Case Study: Finding the Right Home on Lake Como — Even From Thousands of Miles Away
How an American couple used an exploratory property tour to define what they truly wanted, then purchased their home on Lake Como after returning to the United States.
Some real estate transactions remain particularly memorable long after the closing. This is one of them.
When Dan and Debbie first contacted me, they were serious about buying a home in Italy, but their goal went well beyond purchasing a vacation property. They hoped to create a place their children and grandchildren could enjoy for years to come, and they understood that this might be a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. As Debbie later wrote in her review, “the stakes were very high; we could not make a mistake.”
Before focusing too narrowly on individual listings, we spent time discussing what they wanted this home to represent, how they expected to use it, what mattered most to them, and what compromises they were—and were not—prepared to make. Over the following months, we exchanged properties back and forth. Some were listings they found themselves, while others were properties I suggested. As often happens when searching for real estate in Italy from the United States, several homes that initially appeared attractive online became less compelling once we looked at them more carefully. Sometimes the location wasn't suitable, sometimes the property didn't truly satisfy their priorities, and sometimes there was simply good reason to keep looking.
At the same time, I began explaining the practical differences between the American and Italian real estate systems, so that by the time they were ready to make an offer they would already understand much of what to expect.
When Dan and Debbie first contacted me, they were serious about buying a home in Italy, but their goal went well beyond purchasing a vacation property. They hoped to create a place their children and grandchildren could enjoy for years to come, and they understood that this might be a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. As Debbie later wrote in her review, “the stakes were very high; we could not make a mistake.”
Before focusing too narrowly on individual listings, we spent time discussing what they wanted this home to represent, how they expected to use it, what mattered most to them, and what compromises they were—and were not—prepared to make. Over the following months, we exchanged properties back and forth. Some were listings they found themselves, while others were properties I suggested. As often happens when searching for real estate in Italy from the United States, several homes that initially appeared attractive online became less compelling once we looked at them more carefully. Sometimes the location wasn't suitable, sometimes the property didn't truly satisfy their priorities, and sometimes there was simply good reason to keep looking.
At the same time, I began explaining the practical differences between the American and Italian real estate systems, so that by the time they were ready to make an offer they would already understand much of what to expect.
A Property Tour That Produced Something More Important Than a Purchase
Dan and Debbie already had a trip to Italy planned, and looking at real estate wasn't originally part of their itinerary. They eventually reorganized part of the trip to explore the Lake Como market in person. During that visit, they saw seven properties represented by four different real estate agencies.
For each property, I contacted the listing agency directly, requested their cooperation, coordinated the initial arrangements, and then introduced Dan and Debbie to the agents by email so that the individual viewings could be organized efficiently during their stay.
The tour didn't immediately result in a purchase, but in retrospect it proved to be one of the most valuable parts of the entire process. Viewing properties in person gave them a much clearer understanding of the difference between what appeared attractive online and what would actually work for the way they wanted to live.
Some locations were too far from ferry connections. Other homes required more climbing, hills, or steps than they wanted. Some lacked the lake view they had imagined, while others were too small or too isolated from the villages and services that mattered to them. Each viewing helped narrow the search and sharpen their priorities.
By the end of the trip, they had accomplished something extremely important: they knew where they wanted to concentrate their search and what kind of property would make sense for them. Debbie later summarized it perfectly in her review: “We came home with a defined area to focus our search.”
That experience reinforced something I have often found to be true with international buyers. A property tour should not be considered unsuccessful simply because the buyer doesn't purchase a home during the trip. Sometimes its greatest value is eliminating uncertainty and giving the buyer the confidence to recognize the right opportunity later.
During the same trip, one property seemed particularly promising, and we submitted a written offer. The seller didn't accept it, and the transaction didn't move forward. It was naturally disappointing after so much searching, but I encouraged Dan and Debbie not to compromise simply because they were already in Italy and emotionally ready to buy. They returned to the United States without a property, but with something far more useful than they had possessed before the trip: clarity.
Dan and Debbie already had a trip to Italy planned, and looking at real estate wasn't originally part of their itinerary. They eventually reorganized part of the trip to explore the Lake Como market in person. During that visit, they saw seven properties represented by four different real estate agencies.
For each property, I contacted the listing agency directly, requested their cooperation, coordinated the initial arrangements, and then introduced Dan and Debbie to the agents by email so that the individual viewings could be organized efficiently during their stay.
The tour didn't immediately result in a purchase, but in retrospect it proved to be one of the most valuable parts of the entire process. Viewing properties in person gave them a much clearer understanding of the difference between what appeared attractive online and what would actually work for the way they wanted to live.
Some locations were too far from ferry connections. Other homes required more climbing, hills, or steps than they wanted. Some lacked the lake view they had imagined, while others were too small or too isolated from the villages and services that mattered to them. Each viewing helped narrow the search and sharpen their priorities.
By the end of the trip, they had accomplished something extremely important: they knew where they wanted to concentrate their search and what kind of property would make sense for them. Debbie later summarized it perfectly in her review: “We came home with a defined area to focus our search.”
That experience reinforced something I have often found to be true with international buyers. A property tour should not be considered unsuccessful simply because the buyer doesn't purchase a home during the trip. Sometimes its greatest value is eliminating uncertainty and giving the buyer the confidence to recognize the right opportunity later.
During the same trip, one property seemed particularly promising, and we submitted a written offer. The seller didn't accept it, and the transaction didn't move forward. It was naturally disappointing after so much searching, but I encouraged Dan and Debbie not to compromise simply because they were already in Italy and emotionally ready to buy. They returned to the United States without a property, but with something far more useful than they had possessed before the trip: clarity.
Finding the Right Property From the United States
Several weeks later, while they were back home in the United States, they came across another apartment in the Tremezzina area. The property appeared to fit many of the priorities they had identified during their time on Lake Como, including something that had become especially important to them: a beautiful lake view.
Returning immediately to Italy was not practical, so we developed a process that would allow them to evaluate the property carefully from a distance. I contacted the listing agent, gathered the initial information, and arranged a live video walkthrough so Dan and Debbie could see the apartment in much more detail than the listing photos could provide.
After the walkthrough, they decided to move forward with an offer. Because they had not personally visited the property, I included a contingency requiring a satisfactory home inspection within a short period of time. This type of condition is far less routine in Italy than an American buyer might expect, but in this case it provided an additional level of protection while allowing them to act quickly on a property they believed could be the right one.
The seller accepted the offer, and I then arranged for a local geometra to inspect the property. Once the inspection provided the reassurance we needed, the transaction moved forward.
This is an important distinction when discussing remote purchases. Buying a home without personally walking through it doesn't necessarily mean buying blindly. Dan and Debbie had already spent time in the area, toured numerous properties, understood the local geography, refined their priorities, and seen this particular apartment through a detailed video walkthrough. The inspection added another layer of professional verification before they fully committed to the purchase.
Several weeks later, while they were back home in the United States, they came across another apartment in the Tremezzina area. The property appeared to fit many of the priorities they had identified during their time on Lake Como, including something that had become especially important to them: a beautiful lake view.
Returning immediately to Italy was not practical, so we developed a process that would allow them to evaluate the property carefully from a distance. I contacted the listing agent, gathered the initial information, and arranged a live video walkthrough so Dan and Debbie could see the apartment in much more detail than the listing photos could provide.
After the walkthrough, they decided to move forward with an offer. Because they had not personally visited the property, I included a contingency requiring a satisfactory home inspection within a short period of time. This type of condition is far less routine in Italy than an American buyer might expect, but in this case it provided an additional level of protection while allowing them to act quickly on a property they believed could be the right one.
The seller accepted the offer, and I then arranged for a local geometra to inspect the property. Once the inspection provided the reassurance we needed, the transaction moved forward.
This is an important distinction when discussing remote purchases. Buying a home without personally walking through it doesn't necessarily mean buying blindly. Dan and Debbie had already spent time in the area, toured numerous properties, understood the local geography, refined their priorities, and seen this particular apartment through a detailed video walkthrough. The inspection added another layer of professional verification before they fully committed to the purchase.
The Closing
As the transaction progressed, we coordinated the remaining steps required for the purchase, including a Power of Attorney that allowed my brother, Franco Lorenzo, to represent Debbie at the signing.
Even when a buyer grants Power of Attorney, some still choose to attend the closing personally. For many Americans, sitting at the notary’s table and witnessing the completion of an Italian property purchase is an experience they want to have for themselves, even if someone else has the authority to sign on their behalf.
Debbie returned to Italy alone for the closing. On October 27, 2022, she completed the final walkthrough, attended the notarial closing, and watched as Franco signed on her behalf under the Power of Attorney. What made that moment especially gratifying was that she was seeing the home in person for the very first time, and it was exactly as she had imagined it. She was delighted with the apartment and very happy with the choice she had made.
That reaction was particularly meaningful to me because it confirmed something I have seen repeatedly: when a remote purchase is approached carefully, with the right preparation, local knowledge, professional oversight, and proper verification, buying unseen doesn't have to mean taking an unnecessary risk. In Debbie’s case, as with all of my clients so far who have purchased unseen, the first in-person visit confirmed that the home was exactly what they had hoped it would be.
At the end of the process, Debbie received the keys to their new home on Lake Como.
As the transaction progressed, we coordinated the remaining steps required for the purchase, including a Power of Attorney that allowed my brother, Franco Lorenzo, to represent Debbie at the signing.
Even when a buyer grants Power of Attorney, some still choose to attend the closing personally. For many Americans, sitting at the notary’s table and witnessing the completion of an Italian property purchase is an experience they want to have for themselves, even if someone else has the authority to sign on their behalf.
Debbie returned to Italy alone for the closing. On October 27, 2022, she completed the final walkthrough, attended the notarial closing, and watched as Franco signed on her behalf under the Power of Attorney. What made that moment especially gratifying was that she was seeing the home in person for the very first time, and it was exactly as she had imagined it. She was delighted with the apartment and very happy with the choice she had made.
That reaction was particularly meaningful to me because it confirmed something I have seen repeatedly: when a remote purchase is approached carefully, with the right preparation, local knowledge, professional oversight, and proper verification, buying unseen doesn't have to mean taking an unnecessary risk. In Debbie’s case, as with all of my clients so far who have purchased unseen, the first in-person visit confirmed that the home was exactly what they had hoped it would be.
At the end of the process, Debbie received the keys to their new home on Lake Como.
Franco Lorenzo signing with Power of Attorney on her behalf at closing
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Debbie and Franco at the notary's office on closing day
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What Happened After the Closing
The part of this transaction I remember most fondly is not simply that the purchase was completed successfully. It is what happened afterward.
Debbie spent the following weeks making the apartment their own, setting up utilities, exploring the surrounding villages, and enjoying the view from their balcony. In the review she later wrote about the experience, she described the home as “a little piece of paradise to leave as a legacy to our children and grandchildren.”
Years have now passed since that closing, and Dan and Debbie continue to enjoy their home in Tremezzina. Debbie still writes to me when she returns to the United States after spending time on Lake Como. She tells me about the friends they have made, the experiences they have had, and the family members who have come to visit them there.
For me, that continued enjoyment is the most meaningful measure of whether we found the right property. The success of a real estate purchase is not determined only on the day the deed is signed. It is determined by what the home becomes in the years that follow.
Dan and Debbie were looking for more than an apartment with a lake view. They wanted a place that could become part of their family’s life and, eventually, part of its history.
That is exactly what they found.
Because, in the end, a home is more than walls and a view of the lake. It is the time spent there, the people welcomed into it, and the memories that, year after year, take root.
The part of this transaction I remember most fondly is not simply that the purchase was completed successfully. It is what happened afterward.
Debbie spent the following weeks making the apartment their own, setting up utilities, exploring the surrounding villages, and enjoying the view from their balcony. In the review she later wrote about the experience, she described the home as “a little piece of paradise to leave as a legacy to our children and grandchildren.”
Years have now passed since that closing, and Dan and Debbie continue to enjoy their home in Tremezzina. Debbie still writes to me when she returns to the United States after spending time on Lake Como. She tells me about the friends they have made, the experiences they have had, and the family members who have come to visit them there.
For me, that continued enjoyment is the most meaningful measure of whether we found the right property. The success of a real estate purchase is not determined only on the day the deed is signed. It is determined by what the home becomes in the years that follow.
Dan and Debbie were looking for more than an apartment with a lake view. They wanted a place that could become part of their family’s life and, eventually, part of its history.
That is exactly what they found.
Because, in the end, a home is more than walls and a view of the lake. It is the time spent there, the people welcomed into it, and the memories that, year after year, take root.