Instead of visiting Italy, we bought a home here for about $65,000. Our decision was risky, but it paid off.

About five years ago, my husband and I bought a house in Sicily, sight unseen.

Camellia Phillips

About five years ago, my husband and I bought a house in a hillside Sicilian village without having seen it in person.We knew it was an unconventional decision. We were living in New York City at the time, and I had never even been to Sicily before we closed on the property. Some family and friends doubted our plans.In retrospect, a lot could have gone wrong — but it wasn't until we were finally on our way to Sicily in May 2022 that I said aloud, "What if we hate the house?"Thankfully, we didn't.We bought a house instead of planning a trip

I'd always dreamed of visiting Melilli, the village where many of my husband's relatives lived.

Camellia Phillips