Rubia Daniels bought three abandoned properties in 2019 for 1.10 each.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Rubia Daniels bought three abandoned properties in 2019 for $1.10 each towards the end of a 10-day tour of Mussomeli, a small village in Sicily.
- She got interested in the houses after learning Italy was offering low-cost properties to repopulate deserted villages in remote areas.
- Mussomeli has been seeking foreign purchasers of their empty houses since 2021. It is one of the many small towns in Italy that is offering properties at low prices to combat dwindling populations.
A few years ago, homes in several small towns of the country were being offered to people at unbelievable prices.
Sambuca, the picturesque hilltop town in Southern Italy that offers expansive views of the Mediterranean island and sandy beaches, was selling dozens of houses for just $1 back in 2019 due to depopulation. A small town located on the south-west side of Sicily was offering abandoned houses at a price that is cheaper than a cup of coffee.
In the past few years, several small Italian towns, which were facing the problem of depopulation, started offering homes at prices that are hard to believe. The objective was to revive the towns by bringing in permanent residents.
While many of the investors weren’t able to hold the properties for an extended period due to high upkeep factors and the unavailability of renovation workers, a woman from California has started spending her time and renovating three houses she bought in a small town for just $3.30 (approximately Rs 270).
According to reports, Rubia Daniels, a 49-year-old Brazilian expat who works in the solar industry, bought three abandoned properties in 2019 for $1.10 each towards the end of a 10-day tour of Mussomeli, a small village in Sicily.
She got interested in the houses after learning Italy was offering low-cost properties to repopulate deserted villages in remote areas.
Mussomeli has been seeking foreign purchasers of their empty houses since 2021. It is one of the many small towns in Italy that is offering properties at low prices to combat dwindling populations.
“I was so amazed. It is one of those things where you have to see it to make sure it’s true. I did my research, and within three days I had my plane ticket, a rental car, the hotel, and I left,” Daniels, who lives in San Francisco, was quoted as saying by the New York Post.
The sale of the properties to Daniels was verified by a representative of Case 1 Euro, the company in charge of the Mussomeli housing development.
She now has different plans for each of the homes she owns.
She plans to stay in one of the houses whenever she’s in the town and plans to convert her second and third properties into an art gallery and a wellness center.
She began her restoration process towards the end of 2019. As of now, the exterior of two properties is completed.
“People were super welcoming and everyone wanted to have coffee with me. The realtors embraced me like a sister — they were with me every single day through the time I was there,” she told Insider.