For several years, the Italian authorities have been carrying out a campaign to repopulate some cities by offering houses for one euro and various benefits to people who decide to move.
The story of these cities has traveled around the world and has aroused the curiosity of thousands of people who have shown interest in this initiative.
However, some areas were not as lucky, such as Patrica, a remote medieval town of about 3,000 residents.
This small town south of Rome has had more than 40 abandoned houses since the beginning of the 20th century, and over the years they began to fall into disrepair.
The difficult living conditions of the people at that time caused many of its residents to leave Patrica in search of a better future.
Dozens of houses were abandoned in this way. Governments have launched several campaigns to try to repopulate them by offering incentives to people who buy them, restore them and choose to live there.
Why is it so difficult to sell houses for one euro?
Everyone would like to buy a house for one euro, but Patrica faced several difficulties selling them above the price.
The mayor of this city, Lucio Fiordaliso, told CNN Travel that he was trying to give new impetus to projects to sell houses at this price.
However, they encountered several difficulties, such as contacting the heirs of these properties and persuading them to sell.
“Only then can we put these properties up for sale with their consent, which makes the process very complicated. “Almost impossible,” he said.
According to the president, several people expressed interest in selling the property but later regretted it, apparently due to the family problems that accompanied these disputes.
These abandoned buildings usually have multiple heirs who own part of the house, such as a bathroom, a balcony or the kitchen. According to Italian law, nothing can be sold without the written consent of all owners.
And that’s why selling these houses for one euro was fraught with several difficulties because these people end up facing each other and cannot agree on the sale.
Another problem was determining the succession for many houses. Many of these people emigrated abroad, changed their surnames, or transferred their property without officially notifying the community.
The problem is so big that in some cases it is necessary to contact up to fourth cousins and great-great-grandchildren to locate the heirs and make them an offer to sell the property.
Many even refuse to show up because these properties are so abandoned that they believe they will be charged with unpaid taxes and utility bills for so many years.
Added to all these legal problems is the advanced deterioration of the houses. Many buyers think twice before buying because they have to invest significant amounts of money.
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