Your happily ever after awaits.
When considering buying a house abroad, most Americans focus their search on big cities like Paris, London, and Madrid. But tucked away in the countryside are charming villages straight out of a fairy tale that offer the beauty, culture, and history of major metropolitan areas without the hustle and bustle. These areas are welcoming of expats and offer a variety of incentives that make it easy to buy—and according to findings from Sotheby’s International Realty 2024 Mid-Year Luxury Outlook Report, prices across Europe are softening, making it a good time to invest. So purchase a primary residence or vacation home in one of these enchanting communities, and prepare to live happily ever after.
Marbella Old Town feels worlds away from the five-star resorts and luxury party yachts that the Costa del Sol city is known for, and that’s exactly why people want to move there. Quaint cobblestone alleyways wind through the town of whitewashed buildings bursting with bougainvillea, charming boutiques, and lively tapas bars—and beautiful beaches are just a stroll away. The area offers a wide variety of housing options, and the Spanish government makes it exceptionally easy for Americans to purchase real estate.
“Spain offers a non-lucrative residence visa, which allows you to live in the country without requiring employment, along with streamlined purchasing processes and a generally lower cost of living compared to the U.S,” Tammy Fahmi, SVP of global servicing and strategy at Sotheby’s International Realty, says. “The country also possesses excellent healthcare and education systems.”
According to local lore, this quaint town in northeastern France near the border of Germany inspired Belle’s hometown in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. True or not, Colmar’s cobblestone streets, Crayola-colored timber-framed buildings, dreamy canals, and charming town square fountain do bear a striking resemblance to the animated classic. There are no restrictions on foreign buyers in France, Fahmi says, but it can be difficult to get a French mortgage so it’s advisable to pay cash if you can.
One more thing to consider: If you plan to spend more than 90 days in the country, you’ll need to apply for a long-stay visa. However, the U.S. and France recently established an agreement that makes it easier for American entrepreneurs to obtain extended visas—so things are moving in a positive direction.
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Some of the most well-known fairy tales originated in Germany, so it’s no surprise that towns like Rothenburg ob der Tauber have all the hallmarks of these magical stories: half-timbered homes with flowers spilling out of their window boxes, cobblestone streets, and town squares with towers and fountains. Rothenburg ob der Tauber’s medieval architecture (there’s even a castle!) makes you feel like you’re stepping back in time, but the town offers plenty of excellent museums, restaurants, and shops—and it’s only about a two-and-a-half-hour ride from Munich. According to Fahmi, there are no restrictions for foreigners to acquire real estate in Germany, and there are many English-speaking brokers to help shepherd you through the process.
Nestled in the hills of Serra de Sintra, Sintra was once a popular summer destination for Portuguese nobility due to its close proximity to Lisbon and its ornate palaces and lush, fairy-tale-like forests. Thanks to Portugal’s Golden Visa program, which gives foreigners who buy real estate the opportunity to gain citizenship, it could be your summer residence too. “There are no foreign restrictions, and there is favorable financing for Americans looking to purchase,” Fahmi says.
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Portugal has no shortage of beautiful towns. Helena Moyas de Forton, Christie’s International Real Estate’s managing director, likes Cascais, which is just a 30-minute drive from Lisbon. Like Sintra, it was once a popular holiday retreat for Portuguese nobility, and fairy-tale features like cobblestone streets and 19th-century villas abound. “In Cascais, many Americans are drawn to the gorgeous beaches and golf courses, high quality of life, good food, and relative affordability compared to other European cities,” she says.
De Forton recommends Italy for foreign investment. “It has a Golden Visa program, along with low taxes for high-net-worth residents,” she says. There are many magical Italian towns to choose from, but Pietrasanta stands out for its unparalleled charm. Located in Tuscany, tucked in between the sea and the Apuan Alps, the historic town was given the nickname Little Athens because it’s home to so many artists. (Pietrasanta’s other nickname is the City of Marble, as it’s considered the capital of marble processing—even Michaelangelo stopped by to check out the marble here back in the day.) Stroll the cobblestone streets and you’ll find wonderful art galleries, quaint shops and restaurants, beautiful historic churches, and friendly people—everything you could want in a town.
With narrow streets, lovely church squares, and historic buildings with small, narrow windows that resemble eyes built into their roofs, Sibiu looks like something the Brothers Grimm might’ve written about. The town is hidden in the Transylvania region of Romania and was founded by German settlers in the 12th century. It retains much of that German influence today; in fact, the remains of a medieval wall still guard the historic town center.
Fahmi likes the Transylvania region of Romania because, in addition to its natural beauty and rich history, it’s home to a wide variety of outdoor activities like skiing and hiking—and buying in is a breeze. “Romania offers a simple and quick buying process, with property costs among the lowest in the European Union,” she says.
No list of storybook towns is complete without the Cotswolds, a protected landscape made up of more than 50 towns that’s famous for its honey-colored chocolate-box cottages, rolling countryside, and historical sites. With its thatched-roof homes and charming bridges, Bibury is arguably the most quaint of all, inspiring none other than William Morris to dub it “the most beautiful village in England.”
The good news is, technically, it’s not hard to buy real estate here, since foreign buyers aren’t beholden to any restrictions. The bad news is you’re going to get slapped with additional taxes. Like British citizens, you’ll be required to pay a stamp duty land tax that’s calculated based on what you paid for the property. If you already own another residential property, you’ll have to shell out another 3 percent—and on top of that, foreigners usually have to pay a 2 percent surcharge. But those who own homes in this beautiful corner of the world say Bibury is worth the investment.
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