This American woman bought one of the Italian dollar deal houses, but the property would end up costing her much more.
After hearing about the “one euro” houses in Italy, 45-year-old Meredith Tabbone decided to bid on them herself. Although the bids started at one euro, she decided to bid £4,400, which is approximately $5,592.
The country’s low-cost homes are part of varyingly successful local programs to revive dilapidated homes – and economies – in less populated parts of the country.
After learning in May that her offer had been accepted, she quickly got to work renovating the building, a disused address in the Sicilian municipality of Sambuca di Sicilia.
“The house was in very poor condition, but in many ways it was everything I expected and more,” said Tabbone, a Chicago financial advisor, who listed the charm, architectural details and history as highlights.
“When we first saw the house, it was 700 square feet, had no electricity, running water or windows, and was full of asbestos,” she continued, according to SWNS.
She initially planned to transform it into ‘a little getaway’, but then, in August 2020, she decided to buy the adjoining property for £27,000 ($34,311) and turn it into a proper 300-square-metre, four-bedroom, five to create a rooming house. bathroom accommodation on their combined plot.
Over the next five years, Tabbone would spend a total of £384,000 ($487,985) renovating the property to create her ‘dream home’, complete with an outdoor kitchen, party room, spa and wine cellar.
She has also purchased two other houses in the community for a total of £28,000 ($35,582) – unlike the first two properties, which require only minor repairs – and spent £58,000 ($73,708) on a disused building she converts into an art gallery and artists. apartments.
The process was “very slow and tedious,” but Tabbone eventually completed her dream home in April 2024 and now spends four months a year in Italy.
“I went all in,” she said, recommending others do the same: “If you can muster the strength, it will be worth it.”
