Real estate Archives - Esther Jacobs – the NO EXCUSES LADY: speaker, author, digital nomad Live without excuses. Write a book, have a successful business, or live a location independent life? Work with what you have, start NOW, and look for the opportunities. No excuses! Thu, 20 Mar 2025 14:31:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://estherjacobs.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Logo-no-excuses-green-png-1-66x66.png Real estate Archives - Esther Jacobs – the NO EXCUSES LADY: speaker, author, digital nomad 32 32 Buying a trullo in Puglia? https://estherjacobs.info/en/blog/buying-a-trullo-in-puglia/ Fri, 10 May 2024 09:02:32 +0000 https://estherjacobs.info/?p=571239 Thing to watch out for

Condition of the trullo: What needs to be restored, and what are the costs?

Accessibility: You want a peaceful location, but it should still be accessible by road. Also for construction traffic if necessary.

Phone reception: In many rural areas, reception can be poor. It's essential to have good phone reception not only for convenience and safety but also because internet services often rely on GSM signals.

Land area and building rights: How much land comes with the trullo and how much can you build? This is crucial and varies by municipality, so hire a local 'geometra' to investigate. A real estate agent can provide an estimate, but make sure to confirm it.

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]]> Real estate – Inspiration Shot June 2023 https://estherjacobs.info/en/blog/real-estate-inspiration-shot-june-2023/ Tue, 13 Jun 2023 10:16:20 +0000 https://estherjacobs.info/?p=568569 Years ago I 'accidentally' found myself investing in real estate. When I sold my house in Amstelveen, I was able to invest in a few 30m2 apartments in Amsterdam. I had them specially designed, furnished and started renting the 'tiny houses' out to expats.
Just when things seemed to be going well and I had done a very pricey refinancing of my investments, the rental property regulations in the Netherlands changed.
Now, I can only charge half the rent I used to, and on top of that, property taxes have increased ten fold! It has become an unsustainable situation.
My entire business model is turned upside down, which means I have to sell the apartments again. At the same time, other opportunities present themselves. That is why I like to share my real estate secrets, tips and dilemmas I've encountered, in this newsletter.

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]]> Lessons from construction projects abroad https://estherjacobs.info/en/blog/lessons-from-construction-projects-abroad/ Mon, 12 Jun 2023 07:02:25 +0000 https://estherjacobs.info/?p=568512 Investing in a foreign country: an adventure or a nightmare? It can be both, and even at the same time.

I already had some experience with Dutch real estate, but when I bought a plot of land in Puglia, South Italy three years ago, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It felt like an exciting adventure, and prices were extremely low compared to what I was used to. I dove in, even though everybody said I was crazy, I did not speak the language, did not know anybody in Italy and I had no idea of the local customs, rules, and regulations.

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]]> How it all began https://estherjacobs.info/en/blog/how-it-all-began/ Tue, 29 Dec 2020 15:09:17 +0000 https://estherjacobs.info/?p=52453 Can you remember the exact moment you fell in love? I do! In this blog, I will share how it all started... On February 16th, 2020, I bought an olive orchard in Puglia, southern Italy, on a whim. The 6,500m2 plot of land has 24 ancient olive trees, as well as several almond, fig, and other fruit trees. There is also a mini-house that is more than 200 years old, a traditional 'Trullo,' a type of dwelling unique to this region. This oasis of peace and nature is a special gift to myself after a long series of disappointments.

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]]> Home – Inspiration shot April 2019 https://estherjacobs.info/en/blog/home-inspiration-shot-april-2019/ Tue, 16 Apr 2019 03:18:26 +0000 https://estherjacobs.info/?p=39304 Is 'home' a location or a feeling? Inspiration shot April 2019 Whenever I hear "home is where the heart is", I joke that "home is where the wifi is."  'Home' is more of a feeling than a certain place for me. What does home mean for you? There was a time [...]

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]]> Real Estate secrets https://estherjacobs.info/en/blog/real-estate-secrets/ Sun, 14 Apr 2019 17:50:26 +0000 https://estherjacobs.info/?p=39254 I discovered that real estate investing can be very interesting and accessible, even for location independent people.

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