Secret Doors and Hidden Gems: The Unexpected Surprises of House-Hunting in Mussomeli

If you read my previous post, you know that my first day in Mussomeli didn't go well.

Thankfully, day two started off much better after a restful night of sleep. I woke up late and had probably drooled and snored during my coma sleep. Unfortunately, I missed the complimentary hotel breakfast, so once again, I had to search for food. It was 15 minutes until lunchtime, and I was frustrated. This lunchtime schedule was driving me crazy. I quickly grabbed some fruit from a shop in the Piazza and returned to my room to wait it out.During my downtime, I checked flights to Rome and hotel rates around the island. I always like to have backup plans (Plan A, B, and C). I also spoke to an American friend I had met online, whom I was planning to meet in person the next day. I didn't want to be rude and leave before meeting her, so I decided to stay another day.That night, when Mamma Rita's opened I treated myself to a delicious meal. I ordered a pizza, bruschetta, water, and a Diet Coke. It was my first proper meal, and it felt heavenly. Pizza made by Italians, with fresh Italian ingredients, in an Italian pizza oven for €5.

The next day, I had plans to meet the realtor again and meet up with my friend. After that, I could finally leave.

We visited the original house again, and it turns out I had missed an entire section of the house before. There was a door that opened to a stairway, blocking access to a part of the house that I hadn't seen. I was too exhausted to think of looking behind a door. Oops.

With the door closed to the stairway I saw more rooms.

What caught my attention the most about this house was the yard.

Having a yard in town is quite rare. The house also had two terraces, a balcony, and a small patio. With some cleaning up, the yard had the potential to be amazing. It had a couple of lemon trees and a pomegranate tree. My dog would be happy. I even started calling it the lemon house. However, the interior was a bit confusing.Since it used to be two smaller homes combined, there were two living rooms and two dining areas. The bedrooms were not clearly defined. I needed to figure out how to make it work for my family.My son recently got married, and I would like them to visit. My sister would come here with me during the summers. I hope my adult nieces and nephews can visit too. My mom is only 72, and I want her to have her own space. My brother can work from home, so he and his wife could be here too. That's my dream – having family around, enough space for everyone, and not having a shortage of bathrooms.The living rooms would need to be converted into bedrooms, as there was only one bathroom and one powder room. That might be suitable for Italy, but I would prefer to add another full bathroom for convenience. The stairs were also quite steep, which is common in most homes. However, my mother would have difficulty climbing them as the bedrooms were located upstairs. But I absolutely loved the yard. It was a tough decision to make.

My agent knew I was looking for a larger home, so she had a few more options to show me.

The next house was good but not better than the lemon house. The stairs were even more challenging than the previous house. The house after that required a ladder to access the terrace. I was starting to realize that finding the perfect home might not be as easy as I had imagined.At one point, a neighbor mentioned that her house might be for sale and kindly showed us around. It was a modern and lovely house, but unfortunately, it didn't have enough bedrooms. If we had small children in our family, it would have been a great fit. However, all my nieces and nephews are adults, and my son and nephew are both 6'5" tall. We needed more space.And then, finally, we arrived at THE HOUSE.