The family is buying a cheap house in Italy because it's too expensive in the USA.

The increase in living costs in America in recent years has hit households hard, many of which are now barely making ends meet. One American family became so frustrated with the situation that they decided to pack up their lives and move to the deep southern part of Italy.

Chris and Jennifer Tidroski from Prescott, Arizona, have joined the ranks of U.S. citizens who bought an abandoned house in a deserted Italian village for a pittance in search of a slower life. In 2021, the Tidroskis purchased a home in the historic district of the village of Latronico in the southern Italian region of Basilicata for 26,000 euros (about $27,274) and have since spent an additional 50,000 euros ($52,450) on its renovation.

"Our goal is to move within the next year, as soon as the house is ready and we get our visa, along with our seven-year-old daughter Lydia. We want a bright future."

“says Chris Tidroski, a 49-year-old former osteopath who now teaches bowling, in an interview with CNN. The couple says that the cost of living in the U.S. has become too high, especially regarding healthcare. Working in this field, they have seen prices rise over the past decade, and there are no hopes for improvement.”

Chris explains that political polarization in the US has become one of the reasons for their decision to move to Italy.“We don’t like the political situation in the USA: it’s ridiculous and unreasonable.”- he says.“There is too much discrepancy in both directions, there is no longer a golden mean. We cannot relate to this.”

The opportunity to reconnect with his Italian roots also became a catalyst for change for Chris, whose great-grandfather moved to the U.S. from a village near Latronico in the late 1800s. The Tidroskis decided to travel to Latronico to look at available housing in 2021 after reading about a housing program - local authorities launched an online platform called "Your Home in Latronico" to help homeowners meet buyers - aimed at attracting foreign expatriates to this picturesque hilltop town.

“We chose Latronico because of the advertising. We had never even considered buying a house abroad before, but I liked the idea of the program, and the prices turned out to be surprisingly low.”

“says Jennifer, 37, who is also an osteopath. After viewing several properties in the city, they chose a two-bedroom house with an area of 125 square meters, which comes with a plot of land and is accessible by car through the old district. The sales process went smoothly without any unexpected surprises,” says Chris, who flew to Italy to sign the documents at the end of the same year.

After purchasing their Italian home, the family updated the floors, renovated the kitchen, dining room, bathrooms, and bedrooms.

In the past three years, Italian households have been receiving government-approved tax credits of up to 110% for green renovations, which has sparked a "renovation frenzy" across the country. The Tidroskis are temporarily living in an apartment while preparing to move into their newly renovated Italian home."We were told that we just need to wait in line, which was a bit disappointing."- says Chris.

Although their expenses slightly exceeded their expectations, the Tidroskis say they couldn't afford a similar house in the U.S. While the couple decided not to pursue an osteopath license because "it's very difficult to get into the Italian medical commission," Jennifer plans to open a practice in alternative medicine, which does not require a license. She will be the first practitioner of "Western energy medicine" in Latronico, for which the Italian medical commission exam is not required.

According to the deputy mayor of Latronico, Vincenzo Castellano, there are currently no osteopaths in Latronico, so Jennifer's practice will likely be welcomed by the elderly residents.“I can’t spend as much time in Latronico as I would like, but I’m in love with the architecture and the feeling of a small town.”- says Jennifer.“Watching people go into the bakery and butcher shop, stopping for espresso and chatting with each other on the street is something I don’t see in our community in the USA.”

The Tidroskis recently sold their house in Arizona and are temporarily living in an apartment while preparing to move to Latronico. But the process is far from simple. They say that the main obstacles they faced, aside from the language barrier, were related to the visa process. They are having difficulties obtaining a long-term residence visa (ERV), a permit for non-residents designed for non-EU citizens, which requires the applying couple to have a "passive" income of 38,000 euros (about 39,850 USD) per year.

"This ERV is so hard to obtain since we don't meet the income requirements. We've looked into other options, but nothing is possible." - says Chris.“For example, if you donate around 2 million euros to the artificial heritage of Italy, it would help.”

He recently started searching to confirm his Italian roots through Castellano in order to apply for Italian citizenship by descent. Chris is gathering key documents about his ancestors, following the trail of his genealogical line to find his great-great-grandfather's birth certificate in regional registration offices, so he can connect it to him through his mother's birth certificate. While his mother was Italian, Chris's father was Polish-Lithuanian. In the past, there were no registration offices in deep Italy, so old birth certificates are usually found in parishes, monasteries, and convents.

“Fortunately, Castellano knows a few places where I can access this information.”- He is speaking.“The further my lineage goes back, the greater the chances of reclaiming my roots.”

He admits that he would have liked to conduct more research on the process of obtaining residence permits in Italy earlier. While Americans with homes in Italy that do not meet visa requirements typically move back and forth between the US and Italy to comply with the 90-day stay rule, the family hopes to live permanently in Latronico.

"My advice for people who want to move to Italy is to make sure you understand how citizenship and visas work, as this can hinder your plans."- says Chris.“Before buying a house, make a plan and explore different options to avoid problems.”

He warns potential foreign buyers to be fully aware of their situation before starting their search for real estate in Italy.“Buying a house does not grant you the right to reside.”- he says.“Without a visa, you cannot stay in Italy for more than 90 days out of 180, period.”

Despite the obstacles they faced, the couple says they are completely enchanted by Latronico and are eagerly awaiting the official start of their life in the city, no matter how long it takes.

“We love the rhythm of life here... afternoon naps, fresh, healthy vegetables and fruits, and a delicious butcher shop close to our home.”- says Chris.