The 22-year-old tighthead prop, eligible for Ireland and Italy, was aggressively pursued by Ulster and the Irish body.
He weighed up the big-money move for more than two weeks, admitting he went "back-and-forth" before confirming a three-year contract extension with the Reds and Rugby Australia on Wednesday.
"There was some tough nights there, staying up, constantly weighing it up, it was a lot of pressure," he said.
"'Did I want to be potentially playing in front of family and friends at a home World Cup next year?'
"I asked myself that question as well. Even if I don't, it would be amazing to be around a tournament like that."
It's understood the Irish offered tabled was superior to RA's but, in a coup for Australian rugby, De Lutiis said the combination of lifestyle, opportunity and "what they were offering" meant he stayed put.
Injuries have kept The Southport School product to just nine Super Rugby Pacific matches since late 2023 for the Reds.
But in a sign of his status, he earnt a call-up to Wallabies camp before even debuting and was named as unavailable due to injury on every Wallabies team sheet last season.
"I remember getting the first (Wallabies camp) invitation by email and thinking it must be a mistake," he said.
"I wondered how I'd fit in with all the big dogs, but I got nothing but amazing support and learnt so much."
The signing follows that of fellow Southport School graduate, Reds and Test prop Zane Nonggorr, still just 25, on Tuesday and Brumbies prop Blake Schoupp late last month.
De Lutiis's lightbulb moment came in year 10, watching Nonggorr lift the GPS trophy in 2019.
He moved his bed into his basement, where he built a gym, and for eight weeks did workouts twice a day, emerging only to run on the beach twice a week.
"Watching Zane ... I was like, 'I want to be that'," he said.
"So I said to myself, 'My time's now'."
Nearing a return from wrist fractures and a hamstring injury, De Lutiis looms as a handy inclusion as early as this month's Super Round in Christchurch, and a key plank once Kiss takes over as Wallabies coach in August.
"Fair play; I take my hat off to Massimo. He's a wise young man, no doubt he'd get some interest but he spoke to the right people, weighed up his options and made a wise decision," Kiss said.
"There's a lot of pressure on a young man to stand firm and understand what he wanted out of it.
"It says a lot about what Australian talent can offer (other nations), so it is nice to get a few wins in that space.
"To keep him away from the clutches of an Ireland or Italy is good for us."
