A couple bought an abandoned Italian villa that was plagued with mould for €200k and are now spending another €200k bringing it back to its former glory.
Roger, 49, and Mirella Bloomingdale, 54, had always wanted to move to Italy for an ‘easy’ pace of life. Two years ago they began looking for homes when they stumbled across the three-storey villa in Cupra Marittima and instantly fell in love.
Despite its mouldy walls, birds and lizards living there, they bought the huge 2,000 metre squared property for €200k. They are now giving it a new lease of life, with plans to transform it into a habitable home with a ground floor living space, five bedrooms, four bathrooms and a library.
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They estimate the huge project will take three to four years and cost them another €200k but say is a “wonderful opportunity” for a “new life”.
Roger, a freelance consultant from Amsterdam said: “It was a complete mess. There were still birds living there – lots of lizards. Instead of painted ceilings we found mouldy walls. We’re not afraid of cleaning.
“I’m not sure we’ll turn a big profit – or any profit. But we want to go and live there. It can be a wonderful opportunity to have a new life. We want to give it the feeling it had originally.”
Mirella, who is also a freelance consultant, started searching for homes online in 2022 for “inspiration” and found the villa in the Italian region Marche.
Roger said: “It looked gorgeous on the outside.” They booked a viewing and despite the “mouldy” walls, and lizards and birds living there they put down an offer.
They bought the home, which had been abandoned for 25 to 30 years, for €150k and bought the land, including an annex and barn, for €50k. The couple have been saving up money to renovate it since – and say the roof will need to be completely redone.
Roger said: “The main cost will be fixing the roof. We’ve been saving for that.” Roger and Mirella hope to get out to Italy soon and will start work on the barn to turn it into a tiny home they can live in while they renovate the min villa.
Eventually they hope the barn will become a pool house. Apart from structural work such as the roof they will complete as much as the renovation they can themselves.
Roger said: “The ground floor is for living. The first floor will be two suites – two bedroom and two bathrooms and a library. The top will be three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a communal room. It’s a huge project.”
The couple had been hoping to find lots of “treasures” in the villa but have had to throw out most of what was left behind. They have kept some love letters from the 50s and war time magazines which “gave a connection to the house and it’s history”.
The villa – which is just a five minute drive from the beach – will be the couple’s retirement home. They hope to complete the renovation over three to four years so they can “go and live there and have an easy, early retirement”.
Roger said: “What’s really nice about Italy is it’s about easy going. People enjoy making a cup of coffee. There is a sense of enjoyment in life. It’s very nice and welcoming. It’s less rainy and more sunny. A high quality of life.”
You can follow the renovation on TikTok @renovation.palazzo.puro and YouTube @RenovationPalazzoPuro.
