Mistakes & Myths

"Just Move and Figure It Out" - Why This Advice Is Dangerous

Spontaneity is romantic. It's also how people end up with unsellable property, unexpected tax bills, and visa problems that could have been avoided with six months of planning. Italy rewards preparation and punishes improvisation. This isn't pessimism,it's pattern recognition from watching people learn the hard way.

The Advice and Why It Sounds Good

You'll hear this everywhere in expat communities:

"Stop overthinking! Just book a one-way ticket!"

"We just sold everything and went. Best decision ever."

"You can figure out the details once you're there."

"Life's too short for spreadsheets. Jump!"

It sounds romantic. It sounds brave. It flatters the listener's sense of adventure and dismisses the cautious planners as timid bureaucrats. It's the narrative in every "we quit our jobs and moved abroad" YouTube video.

And for some people, it works out. But survivor bias is real. You hear the success stories because those people are still there, posting content. The failures quietly return home and don't make videos about it.

"Just figure it out" is the most expensive advice in the expat world. The people giving it rarely mention the people for whom it didn't work,because they're not around to contradict the narrative.

What Goes Wrong

When people "just move" without planning, these problems appear:

1. Visa Problems

"I'll figure out the visa situation there." Non-EU citizens discover that tourist visas don't convert to residency. You cannot apply for an elective residency visa from inside Italy. After 90 days, you're illegal,and that status has consequences for future applications. This isn't something you can "figure out" after arrival.

2. Healthcare Gaps

Arriving without health coverage and hoping to sort it out. Then something happens. An accident. An illness. A EUR15,000 hospital bill with no insurance. Italian public healthcare requires proper registration, which requires proper residency, which requires,depending on your status,various prerequisites you haven't arranged.

3. Property Purchase Disasters

Buying impulsively because "we're here, we should commit." No independent surveys. No legal verification. No understanding of what you're signing. Six months later, discovering the roof needs EUR40,000 of work and the property has no legal road access.

4. Financial Meltdown

"We'll make it work." Underestimating costs. Overestimating income. Running out of money in a foreign country where you don't understand the banking system, can't easily get credit, and have no safety net. Emergency repatriation isn't cheap or dignified.

5. Relationship Implosion

One partner's adventure becomes the other's nightmare. Without proper discussion of expectations, exit strategies, and what "not working" would look like,conflicts escalate in isolation. International moves stress even strong relationships. Unplanned moves break vulnerable ones.

Visa Reality

This deserves extra emphasis because "just figure it out" advice often dismisses visa concerns as minor paperwork:

For Non-EU Citizens

*Tourist visas (90 days in Schengen) DO NOT convert to residency
*Elective residency visas MUST be applied for from your home country
*Overstaying tourist limits creates immigration records that affect future applications
*Working without a work permit is illegal, even "digital nomad" work
*Visa processing takes months, requires extensive documentation

For EU Citizens

You have the right to live in Italy, but that doesn't mean no paperwork:

* After 90 days, you MUST register at the anagrafe (town registry)
* Registration requires proof of income, health insurance, and address
* Without registration, you can't access public services or establish tax residency
* Post-Brexit UK citizens are NON-EU and need proper visas

See: Complete Visa Options Guide →

Financial Reality

"Figure it out" usually means "underestimate costs and hope for the best." Here's what people don't budget for:

The Hidden Costs of Unplanned Moves

Temporary accommodation while sorting housingEUR1,500-EUR3,000/month
Private healthcare before registrationEUR150-EUR400/month
Emergency return flights (family crisis, failed move)EUR500-EUR2,000
Professional help fixing visa/legal mistakesEUR2,000-EUR10,000
Property problems discovered post-purchaseEUR10,000-EUR100,000+
Selling property at loss if move fails20-40% of purchase price

"Figuring it out" often costs 3-5x more than planning would have.

See: Realistic Cost of Living Guide →

Who Says This (and Why)

Consider the source when you hear "just move":

Content Creators

Their revenue comes from engagement. "Just go for it!" gets more views than "Here's a 47-point checklist." They have incentives to be encouraging, not accurate. They also often have advantages they don't mention: dual citizenship, remote income, family money, partner with proper visa status.

People Justifying Their Own Decisions

If someone made an impulsive move that worked out, they want validation. Encouraging you to do the same confirms their choice was smart, not lucky. They're not lying; they're retelling their story in a way that makes them the hero.

Estate Agents and Service Providers

"Don't overthink, just buy!" is advice that benefits the person making commission. Urgency serves sellers. Caution delays transactions. Their incentives are not aligned with your long-term success.

People Without Your Constraints

EU citizens advising non-EU citizens. Single people advising families. Wealthy people advising those on tight budgets. Young people with no health concerns advising older people. Their "just do it" worked because their situation was different from yours.

What to Do Instead

The opposite of "just move" isn't "never move." It's "move prepared."

The Prepared Move Framework

1.
Visa strategy first. Confirm your legal right to stay before anything else. Consult an immigration lawyer if non-EU. This is non-negotiable.
2.
Multiple visits before purchase. Different seasons. Different circumstances. Visit as someone living there, not as a tourist.
3.
Rent before buying. 6-12 months of rental lets you understand the area, learn what you actually need, and avoid expensive mistakes.
4.
Independent professional advice. Lawyers, surveyors, accountants who work for you, not for people selling you things.
5.
Financial buffer. 12-18 months of expenses beyond your estimates. If that's impossible, you're not ready.
6.
Exit strategy. What happens if it doesn't work? Having a plan isn't pessimism,it's insurance.
7.
Language commitment. Start serious study before arrival. B1 level by year one should be the goal.

This approach takes longer. It's less dramatic. It makes worse content for social media. It also leads to far better outcomes.

The Bottom Line

"Just move and figure it out" sounds brave. In practice, it's often reckless, not because moving abroad is impossible, but because moving abroad unprepared creates problems that preparation would have prevented. The people who succeed long-term in Italy are rarely the ones who jumped blind. They're the ones who jumped informed, with parachutes checked and landing zones mapped. Be brave enough to move. Be smart enough to plan.

Want to avoid these mistakes with proper guidance?

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