Frances Mayes and Ed Mayes inside the 12th Century hermit's house they are restoring in Cartona, Italy.

• Following the Mayes' example, it's always better to rent houses in several different areas and during several different seasons before buying anything.
  
• Be prepared to get personally involved in the purchase transaction--Italians prefer to deal direct at some point in the transaction, and ordinarily won't deal exclusively with agents and brokers.
  
• Spend some time in advance learning the language so you will be able to communicate directly with contractors and construction crews.
  
• Get familiar with local building restrictions. If your property is in an area designated as historic, or an agricultural green area, you will not be able to change the facade or the basic footprint of the buildings.
  
• Don't try to convert an Italian farm house with its small rooms into an American-style house with big, open spaces. The three-foot thick walls in many cases are used to support the entire house.