A woman has moved across the world to renovate a 600-year-old medieval home – because house prices in her hometown had “skyrocketed”.
Kiki Leigh was stunned by the local property market when she came across a tiny Italian town online where historic homes were going for “the price of a handbag”.
The 28-year-old snapped up a 17-room pad for just £22,800 (€27,000) – a fraction of the estimated £367,000 ($500,000) one closer to home would have cost, and has been restoring it ever since.
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Despite involving a move across the world to a place she doesn’t know a soul, Kiki is embracing the challenge full-heartedly, throwing herself into renovations.
Once it’s finished, she estimates she’ll save a huge amount on monthly outgoings each month.
“It started as a bit of a wild idea,” Kiki, who works in fashion PR, told What’s The Jam.
“I had always seen news stories about cheap homes, but never seriously considered it.
“I’d been living in the city for years, surrounded by constant pressure to chase a version of success that didn’t actually fit me.
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“Life felt expensive, overstimulating, and still a little soulless.
“I experienced a lot of loss and pain, and eventually, when I finally picked my head up and really looked around, I realised I wasn’t living in a way that felt true to me, and I wasn’t even sure why.
“Then I came across this tiny Italian town where you could buy a historic home for the price of a handbag.
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“It wasn’t some carefully calculated life plan; it was a gut feeling that there was a richer, more grounded way to live.”
Kiki soon found her future home, which she says cost just a fraction of the price of what a house would cost in the US, where she has most recently lived in LA, and her native Canada – playing a huge role in her decision.
Kiki said: “I’d been living in LA for over a decade and the real estate market there is laughable.
“Even in Canada, prices have skyrocketed.
“I was working hard, doing well, but owning a home, let alone a dream home, always felt just out of reach.
“I couldn’t justify spending half a million dollars on something that didn’t feel special.
“Then I realised that for a fraction of that, I could own a literal piece of history.
“The math just started to make sense in a way that North America never did.”
At some points, she was paying £1,830 ($2,500) a month for a one-bedroom apartment.
She said, “That didn’t include parking or peace of mind.
“Nor with castle views and cobblestone charm.
“Rent felt like a monthly punishment for staying somewhere I wasn’t thriving.
“It wasn’t sustainable long-term, financially or emotionally.”
The other part that makes a difference? The lifestyle.
She said: “In LA, everything felt like a rush — fast food, fast fashion, fast success.
“In Mussomeli, time feels expansive.
“I’ll be cooking more, walking more, talking to neighbours, hosting dinners instead of scrolling.
“My daily life will be rooted in connection, creativity, and calm.
“I’ll still be working and creating, but from a place that nourishes me. It’s not about slowing down completely, it’s about being intentional.”
So far, she has spent £42,185 (€50,000) on renovations to the 600-year-old pad.
She said: “This is a historic home, the kind of place that reveals new surprises behind every wall.
“To me, this isn’t just a house, it’s an experience, an art project, a home base for my future, and a way to live life a little differently.
“So I’m more than happy with the investment.
“I’m building a spa with a jacuzzi and sauna, and full bar, because if you’re going to bring a home back to life, why not make it a little magical?”
Kiki estimates that the total will land somewhere around £101,250 – £118,140, (€120,000 – €140,000).
She said: “I want it to feel like the ultimate home for peace and tranquillity.
“A place where I can bring all my loved ones together and experience something special and rare.
“It is the kind of place that feeds your soul and makes you feel at home the second you walk inside.
“I’m also building a library as an homage to the home’s previous owner, a Sicilian scholar and professor.
“It felt only right to preserve that legacy and create a space where books, ideas, and conversation are front and centre.”
Kiki now splits her time between Sicily, LA and Canada while renovations continue, but she is almost ready to move in full-time.
She estimates it’ll save her around £2,200 ($3,000 a month) once renovations are finished.
She said, “Rent alone is already eliminated.
“Groceries, utilities, dining out, everything is more affordable here.
“And I don’t need to pay to escape chaos, I just step outside and I’m in a 14th-century fairytale.
“This house felt like a chance to take something forgotten and make it beautiful again.
“There’s a kind of romance to that.”
And to anyone else looking to take a leap of faith, she says that “life doesn’t have to follow the script”.
She got the keys to her new home in January, started renovating in March and is moving in next month to do the finishing touches.
Kiki, originally from Winnipeg, Canada, but living in Los Angeles, said: “You don’t need a five-year plan, a perfect timeline, or anyone’s permission to build a life that feels good.
“I bought an old, crumbling house in a tiny Sicilian town with no real plan beyond: this feels right.
“And it’s led to more freedom, joy, and community than I could have imagined.
“The life I’ve built here feels amazing.”
For work, as of now, she is continuing her career in fashion PR.
She added, “But once my home is completed, I plan to start a business here.
“What business exactly, I’m not entirely sure, but I have a few ideas that I’m working on.
“I’m just healthier mentally, physically, and spiritually than I ever was in North America.
“It’s truly remarkable what this town has given me, and the version of myself I’ve been able to return to because of this journey.”
