And it’s also very picturesque!
It’s not uncommon for villages in Italy to sell houses incredibly cheaply to encourage buyers to renovate dilapidated properties. However, the village of Laurenzana in the south of the Basilicata region has houses on the market for as little as €1, and buyers don’t even have to pay a deposit to get one.
The reason for this is unemployment, which is causing many of the original inhabitants to move to the larger urban areas, depopulating villages like this one.
The mayor of Laurenzana, Michele Ungaro, told CNN that the goal is to “help newcomers buy the house of their dreams without making it difficult for them to follow lengthy procedures and strict requirements.” So it appears to be a mutually beneficial arrangement between the village and the new buyers.
#R101FuoriOndaNews: l'obiettivo è ripopolare Laurenzana, incantevole borgo in provincia di Potenza https://t.co/ODlFVQR1TB
— radior101 (@RadioR101) March 16, 2021
Laurenzana is a picturesque but very rural village. It is about a 2 hour drive to Parco Nazionale Laurenza Del Cilento and Parco Nazionale Laurenza Del Pollino – both incredible places to visit. Plus, the southern coast of Italy with its beautiful beaches is only an hour’s drive away, so perfect for beach lovers.
If you like the idea of owning your own home in stunning Italy, you can find more details on how to express your interest in a property on the council’s website.
Italy still has regulations in place to limit the spread of Covid-19, so it’s unlikely that visitors from all over the world will be flocking to Laurenzana to buy a home any time soon. But if visitors are allowed again, wouldn’t it be fantastic to have a small house an hour from the beach?