Italian homes for a euro what happened after the purchase

In the last year, many small towns from Sicily south to the Alps in the north have had such convenient offers to attract new residents and revive their communities in extinction. The bids ended on CNN and other media, pushing millions into the romantic idea of leaving the Metropolitan shock for a simpler life.

Many cities were flooded with questions. The phones kept ringing and the websites were coming out in traffic. But did someone actually buy a house? And if it happened, what happened next? Were people trapped in the infamous bureaucracy in Italy? Did he get <x0la dole via” (kind) quickly a sour taste, allowing customers to feel that they were stolen?

CNN Travel met some of the first buyers or <x0).residents for 1 euro”, as they are called by locals, and tried to find out if this paid off.

French was among the first to buy a house for 1 euro

Morgan Guihot was among the first buyers to accept offers for 1 euros in Mussomelli, a beautiful little town deep in the heart of Sicily, where narrow and ancient roads stand around the ruins of a pointed hill.

The house she and her husband paid for became like a second family home.

Most of the bids also include a demand for buyers to invest in renovations, which the 27-year-old Guihot and her husband immediately began. They have almost completed restoring their 50 square metre residence in Mussomeli, coloring the walls and repairing the floors.

We just needed to finish the bathroom. Being artisans and renovations, we did most of the work on our own. It wasn't much, and it was good to see our two - bedroom home take a new life. Our panoramic terrace 15 square meters is fantastic,” says Guihot.

Along with his two children, she will use the house in Sicily as a holiday home during Christmas holidays and summer holidays.

When we decided to invest in a second house, we withdrew from the price of convenient in Mussomeli compared to the expensive real estate market in France. But at first glance, we were amazed by this place after we first visited it. He was very pleased and people were hospitable, “ton Guihot.

Although the couple were accustomed to rural life in their home in the Nantes area, the move to Italy brought them to a more peaceful location.

Although the change wasn't that big, we were excited about the location. The city is close to beautiful destinations in Sicily and is not as isolated as some other countries. We have everything we need here in regard to shops. We can lead a really nice way of life. It's light and brilliant, ” says Guihot.

There seemed to be no unpleasant surprise, the Kosova Prees broadcast.

Everyone was really nice to us, and girls from the real estate agency followed us every step, helping us with documents and translation when they were needed. Everything went better than we expected. We even thought the house would be worse. We'll do it again, “says Guihot.

Although still young, spouses are already thinking of Mussomeli as a retirement home.

“for now, this is a holiday house that will give us a lot of time to learn good Italian”, they say.

The house for 1 euro was too small. We've bought 10 thousand euros”

Many buyers decided to buy low - price homes, but some ended up in more expensive and newer properties. After a long tour of Mussomeli's homes for 1 euro, Belgian businessman Patrick Janssen has chosen the most luxurious “ ” housing at a higher price, which he has almost fully renovated.

Like many others, he was attracted by media coverage of free houses and the opportunity to change lives.

I'll be honest, we haven't bought a house for 1 euro. They showed us at least 25 old buildings, some in very poor condition, so we decided on a three-bed building for 10,000 euros, in which we invested more,” says Janssen.

However, not only did the poor state of the houses prevent him from buying for 1 euro.

I thought a beautiful house, which I would renew and make new, would last many more years. My five children will have a perfect home for 20 years. If something happens to me, they'll have a good place to live, and as they grow up they can come here with their friends”, the Belgian businessman explains.

He currently plans to use it as a holiday home, or a place where his family will spend weeks or months a year.

“After being well thought out and discovering the beautys of this country, I could spend my retirement here”, says Janssen, who made a long-term purchase and considered many factors, mostly Mussomeli's distance from his home in Brussels.

We arrive in Catania for two hours from Brussels. It's definitely a big plus if you come here for a weekend in a European country. Compared with French Brussels, Mussomeli is a different world. In Belgium, people don't stop. Life here is easier, the city is comfortable and the nature around it is magic. Perfect for refueling batteries and detoxing “, Janssen explains.

His house has a panoramic roof with images of old roofs, beautiful churches, and narrow streets.

This part of Sicily is wild, intact, green and filled with people. It's the perfect start to explore the rest of the island,” says Belgian.

Trade has gone simpler than expected, despite Italy's poor reputation for bureaucracy.

I was actually surprised to see that renovation of houses was easier in Sicily than in Belgium,” concluded Janssen.