Umbria, Where the Heart Finds Home: Ken and Veronica’s Dream Come True

Thanks to Roberto Biggera and the Great Estate team, Ken and Veronica discovered Umbria and found much more than just a house: a place for the soul, a community, and a new life.

When Veronica and Ken talk about Umbria, their words reflect the realization that, after years of travel and living around the world, they have found a place that feels like “home.”
Veronica, originally from the Philippines, and Ken, from the American Midwest, spent years living in Asia and Latin America. It was in Singapore that they met and married, building a rich and fulfilling life both personally and professionally. Then, as retirement approached, the desire for a profound change grew in both of them.
During their travels through Europe, they began to explore, visiting properties in Spain and France. However, none of these places seemed to match what they were looking for.
It was then that the advice of a friend who had lived in Rome guided their attention to a lesser-known yet incredibly authentic region of Italy: Umbria. Their first encounter with this land was love at first sight.

The beauty of the landscapes, the kindness of the people, and the slow, human pace of daily life made them increasingly certain: this was where they wanted to build their new beginning. Veronica decided to contact Roberto Biggera, an international property consultant at the Great Estate group: the search for the ideal home began, and the dream started to take shape.

Ken says:
“I never felt pressured: Roberto seemed genuinely happy to accompany us and show us the properties. It’s rare to find someone so patient, who makes you feel like they’re really working for you.”

After visiting several properties, it was the last one, Villa El Olivar in Otricoli (TR), that truly captured their hearts. This was not just a rational choice; it was something deeper, almost instinctive.

With deep emotion, Ken continues:
“In reality, it was the house that chose us, and through this, we’ve learned so much about Umbria, the people, the culture, everything. I get emotional just talking about it, how beautiful this country is. You can’t really understand it until you live here… in such a short time, we’ve made wonderful friendships and found a true sense of community. And that’s what I love most.”

So, what initially started as a second home became the place where they decided to live permanently.
Today, Ken and Veronica’s daily life is far from the hectic pace they once knew: instead of long work hours, there are walks through the hills, shared lunches with new friends, and evenings spent with a community made up of different voices, languages, and stories.
Veronica loves to say that, while once she dreamt of the life depicted in the famous film Under the Tuscan Sun, now she can confidently say she is truly living “Under the Umbrian Sun.”

Ken concludes:
“In the end, I believe ours was a shared choice, emotionally very strong: the feeling that we had found something special. What would we say to someone about to embark on the same journey?
Not ‘Think about it and take your time’, but: do it, just do it!”

In this video testimonial, Ken and Veronica open the doors to their new life under the Umbrian sun.