Original subtitles

This view is priceless.

[narrator] Imagine a world of bargain dream real estate.

Just $41,000.

-[Larry] What? -This is unheard of for the States.

Global destinations.

-Bonjour! -I'm gonna embarrass myself. [laughs]

Fromagerie.

I love it! Great way to meet your neighbors.

-Yeah. -[woman #1] Yeah.

-[bell tolling] -This architecture is amazing.

And local expert know-how.

[woman #1] The cost of this in the States --

[woman #2] I think it would be double for sure.

The cost of living here is so much more affordable

than the U.S.

It is definitely a bargain.

Thank you!

You can afford to live your dream...

Whoo! [laughs]

I can't believe this is going to be my new home.

...at a price you never thought possible.

You did incredible!

This is exactly what we came all this way for.

["Il Tuoi Baci" by Cyril Giroux playing]

♪ E mi chiedo val la pena ♪

♪ Di restare qui abbracciati? ♪

♪ Mentre il giorno c'è di più E la luna, da lassù ♪

♪ Fa da specchio Ai nostri baci ♪

-Michael, will you get a picture of me? -Yeah, of course.

There you go, yeah. Cute.

Muwah!

[Michael] What do they call these again?

-[Alena] Trulli. -[Michael] Trulli, wow.

-[Alena] Wow. -[Michael] Well, they truly are,

uh, beautiful, I guess, right? -[Alena laughs]

We've been friends for over 20 years.

We're like family.

Our mothers are good friends, and we're both artists.

We went to be in Puglia because of the blooming art scene,

the contemporary art scene that a lot of my friends

have been telling me about.

-Look at the sun sigil there, so beautiful. -[Michael] Yeah.

For me, the opportunity to do something unknown

is actually why I'm here.

-Just to be totally clear, we are completely friends. -Yeah.

We never slept together.

I think 20 years ago, we kissed like three times,

and that was it.

Puglia, just an hour's flight south

from Italy's capital, Rome,

with 500 miles of stunning coastline,

dramatic architecture, and incredible light,

this region has been a magnet for artists for centuries.

Even though there's a property boom going on

in the sun-soaked heel of Italy's boot,

you can still find a dream home for under 150,000 U.S. dollars.

Finding these friends their shared dream bargain home

requires a man with plenty of local knowledge.

I'm Sicilian, you know, but Puglia is part

of south of Italy, so we're not that culturally far.

Italy offers a lot of opportunities for Americans

choosing this dream.

It's very easy to stay in Italy,

especially for who is choosing Italy

as main -- as main resident.

This region currently has the fastest growing

property market in Italy,

and savvy property hunters are turning their attention

to the affordable homes they can find here in Puglia.

OK, guys, why Puglia? Why now?

I've had this dream for over a decade,

I mean, the first time I came to Italy, I felt like home.

But now in my life, I'm at a space and time

where I can actually make this happen for myself.

-OK. -I've been waiting for this

for many years.

My art practice has been growing,

and some new inspiration is really gonna, uh,

invigorate it to grow even more.

So guys, please tell me, what about your expectation,

your budget? -Our budget is

between 100 and 150,000 U.S. dollars.

Yeah, it'll be a 50-50 split.

[Alena] The property that we're looking for would be at least

a two-bedroom and two bathrooms.

I would absolutely love to see a trulli.

I've never been in them before, and I'm really hoping

that our budget is going to stretch

to be able to afford one.

You are giving me a very flexible budget.

So I think, uh, you know, this region offers

a lot of different architecture,

so I'm pretty sure I will find something

you can really fall in love easily. -Mm-hmm.

I wanna fall in love.

You will.

Finding traditionally older properties with more

than one bathroom can be a challenge here,

so Alena and Michael are starting their search

at the furthest tip of the heel,

a region loved by artists for its light --

the village of Montesardo.

Largely because this region is less developed

than further north,

house prices are between 30% to 35% cheaper

than the national average.

And there are plenty of bargain homes for sale.

I wanted to show you something because is --

I think it's very important to see the architectures

you can have -- it's a castle. -[Michael] Oh.

-[Alena] Stunning! -[Fabrizio] Look how beautiful it is.

[Alena] The pink. It's beautiful.

[Fabrizio] It's pink. It's full of colors.

[Michael] Look at this bell and the --

And light and plants.

[Alena] It's an actual castle.

[Fabrizio] Yeah, it is.

OK, guys, this is the very heart of this town.

And, as I know, there is a new international population.

So there will be other Americans and people

from all over the world already living in the area.

So this -- yeah, it's gonna be cool.

-Oh. -And this is the property.

OK, the reason why I took you here,

just because this property is amazing.

It's just $138,000.

It's right in the heart of this old town, and it's pristine.

-It looks amazing. -Lucky number seven.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah. -[Fabrizio] Lucky number seven.

Just a short walk from the castle,

this 968-square-foot historic house

was built from the local limestone, called tufo.

All essentials are within walking distance,

and it's being sold fully furnished.

Whoa. Wow. Whoo.

Look at this.

This old stone, it's like, uh, we're living in a castle.

-I love it. -[Alena] It's a mini-castle.

-Yeah -- a mini-castle. -[Alena laughs]

This basin must be as old as --

[laughs] the stone there. Look at that.

-Incredible. -[Alena] I wonder if it works.

Oh my gosh, it works!

-[laughs] -[Michael] Oh.

[Alena] That's amazing.

We can paint out here and use that as your base

to wash your paints. -Yes, the light is actually

perfect for painting. -[Michael] Yeah -- yeah, yeah.

[Alena] For real, it's beautiful.

[Michael] So this is really incredible.

I love it.

-OK. -[Alena] Cute!

[Michael] Look at these ceilings, it's incredible.

Known as volta a botte,

these vaulted ceilings are characteristic of the region.

[Alena] So far, I think it's so charming.

It actually has a feeling of home,

which is what I want, you know? -[Michael] Hmm.

This makes me feel held, like, it's -- it's like a warm hug,

this room. -Right.

This hug of a home was built around 1700

and is set around a courtyard

with a living/dining area, bathroom, and two bedrooms.

A similar-sized apartment in New York City

could cost up to $1,000,000.

So this is a steal.

-Oh my god, it's so cute! -[Michael] Hmm.

I mean, just having this stone is amazing.

[whispering] Oh my god.

-[normally] This is so charming to me. -[Michael] Yeah.

Oh my goodness. I love it!

It's actually so darling.

[Michael] OK.

I think this qualifies as a tiny bathroom.

-[Alena] It's pretty small. -It's pretty small.

[clicks tongue] Piccolo. [chuckles]

-Piccolo. -Yeah.

-What's that mean again? -Small.

-Uh-oh. -[Michael] Wait, what is this staircase

doing in the middle of the room? -[Alena] There's a --

There's a wall right there.

I think that's a ceiling, actually.

[Alena] Does it open?

-[Michael] OK. -Oh -- oh --

oh --

oh, n -- no.

[upbeat music plays]

-[Michael] OK. -Oh -- oh --

oh --

oh, n -- no.

[chuckling] The stairs lead to

what would be your bedroom. -Oh, great -- yeah.

-No -- -Wait, this is the second bedroom?

-No -- no bed. [laughs] -'Cause -- OK.

[Alena] I mean, I would definitely get this bedroom, just saying.

-But -- -[Michael] Yeah, but this isn't

the other bedroom. We're in the same room.

Oh no! [laughs]

And what about privacy for this person?

-Oh, you don't get privacy. -[Alena] Meaning me.

-No, no. -[Alena] It's actually just a one-bedroom.

I'll sleep up there with the dogs.

-That sounds good. -[chuckles]

-I can just put in earplugs at night. -[snorts]

-I don't know, I don't care. -No.

OK.

Guys! What do you think?

[sighing] Yeah.

What did we think?

I mean, we're kind of sharing a bedroom, basically.

-[laughs] -Oh, well, you have to be --

you are artists, you are creative.

So you figure out

how to rearrange these spaces. -[Alena and Michael laughing]

Yeah, we're familiar with each other,

but not that familiar.

[claps] OK, let's see something else then.

-Let's go. -OK.

[seagulls cawing]

♪♪

OK, guys, I took you here

because I want you to experience something.

-It's a typical Puglian dance. -Oh.

-[tambourine playing] -Which will involve you

in a very amazing way. -OK -- OK.

[dancer #1] Yeah! Oh!

-[dancer #2] Da-da-da. -[squealing]

[dancers speaking in Italian]

-[laughter] -[indistinct chatter]

[clapping]

[Alena] Beautiful! Bella!

Bellissima! Beautiful!

-[dancer #1] Voila! -[Alena] It's amazing.

The spirit of the people in Puglia is so beautiful.

-Bop, bop, bop-bop-bop. -Bop, bop-bop-bop.

Back on the road,

and we're heading into central Puglia,

to the Itria Valley, otherwise known

as Trulli Country.

Dating back to the 14th century,

these unique dry stone buildings

would have housed farming families

and their livestock.

[Fabrizio] Look all around.

Do you see these beautiful house shapes?

[Alena] Wow. Little magical temples.

-They're beautiful. -[Michael] Yeah.

[Michael] It's very much out of, like, a little storybook

or something like that. -So beautiful.

I feel like I'm in a fairy tale.

[Fabrizio] And finally, here we are.

Oh, my gosh. Wow.

-[Alena] Wow. -[Michael] Look at the view

it's gonna have. Look at this.

-[Alena] Oh, cute. -[Michael laughs]

It's like a little heaven, little --

-[laughs] -[Michael] Yeah.

It's so beautiful. Oh, my God.

[chuckles] It's really special.

I can really actually see it. It's so beautiful.

[Michael] Yeah.

And my favorite numbers -- three and six, actually.

-[Michael] Makes a nine. -[Fabrizio] Oh, wow. That's a sign.

-No, it actually is true. -[laughs]

It's so true.

[chuckles]

The price is 162,000 U.S. dollars,

which is not far from your budget.

Mm, I think this, uh, could be something very special for us.

Yeah, I'm a bit speechless. I don't have a lot to say.

Now I want to go see inside.

You know, I think that we've been --

I know. We don't have the key, unfortunately.

-Really? -[Fabrizio laughing] No.

Built sometime in the 19th century

with a more recent extension,

this detached hilltop trullo features a roof with two cones.

[gasps]

[Michael] Wow!

It's actually amazing. The space, it's so big.

Being in the middle of the countryside,

all the essentials are a short drive away.

[Michael chuckles]

-Oh, boy. -[Alena] Super cute.

[Michael] Oh, my God.

[laughs]

-[Alena] Really cute. -[Michael] Wow.

[Alena] Oh, yeah, and there's the -- the cone.

[Michael] Yeah, the trullo ceiling, yeah.

All these arches, all this, like a circular architecture,

you know? It's so different

than the boxes and the squares we're used to.

It's, uh, the way it moves the energy. I love it.

All on one level, this dream rural farmhouse

includes a living room,

kitchen, two bedrooms,

and one and a half bathrooms.

Interesting, but it's high ceilings.

-That's nice. -Yeah.

I mean, you could fit a king bed in here.

-It's pretty big. [laughs] -[Michael] No, it's -- no, it's definitely

enough space for a bedroom. -For Italian?

-[Michael] Yeah, yeah, for sure. -Like, that's a -- this is a big bedroom for Italy.

-[Michael] Yeah. -[Alena] Uh-huh.

-[laughs] -[Alena blows raspberry]

[Michael] Oh, my God.

What is that?

-That's a bathroom? -[Alena laughs]

-[Alena] No, no. -I've never seen -- wait, wait, wait.

I've never seen a bathroom that you ascend to.

[Alena laughing] No, Michael, no.

Wait, this is -- when they -- when they say

when they say the toilet's a throne,

they literally mean it, it's a throne. -[Alena laughs]

-I can't, I can't. -[Michael laughs]

You're, like, literally sitting above,

you know, I -- maybe I can sit up here

and I can give sermons.

-You just ruined the bathroom for me. -[Michael laughs]

-It was already worse [silent mouthing] -Hello, darling, hello.

-Wow. -I can't, no.

Wow, this is wild.

I guess this is the second bedroom, yeah?

[Alena] It's much smaller.

-[Michael] It is much smaller. -[Alena laughs]

[Michael] Yeah.

-What are you trying to say? -What do you think?

What are you trying to say?

This is my bedroom, you're saying? Uh-uh.

[Alena] Yeah, how do you feel about that?

[Michael] I mean, I've never been a one to hate on small spaces.

I enjoy cozy spaces.

It's not ideal.

The other room is definitely more, uh --

but -- -You're being generous with that.

-I mean, it's a much smaller -- -Perhaps.

-Yeah. -Yeah, and it's a little --

it's a few steps down.

-[Alena] Here's the bathroom. -[Michael] Yeah.

-[Alena] Yeah. -[Michael laughs]

-[Michael] This is a bathroom. -Yeah, we didn't see it before.

[Michael] There's a toilet, so I guess it qualifies as a bathroom.

No, no. So this is the only bathroom?

-Yeah. -Oh.

-That's a really small shower. -[Alena laughs]

[laughs] Look at this. Come here.

-[Alena] OK. -Here, look.

-Look. -[laughing] Oh, my God.

It's really small. Yeah.

It's really small. Even for me, that's small.

-Wow. -Yeah.

-I -- -Oh, [laughs]

OK, guys, tell me.

-What do you think? -[Alena] I loved it.

I felt like I was in a, again, like a fairy tale.

The altar, the fireplace -- stunning.

Just taking in, like, actually how it feels to be

in a trullo, is incredible.

You know, the bathrooms are quite small.

-Mm-hmm. -Really cozy.

-A cozy shower. -[Fabrizio] Mm-hmm.

-Yeah, but -- -[Fabrizio laughs]

-[Alena laughs] -[Michael] But, you know, there's so much to love.

Um, and there's also,

you know, some things to think about, of course.

♪♪

[seagull cawing]

Driven by a surge in tourism

and buyers seeking its unique blend of affordability

and stunning architecture,

real estate sales in Puglia are booming.

But dream home hunting can be thirsty work,

so Fabrizio's planned a pit stop

at the local Enoteca, or wine store,

in the town of Lecce.

OK, I want you to know one of my friends, Fabio.

[speaking in Italian]

[Alena speaking in Italian]

[Fabrizio] And Michael.

[Michael speaking in Italian]

[Fabrizio] We'll, uh, try something really local.

It's an amaro, which is a -- a traditional recipe.

-It's made with local herbs. -[Alena] OK.

[Fabrizio] It's like, uh, it's powerful.

-[Michael laughing] Oh. -[Fabrizio laughing] You know, superpowers.

-[Michael] OK. -[Alena laughs]

[Fabrizio] Salute. -[Michael] Salute!

Salute! [Fabrizio] Cheers.

-Salute. -[Michael] Salute.

[Michael] Mm.

[Michael] Oof.

-Wow. -[Fabio] Yeah.

-OK.

-I can do better. -[Alena] Forte -- strong.

-Wow. -Oh, it's delicious.

-I love it. -[Fabrizio] It is.

OK, guys, give me some feedback.

How was today?

Honestly, I'm more in love with Puglia

than I thought I would be.

Like, my heart is very open right now.

I feel so relaxed. It's stunning here.

-Yeah? -Yeah, I just feel this, uh, warmth

that is continuing to expand

and the Amaro has expanded it even more. -[Alena laughs]

-[Fabrizio laughing] Yeah. -Italy is working its magic,

I think. -Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Buongiorno to a brand-new day

and what could lead to a brand-new home for Alena and Michael.

You know, my only worry about living in Italy

is actually just being so relaxed

and just wanting to siesta all the time.

Maybe a little painting, a little siesta, a little wine,

like that rhythm. -[hisses] You know what?

In south of Italy, we don't know what stress is.

Look at me. I have no wrinkles,

and I'm 62 years old. -[Michael laughs]

Their search continues

along the west coast of Puglia,

around the bougie harbor town of Santa Caterina...

...a vibrant resort of whitewashed villas facing the Ionian Sea.

For Alena and Michael, a slice of this idyllic life

can be found in the nearby town of Galatone.

[Fabrizio] OK, guys, this is a townhouse,

but it's just 10 minutes driving for the seaside.

I love that we're 10 minutes from the beach,

but the city -- I like being in the city,

but it's a little loud.

[Michael] I mean, I -- I'm used to the city,

and I -- I enjoy the city very much,

but let's see the apartment, yeah?

OK. I have very good news for you.

The budget for this property is 133,000 U.S. dollars.

-[Michael] OK. -Wow.

Which is actually into your budget.

This historic 860-square-foot penthouse apartment

combines New York chic with Puglian charm.

-[gasps] -Mm.

Wow, look at the height of ceiling.

-[Michael] Yeah. -[Alena] It's perfect.

[Michael] And we have more natural stone here,

which is really nice.

Uniform floor -- a dining room.

[Michael] Floors -- I know! [laughs] A real dining room, OK.

-A real dining room. [gasps] -[Michael] Yeah.

-Yeah. -[Alena] Oh my goodness, I like.

[Michael] Yeah, yeah.

-It feels more like a home, like settled. -Yeah, I feel --

Yeah, this feels more like our kind of, uh, space, huh?

The island, what you were -- [laughs] were looking for

in the first property. -[Michael] Oh, yeah.

-Yeah, my island, yeah. -[Alena laughs]

-This is nice, good. -Oh --

oh wait, actually, I love this.

-This is where you have your cappuccino in the morning

with a fire. - [Michael] Fireplace.

-[Alena] Yeah. -[Michael] That's amazing.

[Alena] Like a little cove, like alcove of a fireplace.

Built in 1942, this penthouse apartment

with soaring volta a botte ceilings

has living and dining areas,

original hand-painted floor tiles,

two bedrooms, and a bathroom.

The traditional tiles used here are known as cement pastine

and are common throughout this region.

-Ooh. -Oh.

-[Michael] OK. -[Alena] Ooh.

-[Michael] Yeah? -So who would be in here?

[Alena laughs] -Who would be in here, Alena?

-[Alena laughs] I don't know. -Yeah, yeah.

-[Alena] I have an idea. -I think you do.

-[Alena laughs] -[Michael] Yes.

[Alena gasps] Oh, my God.

-I'm in love with the ceilings. -I know, yeah.

-[Alena] They're actually beautiful. -[Michael] Yeah.

-[Alena] Wow. -[Michael] These floors.

-[Alena] Oh, my God. -[Michael] These look like they're original.

-[Alena] Hmm. -[Michael] These floors.

-[Alena] The floors are gorgeous. -[Michael] Yeah.

I have to be honest, the first room I could see

myself actually wanting to sleep in.

-Really? -Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, you think it's cause

of the ceiling, you know. -[Alena] Yeah, yeah.

[Alena] Are we -- are we fighting over this room now?

-Um, debate -- debating. -[Alena laughs]

-We're not fighting, we're debating. -We're debating?

Then I definitely choose this one.

-[Michael] You choose this one? -Yeah.

-[Michael] Yeah. -I'm all in on this one.

OK. Let's go look at my room, then.

[all laugh]

Well, I think the kid's room is appropriate for me, no?

[Alena] It -- yeah, I would say so.

I think this pink pillow is perfect for you.

-All the stuffed animals. -[Michael] Oh, yeah.

-You can cuddle them at night. -OK, let's slow it down.

-Let's slow it down a little bit. -[Alena laughs]

[Michael chuckles] I love the silliness

of me being in the second bedroom

with the children's toys and everything, you know.

It's kind of like, I like to see myself as an ancient child,

anyway, so it actually speaks to me.

-[Alena] Ah, beautiful. -[Michael] OK.

[Alena] OK. Ooh, light.

[Michael] Oh, yeah, that's nice.

[Alena] But at least you can fit in the shower.

Look, it might be tall enough

for you, actually. -[Michael laughing] Yeah.

It might actually. It's a nice shower.

-No tub. -[Alena] No tub.

-[Michael] No tub. -[Alena] No tub.

Again, though, just one bathroom.

-Yeah. -[fake crying]

[upbeat music plays]

Hey, guys, you found me.

What do you think about the beautiful penthouse?

It's just incredible.

I love the floors.

I love the ceilings. We both felt that way.

I love the feeling inside, the warmth.

The kitchen was awesome, the island.

And, yeah, I love the bedroom [laughs]

that I would probably have. -[all laugh]

So it's given us a lot of food for thought.

♪♪

So I've been thinking about everything we've seen this week.

The, uh, historic home that we saw,

like that one just kind of flew out of my mind pretty quickly.

Hmm. I want to talk about the trulli.

The trulli leaves its magical mark on me.

-So beautiful. -The bathrooms, not so much.

Trulli and the last one that we saw

really gave us something to think about.

Yeah, I think the apartment is really nice.

I love the ceilings and the floors.

And it feels big. It feels spacious.

I love it.

Yeah, it's definitely a big decision.

I feel like I learned so much.

-I'm way more aware of what we can buy. -Yeah.

And now I want to really --

we can digest this and see, you know?

-Yeah, 100%. -Yeah.

[chuckles] Cin cin, salute.

-Cin cin, salute. -Salute.

So we looked at all these great houses

but couldn't make a decision together.

[Michael] We loved the trullo, but we decided

it was just gonna take too much work.

I think the last one that we saw is really nice,

but it -- it just wasn't gonna give us the bathroom or space

that we need to live side by side.

[Alena] It's still my dream to live in Italy,

and I found a temporary place to rent,

and I will continue my search with Fabrizio.

As soon as I get everything wrapped up in New York,

I'm going to join Alena in Italy,

and we're gonna continue our search.

Ciao, ciao, ciao!