New home in Sicily: Randy moves to Italy with his husband, ex-wife buys a house almost next door
Two couples, connected by an unusual past, have found a new home in Sicily. You enjoy the advantages of Noto and the cheaper cost of living compared to the USA.
CNN Travel tells the unique story of two American friends who found a new home in the Sicilian city of Noto. Their paths first crossed in California in the 1970s, when they were just 18 years old. Randy Allen and Cindy Harding had a romantic relationship at the time, despite Randy’s open homosexuality. They even got married, but after a short time they decided to separate. However, the friendship remained.
As they report to CNN Travel, Cindy moved to Florence after remarriage to the Italian Sandro. Years later, in 1996, Randy visited Cindy while on a work trip. He was so impressed by Italy that he made regular visits and later brought his husband Steve Bertiz, whom he met in 2006, with him.
The political situation in the USA after the 2016 presidential election made Randy and his husband Steve think about moving. According to CNN Travel, they decided to purchase a home in Noto after coming across an attractive property offer during a chance visit. The house was offered to them by a local at a price of 90,000 euros. After initial hesitation, they decided to purchase.
US couple spends around 190,000 euros on house renovation in Italy
Randy and Steve spent an estimated 190,000 euros on renovating their home, CNN Travel reports. This investment included, among other things, strengthening the attic and roof.
They also recently purchased a nearby apartment that they plan to convert into a guest apartment. Despite the high expenses and the fact that life in Noto has a different pace than in the United States, they are very happy with their new lifestyle and are enjoying the benefits that come with their new home and community.
Ex-wife moves into house in Noto just a few meters away
Cindy ended up being so enthusiastic about the city that she decided to move there too. The two couples’ houses are now only a few meters apart. At first, Randy and Steve were concerned about how the locals would react to a gay couple. However, according to Randy, they received a very warm welcome.
“We often eat together and have a lot of friends,” Randy tells CNN Travel. As a photo on Instagram shows, the four of them also travel together.
Randy and Steve agree that living in Italy is cheaper than in the US. They feel comfortable there and have no plans to return to the US. They enjoy their new life to the fullest and spend a lot of time with their friends Cindy and Sandro, who they consider their family.
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