The 22-year-old tighthead prop, eligible for Ireland, was aggressively pursued by Ulster and the national body and weighed up the move for two weeks.
But on Wednesday a three-year contract extension with the Reds and Rugby Australia was confirmed.
"I had a lot to weigh up ... it was a bit stressful," De Lutiis said.
"Family, knowing Australia and what it is like here ... they were two big deciding factors.
"'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 with the huge support that's out there."
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 call-ups to Wallabies camps 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.
"I definitely feel like a weight has been lifted with this decision," De Lutiis said.
"I talked to some older boys at the Reds like Lukhan (Salakaia-Loto) and Jeffery (Toomaga-Allen), who have gone over to Europe to play.
"They gave me a good insight into what it would be like and what I would be leaving."
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.
"I wasn't anything special; didn't have an athletic bone in my body," the told AAP last year, when also declaring it remained a "dream" to be a Wallaby and not exploit his Irish heritage.
"But watching Zane ... I was like, 'I want to be that'.
"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 for Reds coach Les Kiss at the back end of this season and a key plank once he takes over as Wallabies coach in August.
"'Mass' has impressed me since before my first game as Reds coach that day," Kiss said.
"Despite challenges with injury, he's a committed professional and he's only going to get better and better with his ambitions for Queensland and Australian rugby."
