Gents,
It was the winter of 1987. Mikhail Gorbachev had visited the US several times as he and Ronald Regan worked to build the foundations for peace. He had been deeply impressed by America's prosperity.
But as Gorbachev and his wife, Raisa, arrived in the early afternoon of December 4 to visit the Regans at their home, what they saw differed profoundly from what they had expected.
The Regans' beloved get-away, Rancho Cielo, was a humble ranch house, nothing like what one would have expected as the summer home of the most powerful man in the world.
Some say that seeing the earnest simplicity of Regan's preferred dwelling touched Gorbachev more than anything else he had seen of the US. What we do know is that, just a few days later, the two found the common ground to sign the landmark INF treaty.
There is something special about a simple summer home, devoid of the infinity pools and flat screens, of the heated floors and air conditioned garages.
I think there's a lesson in this. And, while there are few inexpensive places left near America's mega cities, I think reasonably accessible international travel offers us some wonderful opportunities to be bold in pursuit of basic.
Within the next 36 months I plan on buying my own Rancho Cielo — a relatively inexpensive fixer-upper in Morocco's Atlas Mountains. Or the Island of Madeira. Or, according to my most recent fact-finding trip, the hills above Lake Como. (Photos and listing links below.)
Above: Via per Lagrona. Perhaps my favorite. The inside is pure 1960's Italy.
It will not cost a fortune, I won't be hosting any parties there, and it'll never appear on AirBNB.
Away from my usual haunts, this place will be a magic bubble of years gone past. No internet. Stacks of books, records and CDs. A phone (with a cord) on the kitchen wall, the number to which is known to just a handful of people.
I'll spend my summer days working in the garden, fixing stuff, cooking, and reading. I'll throw some sandwiches and a bottle of wine in a pack and hike the hills with Joci. Or, we'll sail a little wooden boat around the lake and take turns reading a detective novel aloud.
It should be said that I'm already somewhat long on real estate, so I'm not looking to re-create a luxury flat or house. Those are the well-to-do accoutrements of modern life. This is a different kind of luxury.
Above: Artesso. The least expensive. Views not as impressive. Some work to be done, but there is real promise.
Every time I bring up this discussion among friends, your reactions are powerful. So much so that I thought I'd share the journey with you here. (I'll share Lake Como ideas today. Watch for scouting notes from other locations in the future.)
Here are my criteria:
No Budget Busters. A million- or multi-million dollar home brings as many headaches as it does joy. From purchase to upgrades to move-in, I think this is doable with a project budget of $150k to $500k.
Lake Como Score: 4/10. It's Lake Como, so no bargains here. But there are plenty of great options at the $500k mark, and a surprising number of finds at half that if you're ready to roll up your sleeves.
Close-ish Proximity. I'd like to be able to get there in a day, maximum. If I can finally get my pilot's license (subject for another article), make that a half day. I live in southern Europe, so lots of options.
Lake Como Score: 7/10. There are direct flights to Milan from my usual Europe home spots of Lisbon and Valencia, and from there it's about an hour by car.
Above: A cute house on a street with no name in Tremazzina. Very interesting price, jaw-dropping views. You might need 4WD in winter. Structure small but solid.
Space to Grow. Tomatoes, that is. Neighbors not too close, plenty of room to plant a garden and fruit trees. Pretty views essential.
Lake Como Score: 8/10. I'm not looking for more land than I can manage. I found plenty of generous plots, especially higher up in the hills. Views are oustanding.
Culture Fix. Drivable to great food and a hardware store. Joci and I like our down-time, but we are not hermits. We'd like reasonable drive time to nice restaurants and some culture.
Lake Como Score: 14/10. Lake Como drips with culture. Storybook villages line the shores of the lake, with the tourist crowds mostly ending up in the southern ones. Joci and I love Milan, and it's close enough for a weekly shopping trip or dinner and a show.
Bonus: The Lombardy region boasts some of the prettiest ski areas in the world, some of which are a short drive away. So, this summer home could double as a ski place.
