Скачать или смотреть This Italian town is struggling to sell off its empty homes for one euro

This Italian town is struggling to sell off its empty homes for one euro
Italy's initiative to sell homes for one euro has garnered significant attention in recent years, attracting buyers to abandoned properties in various depopulated towns across the country. However, while some towns have successfully sold off their vacant homes, others have encountered difficulties in finding buyers. Among these struggling towns is Patrica, a remote medieval village located south of Rome.

With a population of barely 3,000 residents, Patrica is grappling with more than 40 abandoned properties, left to decay since the early 1900s. Despite its picturesque location overlooking the Sacco valley, attracting buyers has proven challenging for the town's mayor, Lucio Fiordaliso.

Fiordaliso's attempts to replicate the success of other Italian villages by offering homes for one euro have yielded little success. "We 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," Fiordaliso tells CNN.

The main hurdle faced by Patrica and similar towns is obtaining permission from the original owners before selling the empty homes. Tracking down these owners, many of whom have migrated overseas or are involved in family disputes, has proved to be a daunting task.

"The 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’t agree on the sale," explains Fiordaliso. The complexity of inheritance laws further complicates the process, making it nearly impossible to proceed with the sales.

Despite the challenges, efforts to revitalize Patrica continue. The town hall has introduced tax breaks for certain commercial businesses in hopes of stimulating the local economy. Additionally, initiatives to refurbish historic buildings and encourage entrepreneurship have shown promise, with several new businesses opening up in the area.

While the one-euro home scheme may face setbacks in Patrica, the town remains determined to attract newcomers and breathe new life into its abandoned properties. As Fiordaliso states, "We haven't given up on selling some of the town’s long neglected homes, even if it means having to negotiate between warring relatives."