Pratola Peligna is a small municipality in Abruzzo, in the province of L’Aquila, which, like many other Italian villages, has renewed its €1 house project. In this Abruzzese village, things are going so well that in a short time both the local administration and residents are beginning to see the hoped-for results.
As early as April 2023, idealista/news visited the small Abruzzo town and spoke with the local authorities to report on what was happening after the launch of the €1 house scheme. A few years on, the success of the initiative shows no sign of slowing down.
The €1 house scheme in Pratola Peligna
The first deed of sale for the €1 houses in Pratola Peligna was completed on 15 July 2021, shortly after idealista/news first covered the initiative. The virtuous cycle set in motion by the project has not come to an end; in fact, it is still ongoing. The €1 house call for applications in Pratola Peligna remains open. Several years on, the local administration is regarded as a positive example of how properties can be sold at a symbolic price.
Buyers commit to carrying out safety and structural works within three years, and, importantly, they can access the sismabonus, benefiting from the tax incentives provided by law. In addition, purchasers are free to decide, without any restrictions imposed by the Municipality, whether to use the property for commercial or residential purposes.
As explained by Paolo Di Bacco, Councillor for Commerce and Productive Activities—who, together with architects Sergio Pietraforte and Claudia Di Girolamo from the vacant property recovery office, forms the team managing the €1 houses in Pratola Peligna—“anyone, from anywhere in the world, can express their interest in acquiring a property simply by downloading a form from the municipal website and submitting it fully completed, after consulting the showcase of €1 houses for sale along with all the attached documentation”.
The Municipality of Pratola Peligna
Pratola Peligna is among the municipalities that experienced the indirect effects of the L’Aquila earthquake. For this reason, the local administration took steps to obtain and use funding aimed at the reconstruction of individual buildings or grouped housing complexes. As a result, there are currently many construction sites open in the town.
However, in the historic centre there are several abandoned buildings that do not meet the requirements to access these funds. To secure and restore these unsafe structures, Mayor Di Nino decided to launch the €1 house initiative, following a long and complex survey phase to identify the relevant properties. The initiative has now been renewed for two years.
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