If you're at that glorious stage of your life where you're getting ready to buy your first property, then you're in for a whirlwind! There are a lot of things that go into figuring out where you want to live, both for the short and longterm. What city do you want to live in? Do you want to leave the country? Do you need a house big enough for a family? And all of this is not even considering your budget!

For $500,000 (aka half a million dollars), you have quite a large selection of houses to choose from, especially with house prices steadily rising. But here's some food for thought: Not all real estate is created equal.

$500 000 can get you a certain house in Texas. But have you ever stopped to wonder what it would get you in Italy? Would it get you a palace or would it get you something a little smaller? Or would it grant you the same?

Lucky for you, we're here to give you an idea!

Texas: Great For The Whole Family

Texas is known for having a strong economy due to being a leader in the energy industry. This leads to a great housing market, particularly in Houston. Houston, in particular, is known for having one of the most affordable housing markets in the country.

If you're shopping for a home in Texas, for $500, 000, you can get a rather large family home in Houston. You can see a lot of these colonial-style houses, with up to 4 bedrooms and bathrooms.

This kind of home is great if you have a particularly large family or if you just need a lot of room to live your life!

If you're looking in the state capital of Texas, Austin, you may run into a few snags. Due to the fact that it's the founding place of Whole Foods, as well as a candidate for Amazon's second headquarters, the prices are not very generous.

But fear not! You can still get a nice place. For $500,000 (maybe even a little less), you can get a decent three-bedroom house, with one bathroom and a one-car garage. Granted, it's not as large as the colonial-style homes of Houston, you still have enough space for a family. Even if you don't have one, there's still plenty of space for you to be comfortable!

Lamporecchio, Italy: Dream Country Villa

Europe is a dream destination for many people, both for vacations and living. A good portion of their housing market is made up of beautiful country houses and villas out in more rural areas. For 450 000 euros (which comes out to $500 000), you can get a beautiful country villa out in Lamporecchio. Not only will you have a great view of the rolling hills of Pistoia, but you'll also have a cozy little rustic villa to spend summer evenings in.

On the property, there is a 250 square meter stone farmhouse, as well as 7000 square meters of lush land, complete with an olive grove and a swimming pool. If you have your heart set on quiet country life, surrounded by nature, these country villas are for you.

However, if city life is more for you, then there are many other options for finding villas in more residential areas. One of your options is Rome. We won't kid you: Rome is expensive and you may need to look slightly outside of the city for residences that fall within your budget.

With $500 000, however, you can find large villas (some as large as 3,500 square feet) with up to 4 bedrooms. Whether you have a larger family, you love the space or you love the location, Rome has many decent housing options for this price. You can actually brag to your friends that you're holding family reunions in one of the world's most beloved cities!