In Italy, a village gives away houses for free!
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| In Italy, a village gives away houses for free! |
Again a village in Italy is giving away homes for free in a bid to combat depopulation. Castropignano, a hill-top village situated in the southern Italian region of Molise, is home to only 923 inhabitants and a 14th-century castle, according to a study in The Independent. In a public statement, it declared that it hopes to "combat depopulation in the region by offering its abandoned properties."
In fact, the owners of these houses have given their consent to sell them free of charge (or for a small fee). Like many of the other villages and towns in the region, even the 'nominal fee' was set at just 1 euro (INR 88).
"The objective is to achieve four things: "the reconstruction and growth of the historical center of Castropignano and the village of Roccaspromonte, where some of the buildings have become dangerously dilapidated; revitalization of the city center; contribution to the country's economic growth; and support for socio-cultural integration," according to the report.
But certain unique conditions have to be met in order to take possession of these properties.
Private buyers may be Italian, EU or non-EU residents, but organizations are also welcome to apply, provided that they are registered with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture and Crafts of Italy; that they are compatible with social security and welfare contributions; that they are not subject to insolvency proceedings.
Buyers will need to write to Mayor Nicola Scapilati, explaining what they plan to accomplish/do with the house, such as whether they want to transform it into a family home or a tourist accommodation, along with the skills they have to make it a success.
Once accepted, within two months, they would need to sign a public purchase deed. They must also be prepared to pay all the associated legal costs for the purchase, apply for planning permission within six months to renovate the house and begin working on it within two months after the permit has been accepted.
In addition, they will also be expected to deposit €2,000 (INR 1,77,868) with the local government as insurance to ensure that buyers will go through with the project. After three years, this will be restored once the project has been completed.
According to an article recently produced by CNN, some Italian cities are trying to reverse the trend of depopulation by selling empty old homes at bargain rates.
The town of Salemi in Sicily previously offered such properties for auction, a few of them with collapsing walls, with a starting price of € 1, less than the price of an espresso! In several hamlets, such as Cinquefrondi, in southern Calabria and Mussomeli, which is also located in Sicily, similar schemes are believed to have been launched to auction wastehouses in that region.
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