{"id":24899,"date":"2024-03-24T03:09:59","date_gmt":"2024-03-24T07:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/this-italian-town-is-struggling-to-sell-off-its-empty-homes-for-one-euro-heres-why\/24\/03\/2024\/"},"modified":"2024-03-24T03:09:59","modified_gmt":"2024-03-24T07:09:59","slug":"this-italian-town-is-struggling-to-sell-off-its-empty-homes-for-one-euro-heres-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/this-italian-town-is-struggling-to-sell-off-its-empty-homes-for-one-euro-heres-why\/24\/03\/2024\/","title":{"rendered":"This Italian town is struggling to sell off its empty homes for one euro. Here\u2019s why"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Italy\u2019s one-euro-home sales have been attracting a lot of interest over the past few years, with dozens opting to snap up abandoned properties in some of the country\u2019s depopulated towns.<\/p>\n<p>But while towns like Mussomeli in Sicily and Zungoli in Campania have managed to offload various abandoned dwellings to foreigners longing to live the Italian dream, some have struggled to sell their empty homes.<\/p>\n<p>Among them is Patrica, a remote medieval village of barely 3,000 residents located south of Rome, where more than 40 properties deserted in the early 1900s have been left to rot.<\/p>\n<p>Perched on a rocky plateau overlooking the Sacco valley in central Italy, Patrica is an idyllic spot, but life here wasn\u2019t easy for locals in the past.<\/p>\n<h3>Abandoned homes<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 540px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader\" style=\"padding-bottom:56%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/Q3NeXlLitzfErZBdTSaP_Q--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTE5MjA7aD0xMDgw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/cnn_articles_875\/f3393fdf4f1ea696dbeeb722959bd9d9\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Italian village Patrica, located south of Rome, is struggling to offload its abandoned homes. - Comune di Patrica\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/HpS3GdIBHfYetlJx44thVQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/cnn_articles_875\/f3393fdf4f1ea696dbeeb722959bd9d9\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">Italian village Patrica, located south of Rome, is struggling to offload its abandoned homes. &#8211; Comune di Patrica<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Many left in search of a brighter future elsewhere, leaving their homes empty for decades.<\/p>\n<p>In an attempt to breathe new life into the dying village, the town\u2019s mayor Lucio Fiordaliso has been trying to emulate the success of other Italian villages who\u2019ve put their empty homes up for sale for one euro, or just over a dollar. He\u2019s so far had little success.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe first mapped all abandoned houses and made an official call out to the original owners to invite them to hand over their dilapidated family properties, but we managed to sell just two homes for one euro,\u201d Fiordaliso tells CNN.<\/p>\n<p>While local authorities in towns left underpopulated due to earthquakes and other natural calamities have the jurisdiction to put abandoned homes up for sale without permission from the owners, this isn\u2019t the case for Patrica and other towns like it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe first need the availability of owners, or their heirs, in disposing of their old houses,\u201d says Fiordaliso.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnly then can we place these properties up for sale with their consent, which makes the process very complicated. Almost impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fiordaliso explains that the town received a \u201cpositive response\u201d from 10 owners after sending out a \u201cpublic call to involve them in our one-euro-homes project,\u201d but they withdrew at the last minute. The rest never replied.<\/p>\n<h3>Public call<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 540px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader\" style=\"padding-bottom:56%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/4_PBRwf.BnXP.ol7zCnkdQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTE5MjA7aD0xMDgw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/cnn_articles_875\/ab372b98f648211da3c5847569d870f7\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"Many of the town's local families left in search of a brighter future elsewhere, leaving their homes empty for decades. - Comune di Patrica\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/j0UxHA7jfMBqN2yYvKhygw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/cnn_articles_875\/ab372b98f648211da3c5847569d870f7\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Many of the town's local families left in search of a brighter future elsewhere, leaving their homes empty for decades. - Comune di Patrica\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/j0UxHA7jfMBqN2yYvKhygw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/cnn_articles_875\/ab372b98f648211da3c5847569d870f7\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">Many of the town&#8217;s local families left in search of a brighter future elsewhere, leaving their homes empty for decades. &#8211; Comune di Patrica<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Fiordaliso feels that those who changed their minds may have done so because of issues with other relatives who owned shares of the same property.<\/p>\n<p>Abandoned buildings in old Italian towns are sometimes split between multiple heirs who own just a section \u2013 like a bathroom, balcony, kitchen &#8211; and nothing can be sold without written consent from all heirs, as per Italian law.<\/p>\n<p>In the past, it was customary for children to inherit parts of their family home, including patches of land, wells and orchards.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s not always a guarantee that relatives will still be on good terms and\/or in contact years down the line.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe disposal of potential one euro homes faced a deadlock as most relatives sharing the same property were at odds with one another for personal reasons or couldn\u2019t agree on the sale, some hardly spoke or knew each other, others lived in distant cities and even abroad,\u201d says the mayor.<\/p>\n<p>In some instances, homes were never officially split between heirs in the past, so the ownership line had broken along the way without a clear indication as to who should be the current owner.<\/p>\n<p>According to Fiordaliso, tracking down the descendants of owners who\u2019d long migrated overseas, mainly to the US, Canada and Argentina and perhaps had different last names, or may have passed on their Italian property to foreigners without notifying Patrica\u2019s town hall, has been a very hard task.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s like looking for a needle in a haystack,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<p>The only two abandoned homes that Patrica managed to sell as part of its one-euro scheme were fully owned by two locals, so no liaising with fourth-degree cousins or great-great-grandsons was required, and they could sell the properties without any complications.<\/p>\n<h3>Family ties<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 540px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader\" style=\"padding-bottom:56%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/z9rJUDHVjoRACD3_PkOD0w--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTE5MjA7aD0xMDgw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/cnn_articles_875\/59858cf7c2cbef2631b661c84eedb4c0\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"The remote medieval village has a population of around 3,000. - Comune di Patrica\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/ISnKdEJPso49KNPmcbCRBQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/cnn_articles_875\/59858cf7c2cbef2631b661c84eedb4c0\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The remote medieval village has a population of around 3,000. - Comune di Patrica\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/ISnKdEJPso49KNPmcbCRBQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/cnn_articles_875\/59858cf7c2cbef2631b661c84eedb4c0\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">The remote medieval village has a population of around 3,000. &#8211; Comune di Patrica<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>In situations where family feuds are at play, relatives could choose not to sell their share due to legal issues tied to inheritance disputes, or even as a form of revenge.<\/p>\n<p>And original owners who\u2019ve been living elsewhere for many years may be wary of making themselves known to local authorities and potentially being hit with back taxes for their property and waste disposal charges of up to 2,500 euros (around $2,730 per year, plus unpaid utility bills<\/p>\n<p>Another reason that the one euro scheme never really kicked off in Patrica could be due to the condition of its forsaken homes.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the houses are simply too neglected to sell, even if the owners were willing to agree to it.<\/p>\n<p>Patrica local Gianni Valleco and his two brothers decided to place their parents\u2019 abandoned home on the market to see what would happen, but soon found that the house was far from desirable.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe thought, \u2018Why not give it a go\u2019? Even if it\u2019s just for one euro, we\u2019d be rid of a heap of useless stones. We were curious to see if someone might be interested anyway in buying it,\u201d says Valleco.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were aware that after half a century our parents\u2019 home had turned into rubble, it was totally destroyed, like razed to the ground.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe roof and most walls had collapsed, leaving an open-air room covered in grass and bushes. All there remained was a patch of land, an ugly garden right in the heart of the historical center.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Valleco, a neighbor had been using what remained of the home to dump their old stuff.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe then realized nobody would ever buy it,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a bad investment requiring lots of money to rebuild the house. It\u2019s more worth buying a tiny rural cottage in the surroundings.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Thankfully, not all of the deserted homes in Patrica that could be potentially sold for one euro are in quite such a terrible state, and some have garnered interest from potential buyers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA few foreigners came to see the abandoned one-euro dwellings. There was lots of interest but unfortunately we had nothing to offer them,\u201d says the mayor, adding that those interested were from the US and Europe.<\/p>\n<p>In the meantime, Fiordaliso has been coming up with new ways to boost the town\u2019s appeal in the hope of luring newcomers.<\/p>\n<h3>New scheme<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 540px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader\" style=\"padding-bottom:56%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/9IyrGEave0Al54BNsO3_mw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTE5MjA7aD0xMDgw\/https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/imagesundefined?q=h_540,w_960,c_fill\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/oCMgDIDlW_a4aY52YAu47g--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MA--\/https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/imagesundefined?q=h_540,w_960,c_fill\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/oCMgDIDlW_a4aY52YAu47g--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MA--\/https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/imagesundefined?q=h_540,w_960,c_fill\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The town hall recently funded the makeover of the external fa\u00e7ades of some ancient palazzos, prompting several locals to entirely restyle their old family homes and put them to use after decades of neglect.<\/p>\n<p>Local resident Alessandra Pagliarosi took things a step further by turning the 1950s mansion inherited by her husband into an elegant B&amp;B called Patricia.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe redid the roof, which was practically no longer there, and the interior. The mayor\u2019s move finally gave us a good excuse to fully renovate the property which had been sitting there uselessly,\u201d says Pagliarosi, who benefited from the new tax breaks introduced by the town hall to revive the local economy.<\/p>\n<p>Those who decide to kickstart a commercial activity like an B&amp;B or artisan boutique in the ancient district are exempt from paying taxes on waste disposal, advertisement and public space use for 10 years and granted tax credits for restructuring costs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor a small B&amp;B, that would amount to a total of roughly 1,200 euros (around $1,310) per year in tax savings, which is a significant amount of money,\u201d says Pagliarosi.<\/p>\n<p>Foreigners planning to relocate to Patrica and launch a small business are also entitled to the tax benefits.<\/p>\n<p>So far, two new B&amp;Bs and one restaurant have opened up as a result.<\/p>\n<p>Local realtor Ilario Grossi, who runs Immobil Lepini estate agency, located in the nearby town of Ceccano, says several American descendants of emigrant families recently visited Patrica to look at properties.<\/p>\n<p>But the town\u2019s ready-to-occupy homes, with two-bedroom properties starting at 20,000 euros ($21,832,) proved to be more appealing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is interest, but then when many (foreigners) actually see the bad shape of the old homes they\u2019d prefer to opt for turn-key apartments that are already restyled or in need of just minor fixes,\u201d says Grossi.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo it\u2019s much more convenient to buy one of these newer ones than grab an old building in need of a major renovation, where the final cost would end up being much higher.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite these challenges, Fiordaliso hasn\u2019t given up on selling some of the town\u2019s long neglected homes, even if it means having to negotiate between warring relatives.<\/p>\n<p>For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/account\/register?source=external-feeds_iluminar&amp;cid=external-feeds_iluminar_yahoo&amp;registration_email_campaign=https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:CNN.com;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">CNN.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/lifestyle\/italian-town-struggling-sell-off-060029291.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Italy&rsquo;s one-euro-home sales have been attracting a lot of interest over the past few years, with dozens opting to snap up abandoned<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/this-italian-town-is-struggling-to-sell-off-its-empty-homes-for-one-euro-heres-why\/24\/03\/2024\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-world"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24899\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}