Americans Bought Abandoned $1 Homes In Italy - Was It Worth It?

In the late 2010s, towns around Italy started going viral for selling off crumbling properties for 1 euro, or roughly $1.05. How much does it really cost to buy and renovate a 1-euro home in Italy? And is it worth it? CNBC Make It spoke to several Americans who have bought a 1-euro home in Sicily, Italy.
Produced, Shot and Edited by: Mickey Todiwala
Reported and Narrated by: Jennifer Liu
Managing Producer: Beatriz Bajuelos
Supervising Producer: Jessica Leibowitz
Animation: Elham Ataeiazar , Gene Woo Kim
Senior Production Manager: Kathryn Mavrikakis
Executive Producer: Kamelia Angelova
Executive Editor: Jenna Goudreau
Deputy Managing Editor: Ester Bloom
Senior Work Editor: Hanna Howard
Production Assistance: Valentina Duarte
Special Thanks: Nathalie Milazzo, real estate agent in Mussomeli
Conversions from euros to USD were done using the OANDA conversion rate of 1 euro to 1.05 USD on Oct. 18, 2023
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Americans Bought Abandoned $1 Homes In Italy - Was It Worth It?

[@Keesha]

That’s so cool that the first lady got the chance to return to her grandfather’s hometown.

[@Originalman144]

He left for a reason

[@arrtukreutzman]

i bet she didn’t blend into the local society. you can live somewhere or you can LIVE somewhere.

[@mabel9701]

Same, love this for her

[@centurione6489]

Renovations will cost between 500 euros (cosmetic) and 1500 Euros per square meter. IF you can find a honest contractor. If you get scammed and need to go to court ... good luck with that 🤣.

[@Chicago48]

Yeh, but at what cost. I hope she was a millionaire? She probably had to IMPORT everything that was decor and furniture. It takes a special type of person to do what they do. There are no doctors, hospitals, retail. It's like going to a deserted island.

[@masoodrazaq]

The first lady did a beautiful renovation in her family’s ancestral home town. You can’t put a price on sentimentality. Wish her all the happiness there!

[@archmad]

you can, it's 500k

[@grimupnorth9336]

No children, not even leaving it to family and only staying there a few months a year, what is the point? Expensive holiday home, that's it.

[@bawane2031]

​@@grimupnorth9336peace is the point.

[@toshiamiyumi2604]

@@grimupnorth9336 you sound bitter lol

[@airzillarocks]

🤣@@archmad

[@tinnic]

I really don't understand the people criticising the first lady. She made it clear she wasn't selling and planned to donate the house back to the town upon her death, its clear that she isn't motivated by money. It's her ancestrial village and she clearly wanted to benefit the area. The money she spent largely circulated through the local community as trades people salary. The materials may well have also been local. Once the house goes back to the town, whatever happens to it will result in more money for the community. But you have numnuts going on about "bad investment". She's clearly not thinking in terms of ROI! Maybe have a look at Why Nigerians own Empty Mansions in their Villages. It's not about turning a profit but building something beautiful where your ancestors come from!

[@Originalman144]

The grandfather probably left for good reason. Imagine what he may have gone through to leave the dying town and now she comes back and waste a ton on money in the place he fled from overpaying for a property 10x the properties in the street next to it. He may have also been from a different town - she said it was just the last place he was noted as having lived before emigrating to the US.

[@volvo24091]

People cannot stand stupidity.

[@paranoidhumanoid]

​​@@Originalman144He left at a time of great poverty and political instability. Italy is no longer like that. In fact, their population, like in Japan, Singapore, Spain and Switzerland, is one of the longest living and healthiest in the world. It's a very beautiful and civilized way of life.

[@Originalman144]

@@paranoidhumanoid No, this place is still very impoverished just as when her grandfather left 100 years ago. Maybe slight better but there’s no services, train, airport, or goods in this area. It’s far from hospital too. If you have money it’s a beautiful and great way of life. Hence, many of the places are dilapidated and sold for 1€. I’ve visited almost every region of Italy.

[@Originalman144]

@@paranoidhumanoid Comparing this abandoned village to Switzerland or Singapore is not acceptable.

[@MrPinoCavallo]

I'm a Sicilian myself but do live in Germany. The problem with Sicily is the lack of jobs, obviously, otherwise you could not have had these prices for real estate. So the winner is the person who has already made enough money to be financially independent or the digital nomad who just needs a laptop and an internet connection.

[@Cincy32]

Do Sicilians pay property taxes annually on real estate?

[@Flat_Earth_Addy]

Houses are cheaper in germany!

[@MrPinoCavallo]

@@Cincy32 Sicily is part of Italy, so tax rules apply to the whole country. There is an annual property tax, but I don't know if this applies to certain residents. I'm not a tax expert.

[@MrPinoCavallo]

@@Flat_Earth_Addy No way. Maybe in the very rural areas of Eastern Germany, but I doubt that prices are lower than in South Italy. If choosing between structurally weak areas I would always choose South Italy over Eastern Germany, since in South Italy you have much better weather and you are surrounded by more culture/historic sites.

[@MaLiArtworks186]

Create an international business.

[@sylvainh2o]

The 15k house with little repairs are the best deals.

[@fabe61]

Depends if you want to live in an old-style house or do your own thing. In many ways it is easier to modernise a ruin because you can start from the foundations up.

[@YogaBlissDance]

Thank u I said the same.

[@paranoidhumanoid]

Even with all the permitting, insurance, property tax, and requisite renovation costs, visa fees, etc. -- it's a better deal than what you get here! It's at least affordable.

[@marklabonte2925]

right? she actually bought TWO BUILDINGS. Not bad for half a mil RENOVATED.

[@paranoidhumanoid]

The second one she paid around $20K so it's a 2-for-1 deal. Property taxes in much of Europe including Italy are only a few hundred US dollars per YEAR depending on value of the home. A home assessed at $100K or less would likely be around $300-400 annually, so roughly $33/month. In most states it's a few hundred a month!@@marklabonte2925

[@kurger100]

you cannot make remotely the same money you would make in USA... Also USA is far more wealthier and tolerant than italy

[@Keesha]

Even at the present conversion rate of $440K, it’s still a deal for a permanent home. Here in NYC, that amount gets you a studio the size of a walk-in closets 😂😂

[@andersoncates-ge5jn]

With 500K she could have bought a 2500 square foot house in a suburb of a majority city like San Antonio where theres economic opportunities and a lot of American chains like fast food, malls, grocery stores. Instead of being smart and living in Texas she spent 500K to live in a small house in a random Italian village where the average person probably makes 20K per year. Stupid in my opinion.

[@ericgray6625]

We decided to retire in Italy in 2022. We did not buy a 1 euro home but by the time we're finished we'll have a very high quality home for around $200k. Much less than anything in the USA.

[@Sleepy_puppies]

Are you able to have taxless retirement though ? I heard it’s not worth retiring anywhere outside of the us with a us retirement income.

[@Thedisastermaster9]

@@Sleepy_puppies So after some cursory research: Yes … BUT The United States & Italy have a double taxation treaty preventing double taxation so in theory no. You may just have to pay into Italian social security. But you have nearly double the purchasing power. If you’re social security & pension are $2000 a month it would be as if you had $3200 to spend. It is much cheaper in Europe.

[@eds.4815]

@@Sleepy_puppies It's true that *income* taxes in most European countries are higher than in the US, but many other taxes are much lower or don't exist. A holistic comparison of tax burden may still favor the US, but not by much. And then factor in other cost-of-living savings, starting with health care...

[@user-dr9qu7qt9o]

I'm British but live in Italy and it's not cheap. @@Thedisastermaster9

[@italico3222]

The standard of living in Italy is higher than your country

[@cds8718]

I sit here in Oakland, California near to where a few of these buyers once lived. At 54, I will never be more than a renter, enriching my landlord. It’s fascinating that people fled Italy 100 years ago for a “better life” in America. Now, we Americans are fleeing the US for a better life in Italy. A life we can afford.

[@deasvail99]

These folks who purchased these homes already made their money in the U.S. so they can afford to live a semi-retired lifestyle abroad. There are not many jobs in these little towns..

[@Matias_L]

@@deasvail99remote work is more popular than ever. I work remote, it’s pretty tempting!

[@nenaj1]

@@Matias_LWhat company do u work for?

[@MadPutz]

You're comparing apples to oranges. There are cheap bad condition homes in small towns all across America, just like this town in Italy.

[@vistalover9607]

American system is dumb because people are INCENTIVIZED to buy houses by the government and other entities. This actually makes homes an investable assett, which appreciates in value, thus making people hoard it like stocks. Just need to run it like Austria, Japan and such.

[@dsdddsd4543we]

Beautiful homes. With a population of around 5K, you either have a remote-friendly job or are semi-retired to live there.

[@hppavilionf50]

Remote friendly and can deal with the time difference. That's a tough one for most people.

[@richardnguyen1520]

I wonder if there is even high speed internet in some of these places to handle remote jobs.

[@farzana6676]

I rather buy a cheap house in Appalachia or something.

[@epoliv]

@@richardnguyen1520 Now there is Starlink Satellite internet for that.

[@hppavilionf50]

@@farzana6676 And be robbed by druggies? No thanks.

[@dm96177]

The first woman featured has incredible taste and I loved the architecture and design of her home. I’m so glad she was able to honor her great grandfather ♥️

[@xtinafusco]

I remember seeing ads for these 1 Euro homes and fantasized about it lol - this is such a wonderful and honest followup on how that has worked out for buyers. I love the renovations that still keep the original character of the buildings, like the lady that bought 3 diff 1 euro homes. The first lady made hers too ultra lux modern and the scale of everything is very American - its no doubt gorgeous, but makes sense hers cost x10 of the other lady's reno.

[@hppavilionf50]

Regarding the cost of renovations, it's apparent that she remodeled everything to very high standards. My hunch is that it could have been done for about half had she not put in a sauna, fancy appliances, connected it to the building next door, etc. My biggest complaint is the lack of natural light. The rooms look rather dark.

[@Originalman144]

It's a crazy price -- and the properties around it are no more than $50k. She could have bought something already renovated for cheaper and closer to the train. I guess it is just symbolic for her.

[@tiffanywatson8316]

Yep, the furnishings alone are over $100K.

[@efikeffect4454]

Your ‘hunch’

[@TCJones]

They saw her coming, I live in the uk, and 4 years ago, i striped a 3 bed home back to brick, did all the work i could my self, and it cost me 18k to replace everything but the central heating boiler. And that was paying for a complete rewire, replsater, door ways to be moved etc. Ok prices have gone up with the tory gov, but 470k is nuts. But i put effort in rather than cash.

[@centurione6489]

Renovations will cost between 500 euros (cosmetic) and 1500 Euros per square meter. IF you can find a honest contractor, that is. If you get scammed and need to go to court ... good luck with that 🤣.

[@xGARIDx]

1$ for property other expenses for restoration and probably they must buy materials from local shop, markets for expensive value comparing non local market. That mayor of that city is really smart guy

[@wilsonbethlehem3101]

The mayor is a crook a.k.a. mafia. 😂

[@deasvail99]

​@wilsonbethlehem3101 sounds like 99% of our politicians. They don't need the mob to screw people over, though.

[@italico3222]

all Americans are

[@ruisgallego3239]

@@wilsonbethlehem3101 all Americans are

[@JohnFromAccounting]

It's meant to build up the local economy, so how is that a bad thing?

[@sarabeth8050]

There are plenty of beautifully renovated properties not too far away from major Italian cities for 100K to 200K range. That's a lot less expensive than trying to renovate a one euro home in a remote area.

[@samelmudir]

Yeah. You can buy an apartment for 100k in a big Sicilian city. To spend 400k to live in a dying town away from everything costs too much

[@Originalman144]

@@samelmudir Yeah, such a bad investment. She must be from California. No way this makes sense anywhere else.

[@ericyuan9718]

@@Originalman144 Almost all of em were from California.😂

[@Originalman144]

@@ericyuan9718 😂😂

[@DeanBKK]

​@samelmudir remember, she bought TWO buildings by choice. Her taste in furniture and renovations also seem to be more on the luxury / expensive side. The 1 Euro home can be done for way less (1 home instead of 2, and not going all out with granite countertops and stone everywhere).

[@lisap.1826]

I ❤ that these people followed their dreams and did what works best for them. Seeing many negative comments on living in a low population area and the cost of renovations. $400k gets a 1 bedroom apartment in a noisy congested city where i live. I would love to live somewhere that offers beautiful scenery and a slower pace of life. Good on these buyers for being brave!

[@deasvail99]

Word. People are worried that there isn't an airport or hospital nearby. Well, in many rural parts of the U.S.there isn't either. And the homes are still 10-20x more than in these old Italian villages.

[@josueravena3464]

True it is a big gamble but i guess the primary objective is creating a community to this time and eventually, if many people move in, it'll become more and more sustainable

[@Zero11_ss]

What city is that because even here in NYC where i live you can easily get a 2 bedroom apartment for far far less than you are claiming. Not that it even makes sense to compare some little random italian town with low economic standing to a major city in the first place.

[@youngpassport]

wish we could've gotten more of Ernest's story and perspective on buying his premium home. great video nonetheless

[@deasvail99]

Yeah I really liked the home he purchased and the views from the balcony were the best! I would have loved to see how he renovated it.

[@rheagalsim7497]

Right like I wanted know more details too!

[@LaShaynaMonique]

straight up skipped the black man lmaooo he had about 30secs to tell his story

[@youngpassport]

Typical devaluation of the Black man in America. No wondered he decided to relocate.@@LaShaynaMonique

[@bloom4096]

Exactly! I loved his home so much and I wanted to know more about his story.

[@LiveInnerCity]

Meredith's story is especially inspiring - she turned a crumbling property into her dream home and even gave it a historical name to honor her family. Plus she will donate the home when she's gone wow

[@kingofmambo]

She has no kids

[@manojmurali7462]

American Dream: Save money and move to Europe.

[@God_emperor_Doom]

Bidenomics pal 😂. I miss the TRUMP era

[@flipacoin3593]

@@God_emperor_DoomI reckon trump will be back in in November. That and it looks like the conservatives are going to clean up in Canada in 2025. Let’s get the beautiful black gold out of the oil fields of northern Alberta get the XL pipeline finished, and get both economy’s moving again. Cheap fuel is the bloodline of a booming economy!

[@God_emperor_Doom]

@@flipacoin3593 true brother 🤞🏻💪🏻☦️✝️

[@seanatsnow]

I've been in europe for almost 5 years. I Can't Wait to get back to the usa... it's n9t that great man... really hard to make money. And it's a socialist Marxist society. So the gov controls business . I've really enjoyed learning European culture... but there are way more cons than pros... BTW... I've lived in the s pacific for 10 years also..so not my 1st rodeo

[@andrewlopez1906]

@@God_emperor_Doom as do I but unfortunately housing hasn't been affordable for a lot longer than that. And I live in California, not on my own

[@kaitlynr9271]

I could not stop staring at that amazing pink and blue bathroom!

[@ricardorangel3241]

Man, that first house was beautiful!! Still cheaper than most major cities here in the states.

[@connieb.6061]

but it's not a city...it's a dilapidated village in the middle of nowhere

[@ricardorangel3241]

@@connieb.6061 you're right, Sambuca di Sicilia is not a centrally located city, but I don't think she was looking for a posh flat in Rome or Milan. I think she was trying to connect with her great grandfather's hometown.

[@MrEvans1]

Still looks better than half of LA tbh ​@connieb.6061

[@goldeneastgun]

Renaissance basically means revival. "Some people say I have two $5 dollar bills... but I like to think of it as $10 dollars..."

[@Ella-Bella2024]

🤣

[@CinnastixChick]

As soon as I pay off my student loans, I'm out of the US. It's too expensive here, even with a practical college degree

[@arrtukreutzman]

My previous boss wanted to fulfill his dreams so he bought the apartament in old city centre in Cracow, Poland. Due to lack of knowledge of local regulations, language barrier (believe me, not all builders, city hall officers, carpenters or plumbers can speak english) the project instead of 2 years took 5. when he has lost his patience and a lot more money than planned he sold it and moved back to Netherlands. In the beginning i was a bit jealous to be honest but at the end of the day it’s good to learn on someone’s else mistakes.

[@Kevin-zz9nc]

Polish people who live here in Ireland all tell me everything is straightforward here. If you consult three attorneys in Poland you get three different answers.....

[@arrtukreutzman]

@@Kevin-zz9nc i assume purchasing the property and renovating it in italy is on yet another level especially with zero Italian or knowledge about the culture and legal system

[@izl1104]

@@Kevin-zz9ncsame in America too. Consult three different attorneys and they got three different answers. Only one is legally correct.

[@renatoovelar7442]

@@arrtukreutzmanIm always told Italian bureaucracy is one of the worst in the world

[@eds.4815]

No mention of residence permits? Buying and renovating a home doesn’t include the right to live the the foreign country, and that’s a VERY important consideration. (Lots of Brits can’t move to their retirement homes post-Brexit.)

[@lelandsutton3264]

Great video. I always saw these places going viral but wanted to know how it would actually turn out

[@MAC06141]

So good to see a heart warming video like this …..enjoy life …….you deserve it ❤love from Western Australia ❤

[@MrRobcher]

For americans its the italian dream but it ideal only if you want to stay for a long time and do not intend ever to sell.An italian would never consider living there are those houses are in the middle if nowhere and you need a car for everything.

[@SaceedAbul]

We Americans love living in the middle of nowhere. Have you seen Texas ?

[@MrRobcher]

@@SaceedAbul Try to see the roads in Sicily,it looks like a warzone

[@SaceedAbul]

@@MrRobcher sounds like Houston

[@eef268ee]

@@MrRobcher Sai quanti anni hanno quei villaggi? Da quelle strade passavano le carrozze e i cavalli! Se non ami questi tipi di villaggi certo non vai li.

[@joshuacoldwater]

You need a car to get everywhere here in the US. If something is a daily walk, at least it is in this BEAUTIFUL cities. I would not mind walking around ALL DAY.

[@JohnyArt]

love this type of episodes

[@gasparini76]

When you have deep pockets... life is soooo easier...

[@pvanukoff]

Yup, and they keep saying "remember, money doesn't buy happiness" 🤣

[@deasvail99]

Imagine getting to travel to Italy for four months a year as a 44 year old. Definitely not the financial situation for most people in their 40s.

[@HughJass-jv2lt]

​@@deasvail99 ❤❤

[@11kabula]

@@deasvail99 true! But one just has to plan...

[@johnlocke3481]

I am so genuinely happy for these people. This is a dream come true. I wish you a long and healthy life.

[@ninablackwell4792]

I like the idea of not turning the town into an AirBNB spot. People with a connection like the first lady or those wanting to return to become part of the community, to retire, etc should be given priority to these projects. If I were 20 years younger, I'd love to do it too.

[@ajka7667]

to the man who collects food and makes food from it for those in need ... all the best to you ... I ask God to reward you for that

[@Precimolobye]

Wow, the renovation on the first home is absolutely stunning and looks wonderful! A great idea to purchase the second house next door to it for sure!!

[@eldemcan]

Its such a beautiful house designed very similar to my taste. I am happy for her, hope she enjoys that space many more years

[@josephkelly4893]

Such a great idea to invite a boost to the economy. The flow on to local business would be huge. Good to see a positive story regarding accommodation. Peace from Australia

[@jazzyjaz8949]

This video was FANTASTICO!!!

[@serge488]

Danny has a good heart, good for him to pursue his dreams!

[@cloynelson2974]

Their plan to repopulate villages kinda went south if people treating it as vacation houses.

[@hsuantingchen490]

lovely episode, enjoyed it!

[@bellavita4048]

Hi Meredith of Sambuca, I love your story and how you are keeping the family tradition alive! I hope you can pass down the house to a relative rather than donate back to the village. Have you tried searching for relatives in the town? I'm sure there must be more cousins or nieces in the area. Best wishes

[@5trider29]

Loving the modern/post modern architecture. I hope the towns get back on its feet and restores to its new glory. I would love to buy this home.

[@PnoMonies]

The first home is absolutely breathtaking. Yesssss Queen!!!!! Good for you!!!

[@sherrie9241]

this is a win-win, it restores a home falling apart, and employs so many local people from wood workers, plaster master and tile etc.

[@deimanterepsaite9014]

Great video 😊 Always wondered what was the end product of this project ❤

[@hppavilionf50]

I'm very curious as to how long it takes her to get there from mainland Italy and what sort of social life there is in a dying town. Sounds fun and all until you want to make new friends, the average age in the town in 80, and you can't understand each other. Update: So there are some flights from Chicago (Meredith's hometown) to Palermo with 1 or 2 layovers and then it's a 1 hour drive to Sambuca di Sicilia. Not as bad as I expected, but not something you do for a quick check-in on the property.

[@pjacobsen1000]

Yes, there does seem to be a clash between the ideal, the romance of living in an ancient Mediterranean mountain village, and then actually having to live there, with very few shops, restaurants, things to do, and few neighbors.

[@thomasmccallan6914]

I wouldn’t assume that everyone wants to be friends with people their own age in an area that they are not from. Personally I would want to be friends with the locals no matter their age. Plus if you are good at convincing your friends, you should tell them to buy property too.

[@floxy20]

It sounds perfect for retirement living.

[@hppavilionf50]

@@floxy20 as long as one is healthy, can climb stairs all the time, doesn't need medication, specialists, etc.

[@anyexpat]

@@hppavilionf50 That is not realistic when you are 80 / 85 etc

[@jennyhammond9261]

Great taste! I especially love the flooring and stairs.

[@EconomicWarfare]

This is absolutely amazing ❤ That library 😍

[@TheR3alRyan]

Id do this without hesitation if they offered me citizenship upon completion of the renovation. Not doing so is weird considering one of their main arguements for this is to stabilize the population.

[@ecenbt]

I'm pretty sure you get a permanent residency, which is the way to citizenship anyways

[@Bolognabeef]

You do get residency

[@fdm2155]

​@@ecenbtI was wondering about that. It'd be impossible to live there otherwise. I'd invest $50k in a small house to get permanent residency in an EU country.

[@rkan2]

If you can stay for more than 180 days per year for 4-6 years, you'll usually have no problem having citizenship im any European country.

[@MrEvans1]

​@@rkan2you also have to pay taxes, but yes

[@danielbocelli]

475k!!! That's insane

[@jaimillo30]

Yeah that sounds not so affordable or even the way the people live in Italy, I guess she wanted the best of two worlds.

[@Omar-kl3xp]

@@jaimillo30in Italy with $475k you can literally buy a big mansion in a big city ,that’s very much overpriced property

[@Robertking1996]

There's an English couple who bought an actual 2/3 story proper country house with a barn in the country side of Milan for about $350k including renovation costs. That makes more sense to me, you could drive to Milan & Turin within an hour, have access to things but have a nice house. The Sicilian houses would be great as summer homes like the $50k one.

[@venoxee4954]

They gave her the rich american prices obviously haha

[@cariwaldick4898]

My house in Texas would sell for 475k, easy, and it's not as customized and unique as her home. She's got her dream home, and she managed to save a property that wouldn't have survived otherwise. It might not be in keeping with other Italian properties, but why judge her for her choices?

[@hummersd]

Might have to skip NYC and just move to Italy/Sicily. Went last year to coastal Taormina, and loved it. Next looking into other islands; Sardinia and Capri, but also all over mainland-so many places to explore! 🇮🇹

[@rheagalsim7497]

NYC is just a different city. Not for everyone but can’t be compared to these smaller coastal Italian towns

[@explosivehotdogs]

Cannot go wrong with Sardinia or Capri. I'm not really for comparing somewhere like NYC though - they're apples and oranges. Ultimately the cliché holds true: home is where the heart is.

[@puga420]

Omg, u went all out on the renovations! Thats an amazing house!

[@forlisac1]

Love that some buy with the mission of giving back to these amazing communities.

[@amandabricker3059]

I think my hope for these homes is that people do have the best of intentions. I heard about it when they first started it and was so worried about those villages being hyper inflated once people started using them as AirBNB’s. As well as how that’d affect the culture. I genuinely hope people, especially Americans- because we get such a bad wrap all the time- respect the culture and adapt. Whether it is a vacation home or a long term home, I hope the villages can prosper. ❤️

[@mr-lapina]

Long story short so you don't have to watch the video: "Was it worth?" the answer is that they still don't know but they keep selling them...

[@jimidando]

Omg I love the first story. The happiness nearly made me tear up.

[@iq-ride9329]

I don't understand why would anyone would do this unless they're Italians and work or live nearby. I mean, the visa and residency requirements alone are a headache.

[@Originalman144]

I think since her grandfather is from there the visa and residency was easier. For the other people, yeah not worth the headache. Just rent a nice flat in Florence or Rome for $3k a month for the 3-4 months per year you are allowed in the country and go where you want.

[@Laura-fn6fl]

If any of your grandparents was born an Italian citizen, you can apply directly for citizenship.

[@toniderdon]

The first lady has done a really amazing job

[@TheModernInvestor]

7:18 Could you buy a 4 story home in your country for $15,000 ? I always wonder why more people dont buy a home overseas, whether it be to relocate entirely for a MUCH lower cost of living or simply as a vacation home. The world is vast, and theres a lot to explore.

[@CM-qv5mz]

Hellooo everybody welcome back, to another comment! Hope you're all doing well and having a fantastic day.

[@perfectallycromulent]

the problem is, if these were great places for vacations, people would be already vacationing there, and the houses wouldn't be cheap. the world has been open for tourism since the 1960s, there's no new places to discover. and you can get a 4 story home for $15K in my country, the United States, it's just going to be falling apart and in a terrible neighborhood full of other houses that are falling apart, in a city like Detroit, that's lost more than half of it's population since it's peak.

[@BatsiraiMusuka]

@@perfectallycromulentit’s a matter of choice. Personally, between Detroit and these…I’d pick Italy. It’s more charming.

[@steflift5165]

@@BatsiraiMusukayou can earn more money working remotely from Detroit than working remotely in Italy, so the premium does have an (opportunity) cost

[@KandyGTV]

​@perfectallycromulent where in the US are you going to get a 4 story building for $15,000? Not even cities like Detroit have that low of prices.

[@oaklandcookie]

I loved seeing someone from Oakland featured! Congratulations, Ernest!

[@jennifertoliver9546]

It's lovely we visited Florence, Tuscany and Orvieto and Porto Ercolle, in 2018, my Daughter spent 10 months there and loved it. We loved the markets, the people and the food!

[@MrsBrit1]

"Many people call it a revival. I like to think of it as a renaissance." Ok, but that's literally what that means ....a revival or rebirth.

[@typhon1861]

Honestly mad respect to the first lady, she built a beautiful home in a town that meant something to her. Idk why everyone is going after her for overspending, she can clearly afford it 😂 and its not your money. If I could afford it i would also spend that for a home like that. For some people, a beautiful home that has everything you want is priceless. Sadly I'll probably be a renter most of my life in Toronto 😂

[@nomadicroadrat]

Having left the States 20 or so years ago, have no regrets. Am privileged to have been at the beginning of what is now called a "digital nomadic" lifestyle and professional career. Italy is not for every one even for €1.

[@howelltaylor6774]

Im glad there seems to be a lot of respect for the old homes and not trying to change the Architecture to much. It is well to keep the local culture customs and traditions and these people seem great. Alas sometimes new people bring there old problems with them causing local upheaval.

[@fmls8266]

In my italian region, you can buy a fully furbished high quality villa near seaside with 200k

[@AmitUP-tp2kw]

6 yrars ago my friend bought renovation project at a prime location. It is a big property with many rooms. They are living in it and renovating it at the same time. It is already 6 years and project is far from finish.

[@italyhousetour]

3:11 her right motivation ❤ and the work she has done are something exciting, well done! 👏👏👏

[@BittencourtEric]

10:20 should've been the thumbnail of the video. Awesome natural light.

[@Swagg3r3d]

she did an amazing job. omg.

[@aayt8336]

Glad to see a great turn-out of this with beyond satisfied 1euro home buyers. Earlier on, this topic was surrounded by rumors of doubt so it’s wonderful to see it’s become the exact opposite of that! #lovetoitaly

[@multistack1502]

Petaluma California? I lived here my whole life and graduated high school here. WOW never heard that before

[@tenn7114]

15,000 for 2/2 that a steal with a Gorgeous view

[@beardedpanda5086]

Interesting to get a more local perspective on the influx of expats. Would also be nice to see an economic analysis on the effect of people coming in

[@diegoflores9237]

Expats? They're called migrants

[@beardedpanda5086]

@@diegoflores9237 expats.

[@asset4802]

very cool!! these experimental camera shots are willlllld tho

[@OHANA-BEACH-SUITES]

Dreams come true guys!!!❤❤❤

[@niqmk10]

Conclusion, never buy $1 Home if you don't have at least $500K in hand

[@2okaycola]

15k but go off

[@jhonnydiamond]

Hater, 30k or less are enough. Moreover with 500K dollars you can buy a brand new fantastic house in Italy, in USA with the same money you buy a tiny and old house in the middle of a trash city

[@twista763]

First - I considered one of these homes. Excited to watch

[@lomaluv1590]

I considered it as well. Nice to see how these buyers fixed these properties up.

[@ToniBlackman4]

I just love everything about this!

[@ashleyshayia8087]

When I saw the equalizer 3 I said Italy was so BEAUTIFUL 🥰

[@rhvre]

Don't tell her what she could've bought there for $475 000 straight up.

[@SaceedAbul]

A mansion literally 3:48

[@Calipeixegato]

Right?!? She spent half a million dollars on a house in a town of 5,000 people where they are desperate to repopulate? Talk about having money to burn.

[@flux928]

It's an investment into her ancestral village. She said it will never be sold and can only be donated back to the village. Money isn't everything.

[@johnl.7754]

Probably at the beginning she didn’t think it would cost so much but at the end it did.

[@Originalman144]

A large villa with land and a pool , surely. She's cooped up in a small place with no natural light

[@timogul]

I hear that a lot of refugees are ending up in Italy, and that Italy seems unhappy about this. But this seems like a perfect opportunity for them. Put in a plan that allows the refugees to take one of these one-euro homes, and then they are required to renovate it fairly quickly. If they do, then they get a fast track to citizenship.

[@kw7709]

Refugees are there because they, presumably, escaped hardship with little to no money. How would they afford to renovate? In theory, seems like a nice idea though.

[@timogul]

@@kw7709 They can renovate it using their own labor. They wouldn't need to install saunas or wine cabinets, they could just patch holes and paint the walls. I suppose they would need low-cost access to basic materials, of course, but that could be paired with work programs so they could earn their way. They could get enough for basic food and to pay for the material costs of the renovation, and then do the house work in between.

[@bonseraconsulting]

This is very inspiring! I am 3rd generation Italian and my dream is to buy one of these homes. My great-grandparents came from Sicily and mainland Italy in the early 1900s. Their names are on the Wall of Honor at Ellis Island. For $475,000 American dollars, the first renovation is outstanding! And you know that those buildings were built to last. I live in Colorado Springs, and you can't even find a single-family home here, made of 2x4s and pressboard for less than half a million dollars. I'll take that Sicilian renovation over crappy stick-built any day.

[@ogiroig8926]

Un saluto dall' Italia ❤️ bellissima testimonianza.

[@n.e.g.u.s]

@17:45 Revival and renaissance mean the exact same thing, she has a library but not one with a dictionary ?

[@ashwiniachu9791]

I loved the first women doing her best..the people who plan to buy and then turn it into Air BNB are the ones who are making life tough in North America.. I wish they don't get the house..it's always not about money ..

[@oliverstrahle]

I'm not keen on lots of AirBnBs generally - but surely the idea of these schemes was to repopulate these towns. This woman's house is sitting empty for most of the year. It would do more for the town if she did AirBnB it while she was in the USA.

[@paul_domici]

Beautiful Stories!!!

[@harveysdtr]

This is incredible ❤. Wow

[@mihadalzayat6957]

I renovated a home in south florida and I will never ever do that again. The frustration and exhaustion is not worth it. You've been warned.

[@mannyjeanpierre4062]

do you mind giving more detail/elaborating???

[@2okaycola]

Taint for the weak

[@LeoMidori]

Florida will be under water anyway, plus the hurricanes alone are awful. I can't see a future there 20 years down the line.

[@CHIEF_420]

​@@LeoMidori🌎⌚️

[@BNVS26]

You can’t put a price on a piece of mind. I turned 38 yesterday and my goal is to one day be able to get another house somewhere! I already own a home (since the age of 26) but I would trade that for peace and quiet. A slower paced life with beautiful views. These people don’t have to worry about turning on the news to see the latest ak47 shootings that we have gotten used to. That’s a win in itself lol 😂

[@electric-fire21]

Once they complete the renovations i wonder what the cost of upkeep is. Do they have to pay property tax, home insurance, etc? If the costs are pretty low, it would be a fun second home to live out a few months of the year

[@sydneybristow5588]

I'm watching this now with tears in my eyes. Italy is the best place on earth for me and I've never been and probably will never be able to go...much less move there. I'm Italian on my mother's side of the family and we shared our love and yearning for Italy most our lives until her passing. Sadly, she never made it to Italy before her passing and it looks that way for me. Living in the USA is great but I and my mother always felt like we belonged in Italy not the USA. So I watch these videos about people's dream homes in Italy and celebrate with them on just how fortunate they truly are. Italy will always be in my spirit as well..my mama's. We dream together mama. I love and miss you every day.

[@connieb.6061]

@sydneybristow5588 why it's a patriarchy with no jobs, no future, and inhospitable locals

[@margaritoamargo6347]

They said the house cost 1$ now im seeing it cost $1.05 wtf! complete lies.

[@Serkunny]

It's 1 euro, so it converts to $1.05

[@jackanapes1492]

@@Serkunnywhoosh

[@SaceedAbul]

You can buy a castle for 400,000k

[@morisnakus6108]

Yes, in France or UK, and renovation would be minimum x20 of the purchase price. Rather buy 3501€ apartment.

[@GregoryMichaelCarter]

Exactly

[@Uns46]

@@morisnakus6108buy an apt for €3501???

[@jhonnydiamond]

ahahahahah you neeed many millions for a castle. Stop saying bullshits

[@MelodiedeVivre]

I feel like these places would be good for those who wfh or are creatives/artists who needs time away from cities/everyday environment.

[@solidorsharp3091]

Congratulations 🎉 ❤ I hope Italy continues to modernize, and adapts to the times. Cities & Towns - I hope the case study and research is shared, the numbers are changing $

[@paolo1263]

l'Italia è il 7 paese più industrializzati, il sistema sanitario è uno dei migliori al mondo

[@ruisgallego3239]

Italy is the 7th most industrialized country, the healthcare system is one of the best in the world

[@ruisgallego3239]

Italy is more modern than your country

[@italico3222]

The standard of living in Italy is higher than your country

[@d3vi0uz1]

Second dude is Denzel Washington in Equalizer 3. That's why we couldn't get much of his story 😅

[@Professicchio]

Someone needs to tell that woman who's worried about "eating carbs" that Italy's life expectancy ranks 6th of all countries in the world compared to USA's 47th. She should be fine with the local diet 😁

[@marcocarlson1693]

Agreed totally, but Italy is commonly ranked 3rd highest life expectancy among all countries, with any sizeable population. Only Japan and the Much smaller Switzerland barely edge it out. Japanese eat tons of fish and certain noodles, vegetables. In Italy we eat Everything whether good for you or bad for you, but the overall diet is quite notoriously healthy, particularly in the south. I also enjoy how people comment that there aren't hospitals, doctors, markets, stores nearby, etc., etc. in some of these very small towns that are all over Italy just like these places in Sicily in this video. Yet Italians live the longest in the world with all the excesses we want. So does that make any sense/ truth to their comments? Ahaha.

[@zacharyhenderson2902]

Lol, what does a whole country's life expectancy have to do with someone's preferred diet?

[@Professicchio]

Because it's a primary determining factor for how long people live?@@zacharyhenderson2902

[@TaliesTarotandAstrology794]

We finally have one of these projects here in Ontario Canada! I've been looking into it in a small town where I came from

[@TravelAlwaysOfficial]

The homes have some beauty to them. One thing I don't like is that some don't have enough outside light. I want windows/French doors everywhere.

[@ElishaTerry-ht4kn]

Thanks for the update.

[@BernieDoyle-dh7qj]

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[@BobbyTreutel-bw1kp]

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[@ElishaTerry-ht4kn]

Te/e gram

[@ElishaTerry-ht4kn]

@Rolandostrategy THAT IS HIS USER NAME

[@ElishaTerry-ht4kn]

please make sure you write the USER NAME complete and He's verified