An American couple traded New York City for a three-bedroom house in rural Italy that cost less than a used car. Cassandra Tresl and Alex Ninman paid $13,000 cash for their home in Abruzzo, a mountainous region three hours from Rome that most tourists have never heard of.
The couple left the U.S. in 2019, when Tresl worked operations at a tech startup and Ninman was a butcher at Whole Foods. They had their daughter in the Czech Republic in 2020 while staying with Tresl’s grandfather. Now their five-year-old starts Italian primary school this September.
What $13,000 Buys in Small-Town Italy
The couple paid 11,500 euros for their house in a small Abruzzo town. That purchase price — roughly what Americans spend on a modest kitchen remodel — bought them a home outright with no mortgage, no 30-year debt burden, and no interest payments that double the actual cost.
Tresl says they chose a place off the tourist map deliberately. While other American expats flock to Florence or other well-known cities, the couple wanted something different from the constant-upgrade treadmill they grew up with in the U.S.
Questioning the American Success Formula
“Like many Americans, my husband and I grew up surrounded by the idea that success meant constantly upgrading — larger homes, newer cars, bigger achievements, and busier schedules,” Tresl said. “Over time, we started questioning whether any of those things were actually making us happier.”
They weren’t chasing a fantasy, Tresl says, but they did want more time, more flexibility, and stronger connections with neighbors. The small-town setting made cash homeownership possible without the financial stress that comes with U.S. property markets.
Tresl says she can’t imagine moving back to the United States in the coming years. Their daughter will grow up in a place where a middle-class family can own a home outright — a reality that’s slipped out of reach for millions of Americans watching housing costs climb faster than wages.
Key Points
- American couple paid $13,000 cash for three-bedroom house in Italy’s Abruzzo region
- Both worked middle-class jobs in New York before leaving U.S. in 2019
- Family chose small town over tourist destinations, seeking escape from “constant upgrade” culture
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/27/american-couple-left-united-states-bought-italy-house-cassandra-tresl-alex-ninman.html – June 27, 2026
