Dreaming of a vacation home in Italy? The village that sells dream houses in euros

If you have always dreamed of a vacation home in Italy, we have good news for you. Recently, the village of Patrica in central Italy, joins the growing trend and offers houses for sale for only one euro.

The village, which is located on a rocky plateau overlooking the Sacco Valley, is trying to wait for the success of cities like Mossali in Sicily and Zongoli in Campania, which managed to deal with the phenomenon of abandoned houses and sold houses that stood deserted to tourists at ridiculous prices.

Patrika, for those who don't know, is a medieval village. It is located south of Rome and has barely 3,000 inhabitants and is currently home to more than 40 abandoned properties. Although in terms of landscapes it is considered idyllic, but life in the village has never been simple so most of the residents left it behind and went to look for their future in a place where there is an easier life and livelihood.

Now, the mayor Lucio Fiordeliso, who is trying to revive the place decided to offer the empty houses for sale for one euro. But according to what we see, his move has not been successful yet, mainly due to ownership issues.

Since the houses have been abandoned for a long time, it is not easy to find their legal owners or their heirs (sometimes there is more than one heir). The ownership problem stops, at least for now, any possibility of selling the houses.

So far, the village has only managed to sell two derelict houses under its €1 scheme, as they were fully owned by two locals, so there was no need to contact heirs.

Another problem, why the one euro plan has not succeeded so far in Patrika, is the state of its abandoned houses. Some houses are simply too run down to sell. Fortunately for the residents of the village, not all the abandoned houses are in a terrible condition, and some have already received interest from potential buyers.

You should know that those who are captivated by the idea of moving to the center of Italy and buying a house in Patrika, get additional concessions. For example, those who decide to start a commercial activity such as a guest house or an artisan boutique in the Old Quarter, are exempt from paying taxes on waste removal, advertising and use of public areas for 10 years and receive a tax credit for restructuring costs. These benefits are also valid for foreigners planning to move to Patrika. So far, two new guest houses and one restaurant have been opened as a result.