Here's What Transpired When an American Couple Acquired a 400-Year-Old Italian Tower with a Handshake
Embarking on their Italian dream, Tom and Aileen White embraced a magical escape in a 400-year-old tower With a mere handshake, their lives transformed, capturing the essence of a slower pace in a medieval village A remarkable journey awaits!
Prior to their romantic entanglement, Aileen and Tom White were both deeply infatuated with Italy.
The American couple, who have been wed for nearly two decades, have dedicated a significant amount of time to the European country, both individually and together, with Aileen frequently making month-long sojourns.
Aileen shared with CNN Travel, "I've always been passionate about Italy. I formed friendships with many Italians across the country." Based in Boulder, Colorado, the couple had dreamed for years about purchasing a home in Italy, often wistfully admiring properties in real estate windows during their visits.
The pursuit of this prospect didn't begin until around 2016, when they shifted their focus to the area near Susa Valley in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. After about a year of searching, Tom, who had previously worked in action sports, came across an online listing for a 400-year-old tower turned vacation home in the medieval village of Exilles that caught his attention.
Italian dream
Tom and Aileen White purchased a home in the Italian village of Exilles back in 2017.
Tom Winter
No address was provided, so he chose to drive to Exilles, which is approximately an hour away from Turin, to find it himself.
Upon arrival, Tom was captivated by the village, with its population of approximately 250, and promptly located the distinctive home.
After speaking with some locals, he located the owners and worked to persuade them to sell him the property.
"They met with us the following day and we purchased the house with just a handshake," said Aileen, who operates a real estate consultancy.
They purchased the tower for 19,000 euros (around $21,000) in October 2017.
made a life-changing purchase when they decided to buy a small, dilapidated home in the historic village of Lonlay l'Abbaye in Normandy. Despite never seeing the property in person, the couple from the US had long dreamed of living in France and took a leap of faith in 2014 to make their dream a reality.
Without seeing it, they purchased a house in France for $20,000. Here's their experience. The couple encountered some minor problems during the sale, especially in opening an Italian bank account. However, they managed to resolve this issue with the assistance of a lawyer based in Italy.
After finalizing the sale in early 2018, Tom flew from the US to Italy. He picked up the keys over pizza in Turin and immediately started the process of converting the four-story home into a vacation house for himself and Aileen. "I arrived in a snowstorm and everything was gray and dark," he recalls. "The village is vibrant in the summer, but very quiet in winter."
"I succumbed to a peculiar sense of hopelessness, pondering, Oh my goodness, what have I gotten myself into?" Thankfully, a friend's visit lifted his mood, and he channeled his efforts into removing the old carpet and linoleum and clearing out the house for renovations.
"The old kerosene stove worked for approximately five minutes," he recalls.
Magical place
The couple say that they've been embraced "like family" by the local community in Exilles.
Tom Winter and Aileen wasted no time getting to know the locals after they found an architect for their project and Aileen had arrived. The couple's decision to buy a home in Exilles, near Gran Bosco national park, surprised the locals.
Aileen explained that the primary question asked was, "Why are you here?" She described the village as a functioning community where residents rely on the land for their livelihood and engage in trading produce like vegetables, fruits, and potatoes.
"When people inquired about our presence, we simply responded, 'Because it's a magical place.'"
The Winters mentioned that the renovation took approximately six months and cost about $94,000. Tom explained, "It was livable at first, but we've upgraded it and improved it significantly."
The ground level of the home was completely revamped, turning the small bathroom with only a sink and toilet into a spacious area equipped with a shower and laundry facilities.
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The staircase was replaced with an open stairway to bring more light into the property, and a new hot water system fueled by a pellet stove was also added. Additionally, the Winters have constructed a new kitchen on the second level with a balcony, while the old kitchen has been transformed into a living area.
"It's a tiny place," Tom remarks. "There's limited activities to do, so the process has been relatively easy compared to other projects people undertake."
Since acquiring the property, named Torre Piccolo, the couple has built strong connections within the village and have felt warmly welcomed during their four or five annual visits to Piedmont.
Aileen fondly remembers how the villagers welcomed them like family, even calling them "Li Americani" at first. They have now purchased a second property in Exilles and attribute the village's charm to the strong sense of community.
Tom expresses his gratitude, "Everyone's been extremely kind and patient with us. They appreciate our love for Exilles and take great pride in their little village, and rightfully so. It's a fascinating place surrounded by a beautiful natural balance that has been well preserved. Their pride is well deserved."
The couple formed a strong bond with the former owner of their home, who Aileen fondly refers to as one of her "closest friends in Italy."
"Her son recently had a baby, and we made a visit," she shares. "We've truly built a beautiful friendship through the process of buying this home."
With only a small number of English speakers in Exilles, Aileen and Tom have dedicated extensive effort to mastering the language by participating in immersive language courses at local schools. Despite their commitment, the Winters acknowledge that Aileen has adapted to the language more effortlessly, a fact that has not escaped the attention of the community.
"I was telling them that I was going to language school for a few weeks," Aileen says of a recent conversation with some of their neighbors.
Slower pace
The Winters spent around $94,000 renovating Torre Piccolo, which has five rooms.
Tom Winter
"And the first question was, Why isnt Tom going? He needs it more than you do."
The couple is deeply in love with Exilles, but they acknowledge that there are certain aspects of living in a small Italian village that have required some adjustments.
"We've come to realize that if you go to the grocery store on a Tuesday at 10 a.m, it might be closed because that specific store operates on its own hours," Aileen explains.
"And at times, we've found that the restaurant we wanted to go to at 8 o'clock is closed due to a family birthday party. We've learned to understand and adapt to these situations, which has helped us become less 'uptight' about things, thanks to the slower pace of life here."
"It's a positive change. We've learned to take things slower and be more relaxed about the routine," Tom explains. "And it's been wonderful. We truly feel disconnected when we're there."
The Winters express their desire to spend half of the year in Piedmont, but their lack of long stay visas and the limitations of tourist visas restrict them to only 90 days at a time.
Tom is of the belief that it will be quite some time before they consider permanently settling in Italy, as they are adamant about maintaining their properties in the US. "I don't think we're ready for that just yet," he says, mentioning that there are certain aspects of life in Italy that they would find difficult to handle on a permanent basis.
"It would be difficult for me to deal with the infamous Italian bureaucracy on a full-time basis, and the tax implications for us. So, we are currently discussing how that would work."
For now, the Winters are striving to spend four or five months of the year in Italy, and they express their desire to bring their cat over and spend more time planting in their garden.
The couple often gives advice to other American families considering a move to Italy. They emphasize the importance of finding the right destination that suits their individual needs. While they have found Exilles to be perfect for them, they acknowledge that it may not be the right fit for everyone. Aileen also comments that the romanticized "Under the Tuscan Sun" dream that people often have is something she finds really cool.
If you dream of living in Provence, Tuscany, or Spain, take the leap and make it a reality. Stop talking about it and start making it happen. I urge people to actively seek out their own place.
Tom emphasizes that while he wouldn't recommend purchasing a house without a formal agreement, he is delighted with the outcome. "We initially thought it would be a fun project," he explains, "but we've been truly amazed by how it has enriched our spirits and the genuine kindness of the people."
"The ROI is really that human experience. Thats exceeded every expectation we ever could have had."
