A WOMAN who bought three of Italy’s viral £2 homes has revealed new plans she has for the properties – and she said they’ll be unrecognisble.
Rubia Daniels intends to retire in the picturesque Sicilian town where her houses are, but has now revealed she plans to create two businesses in the buildings she bought.
The buildings have beautiful bones
She adores the small town and is pouring a lot of time and money into her big plans
The enthusiastic new home owner, who speaks Italian, first became aware of the €1 homes after reading an article about the small Sicilian town online.
While she hadn’t intended to buy so many homes, she added: “It’s how the people make you feel that makes you say, ok, I’ll buy three.”
The properties are only a ten minute drive from one another, and for one of the homes she plans to turn it into a wellness centre.
The other will be an art gallery, and the third is reserved for her and her boyfriend to retire in after the massive £16,000 renovations.
She said: “You don’t even get a car for £16k in California, it’s a very small investment. We have one mostly completed already when we go, and hopefully the second will be done by October.
“I never felt overwhelmed or fearful about this project – it’s a big task but a great opportunity.”
Rubia plans to restore all three buildings to their former glory, and help restart the small town in which they lie.
She said: “It was a fantastic new concept for me. I work in the environmental industry and to use what we already have where properties have been abandoned – it’s a great opportunity.”
Several towns in Italy have made headlines in recent years for offering up the practically free houses to buyers.
HOAR previously reported that there are around 25 regions who have taken part in the scheme, each with a number of properties.
Many of the areas have a dwindling or aging population and hope to build the community again.
But buyers beware – anyone who buys a house in Mussomeli has to renovate it within three years, or they face losing their deposit, which is reportedly €5,000.
Luckily, Dias claims that she ultimately “loves the architecture of the house and the history” of the old building, despite the pricey cost of the renovation.
