The list of Italian towns and villages deciding to sell houses for the symbolic price of 1 euro is growing and, in several cases, these are also properties close to the sea. This is the case in the town of Romana in Sardinia. It is a small village with about 500 inhabitants, located 40km from Alghero and 35km from Sassari. To find out more, idealista/news interviewed the mayor Lucia Catte.
Romana, in the province of Sassari, is located 267 metres above sea level in the Meilogu region. The town is situated on a plateau formed by volcanic and limestone rocks, and there are karstic landscapes in the surrounding area, such as the Inghiltidolzu cave in the nearby Santu Giagu valley. The Temo river flows through the municipal territory, ending in an artificial lake near Monteleone. Another great selling point of this village is the fact that it is not far from the larger areas of Alghero and Sassari, as well as being close to several seaside resorts in the area.
As in the case of other Italian municipalities, the mayor of Romana, Lucia Catte, explained that 'there are several houses left empty because they belong to people who no longer live in the village. These houses need maintenance work and, in some cases, more extensive renovation'.
On the one hand, the local council would like to make these properties safe as soon as possible, but on the other, 'an additional objective is to repopulate the town', stated the mayor of this Sardinian municipality.
The solution of 1 euro houses would ultimately satisfy all parties, since in order to secure the abandoned properties, the municipality would have to advance money for the work, which the owners would then have to repay. "In some cases the owners are reluctant to allow the houses to be sold for 1 euro, despite the fact that they also complain about the taxes they have to pay on the flats they do not use," adds the mayor.
The 1 euro home initiative in Romana was launched by the municipality at the beginning of June and a lot of interest has already been expressed, although the council is currently concentrating on finding the key to convincing the owners of abandoned houses to give them up for a symbolic price in order to make the village safer and boost its economy.
The village also has a fast internet connection and a nursery school, making it a great place for families. The municipal territory of Romana is also rich in springs and waters; in addition to the Temo, there is the ancient Abbarghente spring, which has been used since ancient times (Nuragic, Roman and Punic eras). Statues have been found around the village, which, according to scholars, were a vow offered by people suffering from an illness and cured thanks to the beneficial properties of the waters.
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