedrooms, aren't they? Yeah. In these buildings in the summer,
11:19especially in the older part, you don't really need air conditioning that much because it stays
11:23so cool because the walls are so thick. And how do you think we'd heat it in the in the
11:28winter?
11:28Well, in the main room, there's a fireplace. Right. And after running the fire for a few days,
11:33the walls absorb all the heat, so it stays quite warm, comfortable. It's on the market at the moment
11:39for 105. Okay. But I have been advised that it could be got for around 80. Okay. Interesting.
11:47Food for thought, isn't it? It's definitely food for thought. It's not bad for first goal, Maggie.
11:51No, I like that. Starting on a positive note. With its centuries-old way of life,
11:58southern Italy has a timeless charm that's hard to resist. It's exactly what has drawn Todd and Niall here.
12:05To get a real sense of what life is like, I'm meeting John Nolan, who moved from Kildare to Puglia
12:11with his partner Dave. Thank you very much. I love the area. It's gorgeous. How long are you here?
12:16Two years. So it's a bit of a difference. Yeah. Yeah, it's a lot warmer. Yeah.
12:21So what made you come to Puglia? My sister was looking down south at euro houses. Euro houses,
12:28that's you pay a euro. So you buy them for a euro. Okay. We said, I will come with you
12:32for a look.
12:33But as we looked into it, it turns out there's so many stipulations. Like, you have to have the work
12:38done
12:39within a certain period of time. Okay. Or else you could lose the money that you put into this
12:43euro house. Oh, really? Yeah. So we thought we'd leave my sister and her partner alone for a few
12:49days. And we came up here to Astuni. Came up for two nights and thought, oh my god, this is
12:54it. And
12:55what were some of your reasons for making that move? Mortgage kept going up, wages weren't. So we didn't
13:00really have a life. Yeah. Sold the house, sold everything we own and decided to move over. So two years
13:07into it,
13:08are you still loving it? Absolutely. Yeah. Every day. No regrets. Yeah. No regrets. Even the sunshine
13:13when you wake up in the morning. I'd say psychologically, it's just nicer seeing that.
13:17It does. It lists your spirits and it, you know, gives you a nice feeling to walk out there and
13:22the sun and your coffee. Yeah. The simple things.
13:28It's so pretty, but what's it like to live here? It's great. There's a great cafe culture here. It's just
13:34a
13:34beautiful vibe. Even though it's quite pretty like a museum, it's, it's a working town. Oh,
13:39very much so. People live here. It's all real. It's not Disney. Yeah. Even though it looks like it.
13:44What are the people like? Really nice. They're actually very like the Irish. Oh. There's not a
13:49lot of materialism around. And people don't earn a lot of money here, to be honest. Ireland in the 80s
13:55is what me and my sister call it. It's very family orientated here. So at nighttime,
14:00you'll have kids running around. There's not a lot of crime. And do you have a lot of the language?
14:05I'm getting there. Okay. But you still find you can connect regardless? Always. Yeah,
14:09they'll make an effort and we'll make an effort. You have no issue getting your steps in here.
14:14Absolutely not. You see 90 year olds flying up and down the steps here. Buns of steel.
14:20Well, they live so long here, don't they? It's the steps and the diet. Absolutely. At least
14:24150. So I have another 20 years left. So that's the Adriatic over there. What a view. And a line
14:33of
14:33olive trees all the way. Oh my god. Was there anything you were kind of nervous about moving
14:37over here? You have to be realistic nowadays and not everywhere is gay friendly. So southern Italy,
14:43very religious. We didn't know, are we going to be accepted? Are they going to be waiting on pitchforks
14:47at the end of our driveway? And they weren't? Not at all. Okay. No. And we have had absolutely no
14:52trouble at all. Yeah. Sounds like it's more traditional than conservative. Very traditional.
14:58They're very open-minded at the same time. So acceptance was no problem. Was there any logistical
15:03issues? There was. There's a lot of bureaucracy in Italy and it's very hard to get your head around.
15:09I definitely recommend learning Italian, not fluently, but learning enough to get by and get yourself a good
15:15agent. You really have to have a good agent behind you. Before we wrap up our first day in Puglia,
15:22John has brought his partner Dave along to meet Todd and Niall. The one thing you'll just have to learn
15:28to enjoy the process because everything is piano piano. Tranquilo, just relax. There's a great expat
15:36community from all parts of the world. They're great friends. Meet up with them every now and again,
15:40but you do need to embrace the Italians themselves and get used to their community and their lifestyle.
15:44I know it's challenging. It can be challenging as any project, but it's nice to hear from you. You're so
15:50positive about it. Maggie, I think job well done. They're all getting on. Yeah. I think there's
15:55something about making that first connection with a human being in your new country. Yeah. That just
16:00makes everything else seem more attainable, doesn't it? And someone who's walked the path already.
16:05Who could at this? Yeah. We're like, we should set up a dating agency maybe. Setting up people.
16:12James and I shouldn't get carried away just yet. I still have to find a house for the boys.
16:18Luckily, I have my cheapest one coming up. It's like a blank canvas in here. I'm not even sure
16:23what this room originally is or was or should be. And James learns about the tough realities of
16:28renovating in Italy on horseback. This week, myself and James are in Puglia in the heel of Italy.
16:38We're helping Todd Pussius and Niall Sherry find their dream Italian home on a modest budget of 150,000
16:46euro. They're looking for a two bed property with a terrace or outdoor space. And importantly,
16:53it has to feel authentic and Italian. So far, we've seen this rural retreat on the outskirts of Ostuni.
17:01It has a huge plot of land, but no indoor toilet. And it's on the market for 105,000 euro.
17:09Look at the fireplace in the corner. It's really nice. That's authentic.
17:12That's authentic. For our next property, we're heading almost as far south as you can go in Puglia,
17:18to the beautiful Cilento town of Murolecese. Just off the main square sits this unique townhouse.
17:26It may only have one bedroom, but for a small house, it's built on quite a grand scale,
17:32with a gorgeous roof terrace. But the real surprise here is the price. This property is on the market
17:40for just 56,000 euro. First, architect Elizabeth Francis and I are meeting Todd and Niall on the main
17:48square, so they can experience the atmosphere of this beautiful location. Don't you feel like you're
17:55truly in southern Italy now? Well, you do today with the sun. I feel I'm blending in the colour scheme
18:00with my attire today. Looking around here, this is exactly the kind of style we were looking for
18:05on the house hunt because it's just typically Italian. So there's an alleyway right behind you
18:10and we are all going to head down there now and look at your house. That's exciting. Let's go. Thank
18:15you.
18:17This is your house and where the paint gets a bit cleaner down the alleyway is where your house stops.
18:22Very substantial looking, I think. It's authentic. It's a tall building. I know it's maybe a little bit
18:28needs attention, but that's just cosmetics. I don't see anything that's particularly of concern
18:33that it would be a bigger job than that. More maintenance than renovation. You know,
18:37we wouldn't touch a lot of that. The shutters and things we love. The stonework, it's just
18:42it's just authentic and beautiful. Maybe just cleaning a little bit of the graffiti with GIF.
18:47A little bit, yeah, I think so. No SIF now, Todd. SIF now, yeah, yeah.
18:54Okay, so we are inside. Look at that ceiling. That was the first thing I saw when we came in
19:00the door,
19:00the height of that ceiling. This would be a very typical star vault. It's very elegant,
19:06and it's beautiful to look at, but it's also structural, because there's a stone roof above
19:10this, and it distributes the weight down. I love the floor. I love those tiles.
19:16So these floors would be from, let's say, the 1950s. Very typical, these sort of terrazzo tiles.
19:23It's like a blank canvas in here. I'm not even sure what this room originally
19:26is or was or should be, so it's perfect for what we're looking for.
19:30Okay, so why don't you two go and explore the rest of the house on your own?
19:33Myself and Elizabeth will meet you in a little while up on the terrace.
19:40Okay, that's definitely the kitchen of the house. Oh, yeah, I think so.
19:43I like how it's kind of molded into one piece, the sink and the whole countertop.
19:48Yeah, it's very nicely done, nicely finished. I think over there there might be a little bathroom.
19:53It's like a bathroom sink and the toilet in there. A mud and bowl there.
19:57The space is a little bit maybe tight with the chairs, but instead of having chairs,
20:02maybe you have a bench.
20:06Okay, I think we have our bedroom, Todd. It's a good-sized room.
20:09Yeah, looks like the only bedroom. That's the first point I'd make.
20:13I think so. I know there's no wardrobe there at the moment, but where the bed is,
20:16it kind of gives you the feel. You can have a smaller unit in there.
20:19Yeah. There's good light coming from the window. It's a really nice room.
20:23That looks like a shower room in the corner.
20:25Yeah. So we have no toilet here.
20:27No, I don't think so.
20:28So there's only one toilet which is downstairs, and I'm not a big fan of the toilet next to the
20:34kitchen.
20:34No.
20:37Hey. Hey, hey.
20:39So what do you think of your terrace? Amazing, isn't it?
20:41It's a good-sized space around it. Yeah.
20:44And you can see all the streets leading each direction and the old buildings.
20:49And you have a second terrace potentially up here as well, if you wanted it.
20:53So you have quite a lot of outside space.
20:54Do you believe we would be able to convert it into a conventional terrace?
20:59Yeah. Put some sort of flooring, paving. It's strong enough structurally.
21:03And keep maybe this as a pergola or something to get this a shaded area.
21:06Maybe keep that in the sun. It might be nice. Yeah, it'd be cool.
21:09So what do you think of the rest of the house?
21:10Blank canvas to work with, which is good.
21:13The only downside to the bedroom is that there's only a shower room, which is a bit of a negative
21:17for us.
21:18How easy would it be maybe to flip and install a downstairs shower and have the toilet upstairs instead?
21:25So not easy. I wouldn't say it's easy, but it's definitely possible.
21:29There's just about, I'd say, just about enough space for a toilet in the shower space.
21:34Get permission for it.
21:35And downstairs, I would keep the little bathroom as it is, but put the shower immediately when you come in
21:42the door.
21:43It's the only place where you have the full head height.
21:45I think if there would be a second bedroom, I think it would be very hard to say no.
21:49OK. So it's just a matter really of trying to figure out whether you could switch around the uses of
21:55the other rooms maybe a little bit.
21:57So take, for example, that lovely vaulted sitting room, get your kitchen in there or even get a kitchen living
22:03room in there and it frees up
22:05another room somewhere else.
22:06I feel like I might have something that might tip it over the edge for you.
22:09How does 56,000 sound?
22:12Wow.
22:12We like a good bargain.
22:14We like a good bargain.
22:1556 is a bargain, isn't it?
22:1656 sounds like a bargain to me.
22:18By giving up the bedroom, the price kind of reflects that.
22:23My mind is racing now.
22:25Yeah.
22:27That last house really was a bargain, Maggie.
22:30But at that price, it's clear the lads will have some renovation work ahead of them.
22:35And, as we've already discovered, getting work done in Italy isn't always straightforward,
22:41especially if you're not a local.
22:44Oh, they're all so beautiful.
22:47I've come to meet Emilia Bunyard, a horse riding instructor and food guide.
22:51She knows firsthand what it's like to renovate here, having moved to Puglia 10 years ago.
22:57And it wasn't without its challenges.
23:00So you know firsthand all about this.
23:03You renovated.
23:04Can you tell me a little bit about your journey?
23:05When I moved here, I didn't speak any Italian beyond, you know, sort of vino and
23:10coffee, please.
23:11That's important.
23:11Good morning.
23:12Buongiorno.
23:13I wanted to do a renovation project.
23:14And it was much harder.
23:15It was much harder than I thought.
23:17I mean, partly because people don't turn up on time.
23:20The sense of time here is very different.
23:22People are much more relaxed, which is beautiful.
23:25But you're kind of going, oh, here's my budget.
23:29Here's my schedule.
23:30And I've got like this much time to finish it.
23:33That's quite stressful.
23:35Bureaucracy here is absolutely confusing.
23:38And I still don't understand it.
23:41I had to kind of have a word with myself and go, okay, kind of like all the beautiful
23:44things that outweigh the stressful things are worth it.
23:48But I have to accept how it is rather than I can't change it.
23:52Have you become a bit more relaxed as a person?
23:55No, hell no.
24:00Niall and Todd have arrived.
24:18We heard a lot about the red tape here initially.
24:20Any advice for us how we might proceed if we were to move here?
24:24The expectation is that you know the system and you know the hidden fees.
24:28So someone might give you a cost, but it might not include like the taxes.
24:32And I think that locals know to expect those things.
24:35And I obviously didn't found out as it came up.
24:39So you have to learn to know what questions are asked.
24:41You have to be like more thorough than you would expect.
24:46And I suppose that's part of the difference in the system.
24:49Any advice how to tackle the red tape?
24:51I think hire an expert.
24:53I mean, you have a geometra here if you're renovating.
24:55A geometra is somewhere between an architect and an engineer.
24:59But like they will be super, super useful for you.
25:03Budget extra and be patient.
25:17Back home, building and expenses for building is through the roof.
25:21What are the prices like over here?
25:23You know, the prices have gone up also for properties here.
25:26And I think for labour and now materials, the cost of materials has gone up.
25:31But still, yeah, you know, I think a fraction of what it is at home, absolutely.
25:34And is it easy to get people to do work for you or are you waiting and waiting?
25:39Be prepared for everything to take longer than you expect.
25:42So be relaxed about that and learn Italian.
25:47The Pugliese people are super welcoming, super friendly.
25:50And once they take you to heart, they, you know, like they're your mates for life.
25:53I think if you don't integrate, you might as well just eat pizza and stay at home.
25:57Yeah, you might as well stay in Ireland.
25:58What's the point?
25:59You know, you have to make some sort of effort to get into the country you're living in.
26:03So you're 10 years in.
26:05Any regrets?
26:06No, no, not really.
26:07I don't know.
26:08Overall, I absolutely love it here.
26:10It's been hard work, but totally worth it.
26:14That's lovely.
26:14This is all ahead of you.
26:16Oh, yeah.
26:17Looking forward to it.
26:17Yeah, still a smile on her face.
26:19Yeah, that's good.
26:21Some tears maybe, but smiles.
26:24Well, salute to you.
26:25Yes, salute to you.
26:28Grazie, grazie.
26:29The next day, it's back to business and time to look at our third property.
26:36This time, we've headed north of Ostuni to the town of Caravino,
26:40an up-and-coming place that still offers great value.
26:44Just a short walk from the town centre are two gorgeous apartments.
26:49Both are for sale, but I'm focusing on the top one, as it has three bedrooms,
26:54a roof terrace, and my favourite feature, a wraparound balcony.
26:59It could do with some updating and needs to be properly subdivided from the rest of the building,
27:04so there is work to do, but the asking price is just €100,000.
27:11So I really want to show the lads an apartment.
27:13This building is very typical of sort of post-war construction in Italy,
27:18so they're quite well-built.
27:19They're spacious.
27:20They have their own front door off the street.
27:23Okay.
27:23It's an apartment, but it's similar to a house.
27:26The top one is the one I love the most.
27:28The one on the bottom, at the same time, though, is fully furnished and lived in.
27:33So what I'm thinking of doing is showing the lads around this one,
27:36and then I'll just let them wander up and see the other one as well.
27:42So this is the main living space here.
27:45More spacious than I expected from the outside.
27:47We have three smaller rooms off that could potentially be bedrooms of different sizes.
27:53Then we have a big formal dining room that leads on to a really big kitchen and bathroom to the
27:59back.
27:59Lots of space, different rooms.
28:01I would be inclined maybe to open it up a little bit.
28:04Okay.
28:05There's a lot of potential to improve this space.
28:07You can see that there's a little bit of damp in the ceiling coming from above,
28:11but that's something that's fairly straightforward to repair.
28:15I think it's a really good place here.
28:16The lads loved yesterday's house, though, and I'm not sure whether even a large apartment
28:22is going to be enough to sway them away from that house.
28:24Very different, big contrast.
28:26Yeah, absolutely.
28:28Hey.
28:30Romeo, Romeo.
28:33So have you ever thought about apartment living?
28:35Oh, we certainly have.
28:36We would definitely not roll it out.
28:38So what I want to show you is this apartment here, and all above us comes with it.
28:44But the apartment down below is also for sale, and this one's fully furnished.
28:48So I think it'll give you more of an idea of how to live in the space.
28:51Looks great from here, doesn't it?
28:53Looks clean and tidy.
28:55So you guys have a look.
28:57Myself and Elizabeth will meet you on the roof.
28:59Great, see you later.
28:59See you in a bit.
29:03Unexpectedly big.
29:04I wasn't expecting the high ceiling here.
29:07No, it's absolutely enormous, isn't it?
29:09I like that.
29:10It's a big double bedroom.
29:12It's a large kitchen.
29:14Huge.
29:15And I think we came through from the light room there.
29:18The middle room is a bit dark, isn't it?
29:20The middle room is very dark.
29:21There's no windows in there.
29:22There's no windows.
29:23There's no natural light at all.
29:25This is a little bit dark still.
29:27Yeah.
29:27The fireplace did surprise me.
29:29I didn't expect that.
29:30It's amazing, isn't it?
29:31Yeah.
29:31In an apartment.
29:32Yeah, it's pretty cool.
29:34We have the bathroom and the toilet leading up the kitchen.
29:37Your favourite touch.
29:39Not sure about that.
29:44OK, we have some light here, I think.
29:46The first impression, just the light coming through the window.
29:50Look at that floor.
29:51It's a little bit over-fashioned, but I think it's staying here.
29:55We wouldn't be touching that.
29:56No.
29:57I'm going anywhere near that with a can-go hammer.
29:59That is staying exactly where it is.
30:01I'll have to do a bit of thinking about how best to fit what we would like into this room.
30:06OK, that's a lovely balcony.
30:08OK.
30:08Oh, there's a full view of the town from here.
30:10I think that's a coast.
30:1310 minute, 20 minute drive.
30:14Yeah, maybe, maybe.
30:15You wouldn't walk.
30:16So what else have we got here?
30:17OK.
30:18Oh, look at that now, up the hill.
30:19OK.
30:20Very cool.
30:21That's the old town.
30:23So how'd you get on in that upstairs apartment?
30:25Do you like it?
30:26Yeah, I don't know where to start.
30:28Just the space.
30:30Each room is very generous.
30:32Yeah, and the good high ceiling is not quite as high as the apartment on the ground floor,
30:35but still pretty high.
30:37Now the kitchen is dark, but that room in the middle is really super dark.
30:40The same issue as the one on the ground floor.
30:42What can we do about that?
30:43So what I would do is I would open up that wall and maybe take down the wall to the
30:48smaller room
30:49with the window.
30:50And so you'd have one large living dining kitchen space.
30:54Yeah, I like the idea.
30:55I think it's a good idea.
30:56And don't forget we have up here too.
30:58So we don't just have a roof terrace.
31:01We have another room in there.
31:03I know technically there's two rooms, but really that main central room there
31:07could be a fantastic summer kitchen for you leading out onto this terrace.
31:11It could be a bedroom.
31:12You've got so many options.
31:14Just be open-minded about, I suppose, about what you can do with it.
31:17So if I told you that the apartment on the ground floor was €100,000,
31:21what would you think the top two floors were?
31:24Let's go €115,000.
31:25Right.
31:26Well, it's on the market for exactly the same price.
31:28Oh, wow.
31:29€100,000.
31:30Oh, okay.
31:31That's a nice surprise.
31:32Yeah.
31:34We're getting a start to get a feel for what's good value around,
31:37but we're not quite sure yet.
31:38It's all good value.
31:40You're just not used to good value in property,
31:42and you don't know what to do with it.
31:46It's been an action-packed few days.
31:48We've seen some real bargains and gathered plenty of useful advice.
31:53Now it's time for us all to unwind back in Ostuni,
31:56and try some of that world-famous Italian cuisine,
32:00though not everyone is feeling adventurous.
32:03I see somebody doesn't have any food on his plate.
32:07I'm a bit picky.
32:08Are you?
32:08Let's put it mildly that I'm a bit picky.
32:11I'd struggle with a lot of what's on the table right now.
32:13I'd probably have a bit of bread.
32:15So what's a typical dinner?
32:16A typical dinner would be good Irish dinner,
32:18good meat and two veg maybe.
32:20Okay.
32:20Or maybe even meat and one veg.
32:21And the veg will be potatoes.
32:25You're not going to get the most of Italy at all, are you?
32:28No, not with what's on this table.
32:30But, you know, you never know.
32:31So I have an idea maybe for you
32:33to broaden your palate a little bit.
32:35Okay.
32:36Are you up for the challenge, though,
32:37of maybe broadening your palate?
32:39Definitely up for the challenge.
32:41Well, we start with this.
32:43Yeah, manage.
32:44I think we might manage that one, James.
32:46A bit of mozzarella.
32:47Maybe a bit of mozzarella.
32:48Yeah, baby steps.
32:50Yeah, baby steps.
32:50And then octopus.
32:52That might be pushing it a bit too far, James, I think.
32:55Do we need to hide the octopus in the mozzarella?
32:58Maybe between the two slices of bread.
33:00In the spud.
33:03The slagging will continue until tomorrow,
33:06when we have to visit our last property.
33:09I'm not saying it's hideous, but maybe it's not to my taste.
33:13And maybe Niall will prove us all wrong.
33:19My self and James are in Puglia in southern Italy,
33:23helping Todd Posius and Niall Sherry find their dream European home.
33:28They're looking for a two bedroom house or apartment with authentic Italian charm and outdoor space or a terrace.
33:36They don't want to be too far from a town and will take on a renovation project.
33:41Their budget is €150,000 and so far we've seen three contenders.
33:47A rustic villa with potential but no indoor toilet.
33:52A small but impressive townhouse at an absolute steal of a price.
33:57And a second floor apartment with sea views.
34:02Before I show Todd and Niall our final property, I've come to the small tourist town of Albero Bello
34:09to learn more about a building style we've often seen across the countryside since we arrived here.
34:15These are truly houses.
34:18Their distinctive beehive shaped stone domes are a centuries old architectural tradition of this part of southern Italy.
34:26And as a result, Albero Bello is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
34:33James is on a mission here to help Food Shy Niall discover the amazing culinary culture Puglia has to offer.
34:40But by happy coincidence, I've found a truly home nearby that's been lovingly restored by Sue and Michael Foley.
34:49When I see these truly houses dotted all over the countryside, they're either falling down like a pile of stones
34:55or they're magnificent.
34:58What was this one like when you came first?
34:59Well, it was an absolute complete ruin. It was encased in plant life.
35:05There was no outside paths. There's no driveway. You just had to kind of walk down here.
35:10How do you even think about making that into a functioning house?
35:14Well, it helps that he's a builder.
35:16We knew a lot about the Trulos because we had seen a lot of them. And I have a lot
35:21of friends here who do it.
35:22And they are protected, I'm assuming.
35:24This one's a protected grade one listed building. So, yeah, it wasn't an easy process.
35:31OK.
35:32But if you've got the right people, it is and it helps.
35:35Are these tops typical?
35:37They can vary between towns or they might have a special meaning to the original family that live there.
35:44Oh, lovely.
35:47So we're straight into our first cone.
35:50Do you know, it's small, but it feels so spacious with the height of the ceiling.
35:54Most of this wasn't here when we found it, but Michael's restored it slowly, slowly.
35:59You know, you take pride in restoring something like this because it is so old.
36:05People used to work on the land in these Trulies. They would have to pay tax, but then other people
36:10would come and try and take tax off them as well. So they have a keystone in the Trulie.
36:16So when they knock it out, the roof collapses or part of the roof. So what they used to say
36:22was,
36:23well, nobody can live in here. So they didn't have to pay their tax. And then they just build it
36:29up.
36:30Yeah, you build it on the round. And so you just build it all the way up to the top
36:33and put the pinnacle on.
36:35They were masters of stone and they would build that up in maybe a day or two.
36:40That's true. And it's not like they're looking in and seeing a fitted kitchen and all in here.
36:43Exactly.
36:44Well, they're definitely living here.
36:48So in our second cone here, we have an amazing bathroom.
36:52I have to say. It's a real labour of love, I feel, that room was for you.
36:59OK, so we have a good big living space now back here.
37:02We tried to make sure that we used all local products and obviously a lot of recycled pieces,
37:09particularly even with the furniture.
37:11Is this sink that's locally made?
37:13So there's a local artisan stone merchant, really, isn't he?
37:17In the worktop I made myself.
37:19So that's a Wexford worktop.
37:20That's a Wexford concrete worktop.
37:23It's absolutely gorgeous.
37:24So talk to me about this floor.
37:26This stone is particular to Puglia.
37:28OK.
37:29And it's called kyanke.
37:31We tried to lay it in a particular way that seemed really ancient as well,
37:35as the house is probably a thousand years old.
37:38And it took him three times as long.
37:40Because I took pictures of other floors that I've seen, it gives you an idea of how to do it
37:47and what to do.
37:47I mean, it is really important to try and use everything locally, as many things as you can to recycle
37:53as well.
37:54Make it look old and keep within a budget as well, which is really important.
38:00Yeah.
38:01What a view.
38:02You have everything out here in this garden.
38:05Talk to me about your pool, because this is above ground.
38:08Have you limitations here?
38:09Yes.
38:10So this is an above ground pool, which is dismantle-able at any time.
38:14So if somebody comes and wants to charge you a tax on your pool, you can just pull something out
38:20and the whole thing goes,
38:21that's not a pool.
38:24How much did you pay for the place?
38:26So it was 65,000 euros.
38:29Really?
38:29Yeah, it's amazing.
38:30Wow.
38:31That was in 2020, wasn't it?
38:33Yeah.
38:34Yeah.
38:34Mostly Michael did everything himself, but obviously we did use a lot of local people as well that came in
38:40to help us.
38:41So if you add everything together, how much do you think you've spent doing the place up?
38:45Probably between 200,000 and 250,000, yeah.
38:49For the renovation.
38:50Yeah.
38:50It's amazing.
38:51I can't believe it.
38:53I think that if you wanted to buy one of these Trulies and you got the local people to come
38:57and do it,
38:58you could obviously do it a lot quicker.
39:00Yeah.
39:00What was your most expensive thing, do you think, that you did?
39:05How much beer and wine were you doing the...
39:11What I love about this renovation is that Sue and Michael reused so much stuff out of the rubble of
39:17these Trulies.
39:18And in doing so, they've really honoured the old building.
39:22In Puglia, food is at the heart of everyday life.
39:27And if Niall and Todd want to settle here, understanding that culture could be key to fitting in.
39:32So, I'm in the centre of Albero Bello meeting local guide, Melina Panaro, who's going to help me, and hopefully
39:40Niall,
39:41understand why food matters so much to the people of Puglia.
39:45So, I have two guys with me.
39:47One is Niall, and he's a fussy eater.
39:49Doesn't like a lot of different foods.
39:51Okay.
39:51We need to change that.
39:53Okay.
39:53You're up for that.
39:54Yes, I can help you.
39:56Because in the south, it's all about food, isn't it?
39:58Yes.
39:58When people come here, we share everything with other people, especially in little towns like Albero Bello.
40:05Okay, you sound perfect for this mission.
40:07Let's go feed Niall.
40:09Okay.
40:12Melina is taking myself, Todd, and a nervous Niall on a nonna culinary tour of Albero Bello,
40:19where we visit some of the few remaining residents of this unique village.
40:24I'm going to try to introduce them to some delicious meals prepared by the local experts.
40:30What are these?
40:31They're very pretty.
40:33This is a typical pastry here.
40:35Okay, we are used to eat them in the morning for breakfast, and we drink coffee,
40:41our traditional coffee, mocha.
40:43And a little biscuit.
40:47We have to try this.
40:48Very nice.
40:56So, for her and for her family, the most important thing is to eat food of high quality.
41:03Good morning!
41:04Good morning!
41:06How are you?
41:07Good!
41:11America!
41:12Oh, an American actor.
41:15So what is going on here?
41:16What's this?
41:17These are the fava bands, you know?
41:19And this is our typical dash.
41:21I want to try.
41:23It's dangerous, but...
41:24Of course.
41:28Oh, it's harsh.
41:29Okay.
41:31You are there!
41:33One fava been down,
41:35one million to go!
41:38Truly!
41:39Truly!
41:40This region's cooking grew out of simple ingredients
41:44and a history of making
41:45the most of very little.
41:48But, over time
41:49it's become one of the most distinctive
41:51food cultures in Italy.
41:53Meals here aren't just about eating.
41:55They're about hospitality,
41:57family and community.
41:59These are the fava beans.
42:01Oh, okay!
42:03You know how old is she?
42:0650?
42:07No, 50!
42:09I am 56!
42:10Oh my God!
42:12She's 80!
42:13Wow!
42:16It's the olive oil!
42:19It's a good life!
42:21Me being a fussy eater now,
42:23it's kind of hard to eat.
42:24There's kind of a variety of food,
42:26but it's interesting, it's good.
42:27It's interesting, yes.
42:30Well, Niall might not be completely converted just yet,
42:35but he's at least starting to see that here in Puglia,
42:39understanding food is a big part of understanding your new neighbours.
42:45For our final property, we're back in the town of Caravino.
42:49We're looking at a central, spacious second floor apartment
42:53that's ready to move straight into.
42:56It's relatively modern,
42:58currently laid out with two bedrooms
43:00and the best terrace we've seen so far.
43:03It's on the market for 110,000 euro.
43:07It's very traditional Italian streets,
43:10so the first impressions are nice.
43:11The apartment's a little bit more modern feel to it.
43:15I'm not saying it's hideous,
43:16but maybe it's not to my taste.
43:19I think it needs a little bit of work
43:20to bring it up to what we would like it to look like, I think.
43:23I think so.
43:23It's quite funny with its little 1980s
43:27kind of cladding and stuff on it,
43:28but that can be removed.
43:29You could take off the stone,
43:31you could replaster it, and you could paint it
43:33to make it similar to the other buildings.
43:36That's good.
43:38Okay, we have the hallway.
43:41Quite narrow here.
43:42Very high space.
43:44And again, it's a steep steps just, you know,
43:46on the street level.
43:47And then to the right is the bedroom,
43:49so have a look in there, won't we?
43:50Yeah, cool.
43:51Decent-sized room.
43:53And again, the floor is nice.
43:54It's a bit strange with those windows.
43:56They're very high up, aren't they?
43:57A prison cell kind of feel, isn't it?
44:00It's interesting that there's a bedroom
44:02leading off the bedroom.
44:03Yeah, which is not particularly practical.
44:05So you have to walk from one to another.
44:08Yeah.
44:08Yeah, yeah, yeah.
44:08And from here it looks even darker in there.
44:13Okay, that's the bathroom.
44:15At least it's not of the kitchen.
44:16Well, that's true.
44:17It's functioning.
44:18Yeah.
44:19Functioning bathroom.
44:20Okay, last but not least,
44:22this is a sitting room and kitchen, I think.
44:24Much more light in here.
44:26This is nice space.
44:27That's what I expected.
44:28It's a nice floor.
44:29It's a kitchen just there.
44:30Again, no doors.
44:32Just kind of this arch opening.
44:34Massive fireplace in the corner.
44:35That is, that is a statement.
44:39And again, this is the same level of floor here.
44:41Oh.
44:42So it's a little bit maybe busy road here.
44:44It's taking up five streets.
44:46I think everything looks nicer in the sun.
44:48I think so.
44:49And it feels nicer in the sun for sure.
44:53So it's safe to say we've seen a lot of roof terraces.
44:56It's very open.
44:58Good size.
44:59Right in the sun.
45:01Okay, it needs a bit of upgrading.
45:03Did you see the kitchen?
45:04Yeah, wow.
45:05That was a bit of a surprise.
45:06That was a bit of a last thing.
45:07But one thing we've learned probably over the last few days is
45:09the Italians don't like to be too far from the kitchen.
45:12You do have those options either to keep living kitchen downstairs,
45:16make a bedroom at this level.
45:18Or keep your kitchen up here for your outdoor dining on the terrace.
45:22And use below as a guest bedroom, an extra bedroom when you need to.
45:25I was surprised when we came up now that that extra room,
45:27that opens up all the options I think in this property for sure.
45:30So was the flow a little bit better than yesterday's house?
45:33A little bit better, but there was one kind of negative point downstairs.
45:36The two back rooms were a bit darker.
45:39And the fact that one bedroom leads off another
45:41is not particularly practical for what we'd be looking for.
45:43The first room, you can manage.
45:46The one behind it, it's more about just changing your outlook on that room.
45:50If that was a walk-in closet, an en suite,
45:54they're more prone to not having big floods of natural light in them anyway.
45:58You could just do a really, really nice lighting design in the room.
46:01Maggie, you're definitely messing with our minds this time, I think.
46:04I think it's this thing about Italy though.
46:07The houses have weird layouts sometimes
46:10and you have to really just get your head around them.
46:12And if you can figure them out, you will get a bargain.
46:15So let's have a chat about this price.
46:17Oh, here we go.
46:18It's on the market for £110,000.
46:20OK.
46:21That's probably a little bit more than we expected.
46:25We thought there would be less than the house number three yesterday.
46:29Really?
46:29Yeah, because the amount of space yesterday.
46:31You wouldn't have to spend much to move in.
46:33No, no, no.
46:34Yesterday there were things to deal with before that.
46:36Yes.
46:36We thought this would be just a definite no-no,
46:38but I think no, that's not the case now.
46:40OK, so you go figure all that out
46:42and then come find me when you've made your decision.
46:45That's good.
46:45Talk later.
46:48I think Niall and Todd are happy with the selection of properties
46:52I've shown them over the last few days here in Puglia.
46:54First, there was the rustic countryside villa.
46:58Then, we travelled to the town of Murolecese
47:02to see a compact one-bedroom townhouse.
47:05Next, it was Caravinho,
47:07where we visited a light-filled spacious second-floor apartment.
47:11And again in Caravinho,
47:13our last property was another large second-floor apartment.
47:17My final task in Puglia is to find out
47:20if the guys are any closer to their dream European home.
47:25So, I'm assuming you have some sort of a decision
47:27or at least one kind of is floating towards the top, is it?
47:30I think we are a little bit torn...
47:31OK.
47:32..between the first and second property.
47:34They're very different,
47:35but each of them had something that we ultimately asked for.
47:39But we ultimately, I think, are going for number two, are we?
47:43We're going for number two.
47:44I think so.
47:44Oh, I wanted that one.
47:46That's not fair.
47:46Oh, sorry, Maggie.
47:48That's a good house.
47:49We think so.
47:50We think it's a good starter for us here in the region
47:52and this country.
47:54It's pretty much a walk-in condition.
47:56We can put out a stamp on it.
47:58Maybe a little bit of innovation.
47:59It would be a very nice base
48:01in a very nice town.
48:02It was a great price too, wasn't it?
48:04And a good bargain.
48:04What's the plan then?
48:05What are we doing?
48:06Probably get in touch with the agent on this one.
48:08Because I think we're close to looking
48:09at maybe putting an offer on it,
48:11so we're really interested in it.
48:12Yes!
48:13We really did fall in love with it,
48:14so I think we really need to see it again,
48:17get a proper feel when there's no cameras around,
48:18so we know what's going on and get a proper feel
48:21for the local vibe.
48:23So I think that'd be really what we want to do.
48:24Well, best of luck.
48:25Thanks for all your help.
48:27It was a great time.
48:29I really loved Todd and Niall's way
48:31of thinking about this house.
48:33Staying back another couple of days,
48:34having another look at it,
48:36because that's the thing.
48:37If you see a house out here
48:39and you get a good feeling about it,
48:41you just have to go for it,
48:43or you might never do it.
48:46I love the Italian way of life.
48:48I want to live here.
48:49The connection between family,
48:51friends, food, gathering,
48:53I think it's just so gorgeous.
48:55It is, it is.
48:56It kind of hooks you in, doesn't it?
48:58I think you do need flexibility, though.
49:00Big time.
49:01And patience.
49:02But I think if you have that
49:03and you're willing to just go with this Italian pace,
49:07I think you can really get a bargain here.
49:09Yeah, well, the payoff is this,
49:11which is fab.
49:12We'll show you, Tim understand these корабle.
49:13I think you could narrow down the street
49:14and let's do主 друзья.
49:14So have you, Tim,
49:33what you guys have decided to do.
49:34How is it?
49:34I really need help.
49:35A sense of being an army member
49:35Have you released some Petite psi?
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