Texas Couple Buys $160,000 Italian Mansion Sight Unseen. Then Things Start to Go Wrong

Texas Couple Buys $160,000 Italian Mansion Sight Unseen. Then Things Start to Go Wrong

A Houston-based couple is detailing the challenges they faced after taking a leap of faith on a fixer upper in northern Italy

Natalia Senanayake

Tue, December 2, 2025 at 11:00 AM UTC

4 min read

Getty Couple walking in northern Italy — Getty
Couple walking in northern Italy

NEED TO KNOW

Houston residents John Alan Ambrose and wife Vicky Ambrose bought an old Italian mansion for $160,000 to renovate into their dream vacation home
The couple purchased the property without seeing it in person first, and the entire project ended up taking three years to finish
During the renovation process, the pair ran into a number of unexpected issues, which they detailed in a recent interview with CNN Travel

A Texas couple took a chance on a historic Italian fixer upper to turn into their dream vacation home — but it came with plenty of unexpected challenges.

Houston residents John Alan Ambrose, 61, and wife Vicky Ambrose, 57, purchased a rundown palazzo in northern Italy’s Piedmont region for $160,000, they told CNN Travel in a recent interview. They chose the quiet city of Biella, nestled at the foothills of the stunning Alps, as the destination for their vacation getaway.

The pair were drawn to the historic 1930s abode due to a number of attractive qualities, including its previous ownership by an Italian aristocratic family, its Liberty-style architecture, and of course, its direct view of the sprawling European mountain range. Along with its arched windows, it also had 14-foot ceilings, sturdy wooden doors and a cellar perfect for storing wine.

While Vicky had visited the region before and made a local friend in Biella, John had never been to the quaint location. However, he was quickly won over by his wife’s description of the beautiful place.

Getty Town in Northern Piedmont — Getty
Town in Northern Piedmont

After stumbling upon the 3,000-square-foot fixer upper online, the couple took a leap of faith and purchased the property without seeing it in person first.

While they knew the space wasn’t in pristine condition by any means, when they first arrived at their new home, they discovered a number of flaws — from shattered wall tiles scattered across the hallways to an old gas-powered water heater hanging from one of the walls in the kitchen.

They also encountered issues with local contractors during renovations.

Getty Residential buildings in Biella, Italy — Getty
Residential buildings in Biella, Italy

“First the language barrier, then the quotes that shifted like seasons, contractors that vanished and appointments blurred into indefinite timelines,” Vicky told the outlet.

The difficulty with some vendors and tradespeople proved to be a major complication during the process. While they were able to find a “very reliable” plumber, Vicky said others “held our money for nearly a year with multiple excuses and delays. I had to make multiple trips a year to supervise or push for progress.”

She continued, “There was a large cultural divide, as a project that would have taken at most six to eight months in the U.S., dragged on for almost three years.”

John noted that some contractors seemingly tried to take advantage of them knowing that they were foreigners.

“We have also actively owned real estate and properties so have a general knowledge of what things should cost as labor rates in the U.S. should be higher than Italy, but many suppliers in Biella wanted to overcharge for their services.”

Getty Northern Italy in winter — Getty
Northern Italy in winter

Additionally, the couple came across another challenge with the local municipality when they tried to update the windows in their new home, as the building has old roots in the city.

“As these were exterior windows and we are in the historic center, we had to demonstrate that they would not adversely affect the architectural façade of the building, while also receiving the blessings of the condo association,” John told CNN.

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While the couple had to work through each challenge, and even take on a few DIY projects that required constant trips to the Italian city, they finally finished their dream home nearly three years later.

In the end, they spent an additional $174,000 in renovations to turn the fixer upper into the four-bedroom, two-bathroom boutique luxury residence it is today.

Despite going into the purchase almost blind, the couple now have a functional getaway property that they use for longer ski trips and as a place to stop on the way to other European destinations.

Read the original article on People

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