I bought my home in Abruzzo, in the small town of Cese outside of the slightly larger town of Casalanguida. I looked at the 30-40 thousand dollar homes but opted on mine because it was immediately habitable. Still an incredible price, certainly compared to Phoenix. I do have to drive 20 minutes to grocery shop, for medical care (outside of our town doctor who really just gives referral slips) and for anything else. Casalanguida has 2 bars, one of which is for sale. And a tabachi and a post office. That's it. But it does have a vibrant town life that I am lucky to be a part of even as a foreigner. I have the best of both worlds here - my neighbors are Italian farmers and we are very close, yet there is also a very small but tight-knit expat community here (mostly brits). One soon to be expat opted for the 25,000 fixer upper and is definitely having a rough time finding contractors with time, water and electric re-hook-up and all sorts of new unexpected challenges. She is finding that what she thought was a cheap buy is anything but. You definitely get what you pay for.
Brava for knowing what you needed it and making the right choices. So many people don't think these things through, from what I can tell. I haven't made it to Abruzzo yet, but I know so many people who love it there. One of these days!
You are not kidding about Brits in Abruzzo: when I lived in London, I would take a charter flight to Pescara, because it was 1. cheap and 2. 1.5 hours away from my family home in Molise. Back then it was a charter flight, today I believe Ryanair has taken over the route.
Very interesting reading! Why would I go all the way to Italy to live among non-Italian strangers??!?!?! The number of ghost towns all around the world. Even when I went to Marnay sur Seine (2 hours from Paris) I was not happy about the silence all day all night. Not a soul. No shops, nothing. The only thing there was in the village was a grave yard and a botanical garden. A cafe was supposedly coming up and I don’t know if it’s still there post
There are people who embrace Little America, etc., and that's fine if it's their choice. But I think with the €1 house scheme they think only about cost, and there are so many factors to consider. I harp on this all the time—the importance of choosing where you live for what it offers you, not because you found a cheap house (which, in many of these cases end up being more expensive than something needing only TLC). It's so sad to think that these ghost towns, or nearly so, are everywhere, and in other places people are living on the streets.
We have been in Treviso for over 3 months now and I think we are beginning to better understand many of the problems you addressed. One of my favorite sayings is, “life is a double edged sword.” I totally agree with your statement about wanting Italian neighbors and to preserve the Italian culture. When someone apologizes for their ability to speak English, I tell them that I am a guest in their country and it is I who should speak Italian and they shouldn’t worry about English. The Italians should have immigrants (there I said the dirty word) that want to maintain and continue the Italian culture, not our/their culture, at least not in Italy.
Well said, Tim. And I totally agree about the use of the word "immigrants." I'm one, and proud of it. Expats can always see home in their rearview mirror, whereas immigrants are here for good, or at least with the mindset of permanence.
I agree with you wholeheartedly, Cheryl, with one exception.
Having been enamored by this idea since 2019 myself, I really looked into these towns, and you are largely correct. The biggest problem that I saw was the renovation. With a 1 euro home, you're starting from scratch - no public services in addition to building walls! And, unless you're living there while the work is done, well, you will always be a foreigner and if you can get the contractor, they will always charge you the American rate. Personally, I don't think this is how you want to enter a community. We chose our house in Selinunte largely b/c it didn't need much work. And any work we are having done is happening when we're there - so the workers can see us working on other projects alongside them and see how invested we are. Plus, making local friends who vouch for us, believe in us, and are looking forward to our upcoming move, helps tremendously. (btw, we paid $110k. I looked and looked and looked and still think this was a bargain)
Sambuca, however, is lovely. Honestly, I absolutely fell in love with the town when I first visited in 2020 during the pandemic. I met Guiseppe who started the 1 euro auction and he, in turn, introduced me to several locals who continue to stay in touch with me, even after I purchased a home in another town. Guiseppe is passionate about the town in which he was born and raised. Served as deputy mayor for 10 years and now is mayor. Sambuca has very strong customs and character, and they celebrate this. True, it probably has the largest population of foreign transplants. And yes, the Bracco special made me crazy.
I think a much better example of your point is Mussemeli, which quite honestly is an ugly town, to my taste. And Stephanie St.Clair who has branded herself as a style expert and move-to-Italy consultant, was just featured in a CNN video, etc, well, she purchased there and then purchased another 2 places there, one outside of town. She currently lives in Atlanta. In a down moment when she was super frustrated with her contractor, she admitted that if doing it over, she would never have purchased a 1 euro home and never have purchased in Mussemelli. She also complained about being charged the "American price." I just have to laugh. Alas.
And then you may also have heard about the (rare, yes) occurrence of family eventually showing up after the home was purchased. A town can do their best in declaring which homes no longer have any claims on them but...
Thanks for this perspective, Jan! I didn't know you'd considered the €1 houses, so I'm happy to hear about your experience. I didn't mean to target Sambuca; it was just the town mentioned in the article I read, and that led me to Bracco (whose show I've never seen, btw). Good for Giuseppe for being such an advocate for his town. I'd love to know how he feels in his deepest heart about having to fill his town with foreigners. Can't be easy for him. And omg, the families showing up! I didn't think about that, but of course it does happen. Che incubo! Hope things are going tutto bene at your place/s!
Oh, I think Sambuca was an interesting town to mention. I was only filling in some info for you. I've asked Giuseppe about this and it took a few attempts to get something more than how much he loves people (which he truly does - he is quite the social butterfly). Bottom line: he loves his town and doesn't want to see it die. So far, welcoming foreigners has worked, reviving his home and not compromising on its customs and character. In fact, it has fueled a cultural revival for Sambuca - they now regularly have visiting musicians, actors, and singers, providing programing which is new, attracting locals and also others from neighboring towns.
Well said! I’ve been living in Palermo for 3 years now (I rent). People are constantly asking me if I’m going to buy a €1 house. No! For all the reasons you list!
Interesting situation. I can see the desire to renovate but your point is so important about Little America. I definitely wouldn't want that to happen. I did watch the Bracco show (only 3 episodes) after you mentioned it. I suppose they like the idea of a celebrity there. I read that she hasn't once slept in the bed of the renovated house due to the COVID outbreak.
Such a brilliant article! Thank you for your research - I’ve longed to live in Italy for a while now and being surrounded by Italians speaking Italian is all part of that dream 🫶🏼
Thanks, Nicole. I wouldn't say it's a researched article, just my perspective on what I see and hear and experience. Having fellow immigrants to call on when learning the ropes is always a boon, but why live in another country if you don't want to be part of it? I hope you make your dream come true someday!
If it was *actually* convenient to buy and live in those $1 houses, don't you think locals would've bought them already? Just saying, eh… 🤔 sometimes it's difficult even for construction vehicles to access those areas and work on the renovation of those homes (because they're never, ever ready-to-live-in places, mark my words!).
I mean, if you enjoy living like a hermit among the ruins or something, then good for you, but I very much doubt that's what people who have read and/or watched “Under the Tuscan sun” are looking forward to... 😅
Glad to hear your Italian brain aligns with my thinking; I've gotten yelled at by others. :-) One who claims it's never a problem to get work done on a prescribed schedule. Whatever. As I said to someone else, I think people see an unbelievable price tag and don't think through all the ramifications of going down that path.
I daresay that many of the Towns, frazioni, etc. are in the 7% tax zones, where expat retirees will not pay more than 7% total taxes. Legislation passed in 2019--
" The basic eligibility requirements under the original law are: You must receive a pension from a country outside of Italy.
The country paying the pension must have an administrative cooperation agreement with Italy. Your citizenship does not matter.
You must move to Italy and establish tax residency in an approved area.
You must not have been a tax resident of Italy during the 5 years prior to your move."
Yes, they probably are. And I think some people don't realize the 7% tax is only for a 10-year period. So is it really worth it? Only if you're living where you really want to be.
I would add: no second-thought option. If the combination of house+place+environment+alltherest ist worth 1 Euro, don't even think about re-selling your newly renovated house in the ghost town when you get sick of it. It is no investment. If the village was abandoned there's a reason (more than one) and there is probably still nothing that makes it appealing for a higher price than 1 Euro.
Good point, Elena. Thanks for adding an Italian perspective to this conversation. I say all the time that people need to define what they need to be happy; if that places them in a €1 home, great. If not, it's no bargain. And it's certainly a gamble in terms of the long-range potential of these towns.
It is the ultimate romantic dream though isn’t it? Move into a crumbling ruin and renovate it making friends and drinking wine along the way! Who could resist the romance of Chocolat and the heady combination of Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp! I suppose another way to look at it might be that it’s an adventure and no matter whether you succeed or not you’d have taken a chance on life.
Sure. And there are houses to renovate all over Italy, at very reasonable prices. You don’t have to choose one in a semi-abandoned town. As someone commented elsewhere, €1+ €200,000 > €30,000 + €100,000. I’m making these numbers up, but you get the idea.
Yes of course and I do see your point, perhaps a bit more research would yield a smoother ride! But it is all about that step into the unkown isn't it, we bought a place in the back end of nowhere France twenty years ago and used the house as our holiday home, it was such a leap of faith but one of the most life affirming things I've ever done. There was a chateau for sale nearby, I so wanted to go and look at it, just to nose around, now that would be taking on a project that's nearly impossible!
I don't think they are making a mistake when they move into towns populated by other anglophones. That is a selling point. Most of the Brits i know here don't speak Italian and don't associate with any Italians at all.
I have had a few friends ask me about it and I steer them away. There are so many lovely and alive towns in Lazio with habitable places that will cost less in the long run.
I bought my home in Abruzzo, in the small town of Cese outside of the slightly larger town of Casalanguida. I looked at the 30-40 thousand dollar homes but opted on mine because it was immediately habitable. Still an incredible price, certainly compared to Phoenix. I do have to drive 20 minutes to grocery shop, for medical care (outside of our town doctor who really just gives referral slips) and for anything else. Casalanguida has 2 bars, one of which is for sale. And a tabachi and a post office. That's it. But it does have a vibrant town life that I am lucky to be a part of even as a foreigner. I have the best of both worlds here - my neighbors are Italian farmers and we are very close, yet there is also a very small but tight-knit expat community here (mostly brits). One soon to be expat opted for the 25,000 fixer upper and is definitely having a rough time finding contractors with time, water and electric re-hook-up and all sorts of new unexpected challenges. She is finding that what she thought was a cheap buy is anything but. You definitely get what you pay for.
Brava for knowing what you needed it and making the right choices. So many people don't think these things through, from what I can tell. I haven't made it to Abruzzo yet, but I know so many people who love it there. One of these days!
You are not kidding about Brits in Abruzzo: when I lived in London, I would take a charter flight to Pescara, because it was 1. cheap and 2. 1.5 hours away from my family home in Molise. Back then it was a charter flight, today I believe Ryanair has taken over the route.
Very interesting reading! Why would I go all the way to Italy to live among non-Italian strangers??!?!?! The number of ghost towns all around the world. Even when I went to Marnay sur Seine (2 hours from Paris) I was not happy about the silence all day all night. Not a soul. No shops, nothing. The only thing there was in the village was a grave yard and a botanical garden. A cafe was supposedly coming up and I don’t know if it’s still there post
Covid
There are people who embrace Little America, etc., and that's fine if it's their choice. But I think with the €1 house scheme they think only about cost, and there are so many factors to consider. I harp on this all the time—the importance of choosing where you live for what it offers you, not because you found a cheap house (which, in many of these cases end up being more expensive than something needing only TLC). It's so sad to think that these ghost towns, or nearly so, are everywhere, and in other places people are living on the streets.
right?!!
We have been in Treviso for over 3 months now and I think we are beginning to better understand many of the problems you addressed. One of my favorite sayings is, “life is a double edged sword.” I totally agree with your statement about wanting Italian neighbors and to preserve the Italian culture. When someone apologizes for their ability to speak English, I tell them that I am a guest in their country and it is I who should speak Italian and they shouldn’t worry about English. The Italians should have immigrants (there I said the dirty word) that want to maintain and continue the Italian culture, not our/their culture, at least not in Italy.
Well said, Tim. And I totally agree about the use of the word "immigrants." I'm one, and proud of it. Expats can always see home in their rearview mirror, whereas immigrants are here for good, or at least with the mindset of permanence.
I agree with you wholeheartedly, Cheryl, with one exception.
Having been enamored by this idea since 2019 myself, I really looked into these towns, and you are largely correct. The biggest problem that I saw was the renovation. With a 1 euro home, you're starting from scratch - no public services in addition to building walls! And, unless you're living there while the work is done, well, you will always be a foreigner and if you can get the contractor, they will always charge you the American rate. Personally, I don't think this is how you want to enter a community. We chose our house in Selinunte largely b/c it didn't need much work. And any work we are having done is happening when we're there - so the workers can see us working on other projects alongside them and see how invested we are. Plus, making local friends who vouch for us, believe in us, and are looking forward to our upcoming move, helps tremendously. (btw, we paid $110k. I looked and looked and looked and still think this was a bargain)
Sambuca, however, is lovely. Honestly, I absolutely fell in love with the town when I first visited in 2020 during the pandemic. I met Guiseppe who started the 1 euro auction and he, in turn, introduced me to several locals who continue to stay in touch with me, even after I purchased a home in another town. Guiseppe is passionate about the town in which he was born and raised. Served as deputy mayor for 10 years and now is mayor. Sambuca has very strong customs and character, and they celebrate this. True, it probably has the largest population of foreign transplants. And yes, the Bracco special made me crazy.
I think a much better example of your point is Mussemeli, which quite honestly is an ugly town, to my taste. And Stephanie St.Clair who has branded herself as a style expert and move-to-Italy consultant, was just featured in a CNN video, etc, well, she purchased there and then purchased another 2 places there, one outside of town. She currently lives in Atlanta. In a down moment when she was super frustrated with her contractor, she admitted that if doing it over, she would never have purchased a 1 euro home and never have purchased in Mussemelli. She also complained about being charged the "American price." I just have to laugh. Alas.
And then you may also have heard about the (rare, yes) occurrence of family eventually showing up after the home was purchased. A town can do their best in declaring which homes no longer have any claims on them but...
Great post, as always! Just shared with a friend.
Thanks for this perspective, Jan! I didn't know you'd considered the €1 houses, so I'm happy to hear about your experience. I didn't mean to target Sambuca; it was just the town mentioned in the article I read, and that led me to Bracco (whose show I've never seen, btw). Good for Giuseppe for being such an advocate for his town. I'd love to know how he feels in his deepest heart about having to fill his town with foreigners. Can't be easy for him. And omg, the families showing up! I didn't think about that, but of course it does happen. Che incubo! Hope things are going tutto bene at your place/s!
Oh, I think Sambuca was an interesting town to mention. I was only filling in some info for you. I've asked Giuseppe about this and it took a few attempts to get something more than how much he loves people (which he truly does - he is quite the social butterfly). Bottom line: he loves his town and doesn't want to see it die. So far, welcoming foreigners has worked, reviving his home and not compromising on its customs and character. In fact, it has fueled a cultural revival for Sambuca - they now regularly have visiting musicians, actors, and singers, providing programing which is new, attracting locals and also others from neighboring towns.
That’s great, hope more Italians return to the town!
Well said! I’ve been living in Palermo for 3 years now (I rent). People are constantly asking me if I’m going to buy a €1 house. No! For all the reasons you list!
Interesting situation. I can see the desire to renovate but your point is so important about Little America. I definitely wouldn't want that to happen. I did watch the Bracco show (only 3 episodes) after you mentioned it. I suppose they like the idea of a celebrity there. I read that she hasn't once slept in the bed of the renovated house due to the COVID outbreak.
Such a brilliant article! Thank you for your research - I’ve longed to live in Italy for a while now and being surrounded by Italians speaking Italian is all part of that dream 🫶🏼
Thanks, Nicole. I wouldn't say it's a researched article, just my perspective on what I see and hear and experience. Having fellow immigrants to call on when learning the ropes is always a boon, but why live in another country if you don't want to be part of it? I hope you make your dream come true someday!
If it was *actually* convenient to buy and live in those $1 houses, don't you think locals would've bought them already? Just saying, eh… 🤔 sometimes it's difficult even for construction vehicles to access those areas and work on the renovation of those homes (because they're never, ever ready-to-live-in places, mark my words!).
I mean, if you enjoy living like a hermit among the ruins or something, then good for you, but I very much doubt that's what people who have read and/or watched “Under the Tuscan sun” are looking forward to... 😅
Glad to hear your Italian brain aligns with my thinking; I've gotten yelled at by others. :-) One who claims it's never a problem to get work done on a prescribed schedule. Whatever. As I said to someone else, I think people see an unbelievable price tag and don't think through all the ramifications of going down that path.
I daresay that many of the Towns, frazioni, etc. are in the 7% tax zones, where expat retirees will not pay more than 7% total taxes. Legislation passed in 2019--
" The basic eligibility requirements under the original law are: You must receive a pension from a country outside of Italy.
The country paying the pension must have an administrative cooperation agreement with Italy. Your citizenship does not matter.
You must move to Italy and establish tax residency in an approved area.
You must not have been a tax resident of Italy during the 5 years prior to your move."
Please read here for a more complete understanding of this law, https://b.champ.rocks/it_pop/index.html
Yes, they probably are. And I think some people don't realize the 7% tax is only for a 10-year period. So is it really worth it? Only if you're living where you really want to be.
I would add: no second-thought option. If the combination of house+place+environment+alltherest ist worth 1 Euro, don't even think about re-selling your newly renovated house in the ghost town when you get sick of it. It is no investment. If the village was abandoned there's a reason (more than one) and there is probably still nothing that makes it appealing for a higher price than 1 Euro.
Good point, Elena. Thanks for adding an Italian perspective to this conversation. I say all the time that people need to define what they need to be happy; if that places them in a €1 home, great. If not, it's no bargain. And it's certainly a gamble in terms of the long-range potential of these towns.
It is the ultimate romantic dream though isn’t it? Move into a crumbling ruin and renovate it making friends and drinking wine along the way! Who could resist the romance of Chocolat and the heady combination of Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp! I suppose another way to look at it might be that it’s an adventure and no matter whether you succeed or not you’d have taken a chance on life.
Sure. And there are houses to renovate all over Italy, at very reasonable prices. You don’t have to choose one in a semi-abandoned town. As someone commented elsewhere, €1+ €200,000 > €30,000 + €100,000. I’m making these numbers up, but you get the idea.
Yes of course and I do see your point, perhaps a bit more research would yield a smoother ride! But it is all about that step into the unkown isn't it, we bought a place in the back end of nowhere France twenty years ago and used the house as our holiday home, it was such a leap of faith but one of the most life affirming things I've ever done. There was a chateau for sale nearby, I so wanted to go and look at it, just to nose around, now that would be taking on a project that's nearly impossible!
I still dream of renovating a house. Maybe someday!
It was good to see my ideas taking shape, frustrating dealing with builders though!
Nearly always the case, I think, but hopefully the result was worth it!
I don't think they are making a mistake when they move into towns populated by other anglophones. That is a selling point. Most of the Brits i know here don't speak Italian and don't associate with any Italians at all.
No doubt true for some, but I wonder how many people never think about much beyond the lure of a €1 price tag.
I have had a few friends ask me about it and I steer them away. There are so many lovely and alive towns in Lazio with habitable places that will cost less in the long run.
Exactly!
On the other hand, I'd hate for Lazio to become the next Tuscany or Puglia. I love my grumpy ass neighbors.
I hear you! Umbria may be the next Tuscany 😩
Oh...well on its way.