Long Term Rentals

Are you aware of the 90 day limit for travelers from the US?

Thank you for the reminder, Michael. I had planned to check into the requirement for a VISA once we determined the exact length for our stay. This might be a deciding factor.

You might run through RoninRome.com or even contact him. It depends a little bit on what you want in the way of a rental. Looking for just a shell or a turn key? Second, where do you want to be in Italy? In someways it could be more interesting to spend a month to six weeks and then move to another location. Probably more expensive but offer a great variety. We have looked into doing something similar. Think we will probably start in England because of language. I think one of the big issues will be managing your financial affairs totally over the internet and mail delivery. It is the mundane things that are the greatest problem.

Thank you, Frank. I'll look into Roninrome. We are looking for "turn key" and considering the Adriatic Coast.

I've written questions to RoninRome several times and be has always responded immediately. A really great resource and excellent guy all round.

I suggest you look into VRBO places (Vacation Rental By Owner). We have booked and been very pleased with this way of travel.

Thank you, Rose, for your input regarding RoninRome - I plan to check into that resource today. And, Liz, thanks for information about vacation rentals by owner. We will give that a try for sure.

We have been doing three-month rentals since 2008; first in Paris, but now in Venice. We have decided that staying longer is not worth the hassle of getting a visa. I have used various rental sites including vrbo, homeaway, etc. successfully. Since 2008, I have gotten recommendations thru local friends and acquaintances. My suggestion is to contact the owner/property manager if you see an apartment you are interested in and ask for a quote for the time you are interested in. We travel late October thru the holidays and have received deep discounts, even in Venice. Good luck.

Thank you, JustTravel. These are great tips. Now I need to settle in for some serious research on the sites that have been mentioned. We have done shorter term rentals and only had one really bad experience. Our last rental was two weeks in Rome (Trastevere) and was wonderful, but too expensive for a longer stay for us.

This question so totally pertains to me! I am going next week to Italy, in large part to look for a place to stay 6 months or more (yes, I know that 6 months requires a visa, thanks to this site). I will share that I'm struggling doing it from here, but I'm not too trusting, and I need to see where I'll be (I'll be da sola). I have learned that unlike the US, listings aren't available to all agents, so one should contact a few, if you want a long-term lease.
This trip will be different, not in a great way (plans made had to be canceled, so I'm just 'gonna land'), but I'll try to remember to post my sure to be many mistakes so that you won't make them.

Sarah, thank you so much for joining this discussion. I've had the concern you express about making a long-term commitment from home. As a result, I've considered only doing a short-term rental - perhaps even one we have previously experienced - then using our time to look for a longer term place. I'll look forward to hearing how this works out for you.

I have often rented for one month in Italy and found that I got a significant discount over a weekly rate. Often it has been the equivalent of 2 weeks. I think there are some slightly different things to consider with a longer rental - one would be whether or not utilities are included in the price - sometimes these become the responsibility of the renter if they are renting for longer than a week or so. I have used Windows on Italy in Florence, but also VRBO and homeholidays for one month rentals.

Thanks, Shirley. I'll check out the Windows on Italy site. Great reminder to make sure what is included in the price - that would make a huge difference.

Have you thought of doing three two-month rentals or two three-month rentals? In other words, staying in one apartment for three months and another apartment for three more months. You wouldn't have to commit to a longer term rental and you could stay in different neighborhoods or different towns.

We have given this some thought, Grier. It would make sense to do one month rentals in different locations, making day-trips easier and more diverse. We are still in the "research" phase of planning.