Charlie Steele, 38, and Ben Pearce, 28, have sold their UK home and relocated to Italy, purchasing five properties for a total of £57,000. The couple's first purchase was a two-bedroom home in Tavenna, Italy, for £12,500 in 2024, initially intended as a holiday retreat.
After Charlie secured an Irish passport, the pair decided to make the permanent move to Italy, planning to buy and renovate properties to let out on Airbnb. In September 2025, they bought three more properties in the same region for just £1,000 each, which they intend to eventually rent out.
Farmhouse purchase and relocation
In August 2026, they purchased a £44,000 four-bedroom farmhouse in Abruzzo following the sale of their UK houseboat for £115,000. The couple plan to make the farmhouse their forever home and moved to Italy in October 2026.
Charlie, a former housekeeper and receptionist from Roydon, Essex, said: "We were coming back to Italy once a month for long weekend holidays. I got an Irish passport which gave me the freedom to move throughout the EU. The thought came to us of 'we don't we move whilst we're still young and we've got the energy to renovate properties?'. That's what prompted us."
Financial background and motivation
Back in the UK, Charlie was "drowning" under three mortgages across two homes he had owned with a former partner, with monthly repayments running between £3,000 and £4,000. Following their separation, Charlie sold one of the properties for £175,000, walking away with £120,000 in equity, which he used to purchase a narrowboat to live on for £43,000.
After meeting Ben in February 2022, the couple shared a home together before selling up and moving to a houseboat they purchased for £110,000. Keen to establish "something to fall back on" and put down some roots, they decided to buy their first Italian holiday property, which Charlie admits he "couldn't resist" at the bargain price.
Charlie explained: "In 2023 I had three mortgages and was literally drowning. I wasn't happy where I was living. I sold up and released out equity which meant I could purchase our houseboat and then our home in Italy for £12,500."
Renovation plans and current status
The first property they purchased in 2025 – a one-bedroom home – is now undergoing renovation, with hopes of launching it on Airbnb in early 2027. The building had suffered extensive water damage and was missing its roof when Charlie initially acquired it, though the previous owners covered the cost of replacement.
Charlie said: "I contacted the seller privately and avoided estate agent fees which was a bonus. We came over here once a month for long weekends whilst we still lived in the UK clearing the property. We've bought basic furniture and a few bits from IKEA. I feel now I can see where it's going, I've got the vision. We need to get the bathroom and kitchen done. So far we've spent £300 which was the total cost of the rewiring. The bathroom we've been quoted £2,093 and we're still waiting for a quote for the kitchen. The back room which will be the living room needs to be skimmed and then decorated. I wouldn't say it will be anymore than £4,100."
The couple are presently residing in their original holiday property while work continues on their farmhouse. Charlie has dedicated himself to transforming their properties, while Ben returns to the UK monthly for long weekends to maintain his client base as an aesthetics practitioner. Charlie noted: "That's where his income is coming from. On average he's looking to make £2000 to £3,000 from those long weekends. My income will come after I've renovated our properties and maybe doing some remote work. In the meantime we're living off our savings, but the cost of living is so much cheaper here."
Charlie also managed to generate £5,000 within three weeks by selling all his gold jewellery, adding to their relocation fund. The couple hope to complete the farmhouse renovation and relocate by March 2027. Charlie admits he is now on a "ban" from purchasing additional properties until their Airbnb venture begins generating income.
