Additional Coverage:
- I sold my childhood home in Miami to buy an apartment in Sicily. We paid under $600,000 and did $98,000 in renovations. (businessinsider.com)
Kat Moore, a 38-year-old teacher from San Clemente, California, recently embarked on a remarkable journey that blends personal heritage with a bold new chapter abroad. After first visiting Sicily in 2022, Moore fell deeply in love with the island’s slower pace of life-a welcome contrast to the high-pressure work culture she experienced in the U.S. Inspired, she set her sights on owning a home there.
By March 2025, during a spring break trip, Moore and her husband toured around 50 properties before finding an apartment in Ortigia, the historic center of Sicily, complete with a balcony overlooking the sea. Convinced it was the right fit, Moore was ready to make an offer immediately, even willing to sell the Miami family home where she had grown up-a house connected to her late mother’s journey from Cuba to the U.S. decades earlier.
The Miami house sold quickly, and in June 2025, the couple purchased the Sicilian apartment for just under $600,000. The property required extensive renovations, including new plumbing, electrical work, flooring, and a kitchen remodel.
Thanks to Moore’s Italian language skills, she coordinated local contractors while managing her teaching job in California, traveling back and forth to oversee progress. The renovation took about six months to complete.
Looking ahead, Moore’s husband, who serves in the military, plans to retire in four years, at which point they hope to live full-time in Sicily. Moore herself envisions continuing to work, possibly teaching English or Italian or collaborating with local interior decorators. Until then, they will rent out the apartment and visit as often as possible.
In an exciting addition to their Sicilian investment, the couple also purchased a 16-acre orchard in December 2025. The land, featuring olive, citrus, and nut trees along with a small farmhouse, is near their apartment and was acquired for $288,000. This property fulfills a long-held dream of owning land and will serve as another source of income.
For Moore, this move carries deep emotional significance. Her mother’s courageous migration from Cuba and the sacrifices she made resonate profoundly as Moore embraces her own leap into a new life abroad. “If she could build a life from the foundation up, so can I,” Moore reflects, feeling a renewed connection to her mother through this adventure.
Together, the apartment and orchard represent not only an investment in their future but also a meaningful continuation of a family legacy grounded in resilience and the pursuit of opportunity.