Stephanie Synclair, a 41-year-old Black mother from Atlanta who has chosen to establish a second home in Sicily. She proudly acquired a $62,000 villa in Sicily, Italy in 2022, evading the exorbitant costs of real estate in the US.
In 2012, Synclair left her ten-year corporate marketing profession to go on an impromptu trip to Sicily with her six-year-old son, Caden. The plane ticket cost about $250.
“I knew from the moment I landed that I loved it here, and it was almost like home for me,” she told NBC Washington.
In addition to the food and scenery, Synclair, who currently owns her own tea company, LaRue 1680, chose to relocate to Sicily because of the friendly people there.
“My favorite thing about living in Sicily is you actually get to live. I do find that in the United States, it’s more work-focused for me. And so here I’m able to really relax and spend time doing things that I love doing.”
Inspired by the way the US housing market was evolving, particularly in the midst of the pandemic, Synclair broadened her search to include a worldwide search. She learned about the Sicilian village of Mussomeli—which is renowned for offering houses for as little as one euro—through a Facebook group.
Synclair completed the purchase of her 4,000-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom old home in March 2022 for a total of 59,000 euros, or roughly $62,000. She prioritizes maintaining the architectural aspects of her 500-year-old home, even if renovations are currently underway.
“I always said I could see myself living here, but it was more so in a dream way,” she adds. “I never actually saw myself buying a house here. I don’t know that I really thought it was possible at the time.”
Living in Sicily has brought Synclair financial advantages in addition to a cultural retreat.Compared to Atlanta, basic living expenses are lower, and fresh fruit is more reasonably priced.
Synclair currently travels to Sicily every three months. She does, however, intend to travel more after her son’s high school graduation. In the future, Synclair plans to retire in Italy, where she believes she will only require $450,000 as opposed to $2.5 million in the United States. She is most thankful for the friendliness and warmth that made Sicily feel like a real home away from home.
“I will always be an American on foreign land — I will always be an outsider,” Synclair said. “And I think that’s really important to remember when you’re coming into others’ cultures.”