By now, you well and truly know the drill when it comes to Italy’s €1 homes.
You’ve read the stories, done some research, and have seriously considered taking the plunge and buying one to live out your days sipping Aperol spritz’ in the European sun. It’s not just a pipe dream! We even spoke to someone who bought a home and is doing just that right now!
Likely the biggest factor holding you back is the cost of renovating the home. You see, Italy’s €1 homes are, more often than not, in a state of dilapidation and disrepair having been abandoned for years. But you already knew that.
The catch in buying one usually means committing to a renovation at your own expense in three years from the sale date. According to Case 1 Euro, an official site that lists one-euro homes, the reno could cost anywhere between €7,000 and €49,000 – depending on how big the property is. Buying one is a risk (especially when the transaction is entirely online), but could absolutely be worth it once the project is complete.
But, if the thought of embarking on a Zoom reno still feels a bit much, then you now have an option to buy a bargain Italian home – one that’s ready for you to move into right away.
Biccari, a picturesque village in the southeastern region of Puglia, is selling off a number of unoccupied homes that, unlike the dilapidated €1 homes, are turnkey-ready for new owners.
Of course, this means they’ll cost a little more, but with CNN travel reporting that prices start from €7,500, and climb to €10,000 to €13,000, it’s far more affordable than a home in one of Australia’s capital cities, or almost anywhere for that matter.
It’s all part of a plan to boost tourism and residency to the historic town, which has a dwindling population of around 2,000. The region’s young people have a pattern of moving to bigger cities once becoming more independent, and it’s affecting the town and its people.
“Depopulation is an open wound, a steady phenomenon. Locals keep leaving and while most used to come back during the summer to visit, now they no longer do so. Many habitable houses are empty and are falling into oblivion,” Mayor Gianfilippo Mignogna told CNN Travel.
The town will have around 20 liveable properties for sale, all of which will be listed online here once images have been collected. There will also be a dozen €1 homes available in the town too.
Biccari is a beautiful town positioned along three regions, Puglia, Molise and Campania. Surrounded by lakes, forests, and farmland, it’s also a short two-hour drive to Naples.