I think everyone reading this knows our apartment is for sale here in Umbria. [Listing] Not that this is new. We listed it about 3 years ago. Things move slowly here during normal times, but two years of this listing time has been severely Covid affected. We essentially lost two years of any possible activity. Now that things are loosening up and people are again out and about and traveling, we are seeing an uptick in interest. I feel certain we will sell this year.
So, anyway, last week we had some folks come look. British expats, they had just sold their big country house here where they had lived for 28 years. I could tell it was hard for them to have given it up. They wanted a smaller ”bolt-hole” as the Brits call it. A place where they could still return to their beloved Umbria, but without the upkeep. A place they could lock and leave. I could tell they really liked our casa. They wasted no time, we got an offer on Sunday. It was a bit low so we countered with what we thought was a reasonable price. Then silence. Finally I wrote the agent to enquire. Turns out, in the meantime, they had had second thoughts. They had wanted to replace their beloved Casa Anna. Buying our apartment would have been like getting married on the rebound. I totally get it. It was probably too soon.
At any rate, the possibility of it happening kind of lit a fire under us for a couple of days, contemplating where we would go – with some panic on my part, I don’t mind saying. The nice thing about the offer was the people were very flexible on the closing date. It would have given us the time we need to find someplace. Anyway, we did some looking during those two days and have a few possibilities. We will definitely start recon in earnest of places we might like to move.
Lunch with Archie yesterday at Calagrana to celebrate the birthday of a friend.
Hi Denise, I understand. Never fear. You’ll find something you love when the time is right!
Hi Nancy, writing to you from Minneapolis. I have had to hold myself back from making an offer on your apartment as it is too soon for me. I will not be able to enjoy that until I retire in a park couple of years.I am sure you will get your asking price. It is absolutely lovely. I’ll be following your blog as I look ahead to post retirement flexibility.
Hi Maggie, no we will stay in Italy. We are selling because I have issues with walking and the stairs are going to get more difficult as time goes by. So far, no problem. We are not it a big hurry to sell.
Hi Sal, I will be happy to show it to you. It’s a sweet place. We can have a caffe or a vino in the piazza downstairs. My email is on the contact page on this blog
May I ask why you are moving? Would you go back to the U.S. or stay in a different place in Italy? I love your blog! Thank you for doing it.
Hello Nancy – Sorry it didn’t work out. My wife Cathy and I plan on being in area in the early part of June. Hope we get the opportunity to see your apartment . – Sal
I’ve got a few realtors where it is listed. Not sure if it’s on Rightmove.
Hi Bill and Patty. I posted a link to our apartment in this post. Go take a look. The price is on that page.
Is it advertized on Rightmove? A lot of British use that site.
Patty and I love your apartment. Sorry for you that they didn’t buy. Do you think it would cost much to ship it to Castro dei Volsci where we want to live? LOL hahaha
Thanks Matt. I love this town, and this apartment. It will be difficult to move. The reason we are leaving is the stairs. It is imperative to find a place with few, or no stairs. Or an elevator. This leaves out 99% of houses here. Makes the possible pool very small. We are thinking of moving over the mountains to the west. Not far but into Tuscany. We want to be near a main train line this time. We shall see.
Hi Nancy – Sorry the sale didn’t work out. Your apartment is absolutely beautiful!; done in perfect taste (at least in my eyes). I hate to see you leave and hope you’ll stay in Umbertide. I enjoy living there vicariously!
Matt