In an effort to combat depopulation and revitalize their community, the ghost towns in italy They are coming up with innovative strategies to attract new residents.
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Sambuca di Sicilya picturesque town on the island of Sicily, has been noted for its ingenious method of selling houses at symbolic prices, a tactic that has captured global attention. This small but charming town has become famous for its offers of houses for one euroand has now launched a third round of sales with properties starting at just three euros.
The newly elected mayor, Giuseppe Cacioppo, shared with ‘CNN’ that “we just want to make it clear that by numbering these lots, there will probably be more sales in the coming years.” This comment reflects the continued success of the strategy, since foreigners have shown great interest in acquiring properties in Sambuca. According to the mayor, “foreigners are flocking to buy our houses; so far this proposal has been a success.”
An attraction for international buyers
Sambuca di Sicilia invites potential buyers to visit the town and explore the 12 homes available in this new round of sales. Cacioppo noted that “the timing is perfect,” suggesting that those traveling to Italy or planning a trip for the spring and summer can take the opportunity to check out the properties on offer.
The houses are located in the historic Saracen neighborhood and, although they require certain repairs to be habitable, they are “structurally stable” according to the mayor.
Sambuca’s fame dates back to 2019, when 16 houses were offered for one euro each. This first round of sales was followed by another in 2021, where the houses were sold for two euros. This strategy not only attracted buyers from all over the world, including the Middle East, but also injected $21.8 million into the local economy.
One of the factors that distinguishes Sambuca from other depopulated Italian cities is that the city has abandoned houses. In many other cases, cities face difficulties obtaining permits from absentee property owners. Instead, Sambuca has been able to manage and sell these properties efficiently.
Cacioppo underlined the positive impact of these sales on the local real estate market: “The two lots of houses, owned by the City Council, have revitalized the private real estate sector.”
Furthermore, he explained that “people who rushed to buy at auction, but did not make the final cut, bought a cheap house. So far 250 homes have been sold.”
O GLOBO (Brazil) / GDA
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*This content was rewritten with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on information from O Globo, and was reviewed by a journalist and an editor.
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