An idyllic Italian village is willing to give people €100,000 to move in and revamp crumbling villas – but no one’s taking up on the offer.
Despite being renowned for its beautiful mountain ranges, the northern Italian region of Trentino has suffered with a declining population in recent years.
In response, local authorities launched a new housing initiative aimed at revitalising as many as 33 towns at risk of becoming deserted.
Under the scheme, buyers are offered a grant of €100,000 – €80,000 towards renovation and €20,000 to help them purchase a derelict home.
The only condition is they must commit to living at the property or renting it out for at least 10 years. Failing to meet these conditions could result in the grant having to be repaid.
Applications are accepted in rounds lasting three to four months. The first round opened in May, and by its close on June 30, the initiative had received 291 applications.
However, one town, Sagron Mis, failed to attract a single applicant.
Nestled at the foot of the Dolomites, Sagron Mis is a commune made up of two villages, Sagron and Mis.
It’s renowned for its stunning natural beauty and boasts numerous hiking trails and observation points.
An idyllic Italian village is willing to give people €100,000 to move in and revamp crumbling villas – but no one’s taking the offer up
Nestled at the foot of the Dolomites, Sagron Mis is a commune made up of two villages, Sagron and Mis
But despite its appeal, the town does come with challenges.
With just one shop to serve its 170 residents, access to essential services is limited.
‘We have the post office, the cooperative,’ said the town’s mayor, Marco Depaoli.’ But we are lacking in the presence of a general practitioner.’
Still, Depaoli remains optimistic. ‘It’s not a drama. It takes patience. There is no deadline, it is not a rejection of the town,’ he said. ‘I wouldn’t make it a casus belli.’
While no formal applications were received the major says there has been strong interest.
‘Fifteen people have contacted our municipal offices to ask what the rule is, how it works, how to proceed to obtain funding,’ he said.
He also cited the limited housing stock as another hurdle.
‘There are about fifteen houses for sale. We need to see if they meet the conditions, and if those who buy them are interested in the financing proposal,’ he explained.
‘We have several second homes, and people often do not sell them.’
Depaoli hopes that when the next application window opens in September, more people will consider relocating to what he describes as a ‘beautiful, respected place with great future potential.’
Sagron Mis is renowned for its stunning natural beauty and boasts numerous hiking trails and observation points
But despite its appeal, the town does come with challenges. With just one shop to serve its 170 residents, access to essential services is limited
‘We have the post office, the cooperative,’ said the town’s mayor, Marco Depaoli (pictured). ‘But we are lacking in the presence of a general practitioner’
The Trentino government has allocated more than €10million to the initiative since it launched in 2024.
The scheme includes municipalities in areas like Val di Non, Val di Sole, Primiero, Valsugana, and others.
Towns such as Bresimo, Livo, Rabbi, and Vermiglio are participating.
Other areas like Primiero, Alpe Cimbra (Luserna), and Valsugana (Castello Tesino, Cinte Tesino, Grigno) are also involved.
Both Italian nationals and foreign residents are eligible to apply.
President of Trento, the capital of Trentino, said: ‘The goal is to revitalise local communities and promote territorial cohesion.’
The new scheme comes after the ‘1 euro housing’ initiative launched in Italy in 2017.
Several Italian towns, particularly in Sicily, launched initiatives to sell abandoned houses for the symbolic price of 1 euro to combat depopulation and revitalize historic centers.
The scheme attracted international attention and led to the revitalization of many towns.
Towns such as Bresimo, Livo, Rabbi (pictured), and Vermiglio are participating.
Pictured: summer view of Vermiglio, characteristic small town in Italian alps
The Trentino government has allocated more than €10million to the initiative since it launched in 2024. Pictured: Bresimo
Buyers typically need to commit to renovating the property within a specified timeframe and pay associated fees and taxes.
A British man who bought a house in Italy for the bargain price of just €1/85p recently revealed he now has hundreds of people desperate to rent it out.
George Laing, 32, bought the derelict three-storey property in Mussomeli, a town in Sicily, in December 2022.
The Brit purchased the bargain home under a renovation scheme set up by the council.
Once George had paid for admin fees, agency costs and energy certificates, the purchase price came to €5,000/£4,300.
And George, who works as an antiques trader, now splits his time between Mussomeli and Eastbourne.
He says he spent less than £10,000 renovating the home, despite it requiring a lot of renovations.
George had to fix the home’s leaky roof, set up electricity and have the water supply reconnected.
The enterprising Brit did nearly all of the improvements himself but admits there were some difficulties along the way, including when a storm hit and ‘buckets of water’ came in the house.
George revealed: ‘I wouldn’t say it’s a completely glamourous lifestyle, but it’s definitely a rewarding one.’
The antiques trader has been sharing the journey on his Instagram (@george_laing_) and claims that more than 500 followers have requested to rent the home.
He says: ‘It’s been the best decision I’ve made. I’ve got a waiting list of more than 500 people waiting to rent my home out.
‘I just use my website and a booking form, I don’t have to use Booking.com or Airbnb – it’s edging up to nearly 600 people now.’
George has now bought a second €1/85p home in Mussomeli, due to the positive reaction he’s had.
