eightbadgers

Afternoon,

Having worked as a youngster in Italy and having a very good friend of Sicilian heritage it was always an aspiration to buy a plot of land and build a small house (A frame ) style / summer house. Not to relocate permanently at this stage of my life, more a hobby project to visit during regular intervals during the year.

A couple of options have become available in Cianciana. very very cheaply varying from £1,800 to 8k

i know you get what you pay for and I would spend a few days visiting the area to get a sense of amenities etc, some land comes with nothing, some are close to rivers with olives and almonds. Still the price seems very reasonable, especially as the local agent has said small accommodation proportional to the land can be built. It’s seems to good to be true. I see it as an allotment but in a nicer climate to potter and relax in nice surroundings for a few long weekends and longer periods in summer.

i have read some of the threads on here about Sicilian populations moving away, and to be wary of considering residency, but as a hobby project can anyone offer any insight to why I shouldn’t purchase some small land? Is getting water and basic amenities to these land plots very expensive? The seller says the minimum obligation is to plough the land twice a year.

the two hour drive from Palermo wouldn’t bother me and it’s in driving distance to beaches should I wish. I’m thinking for under 10k I could have a small agricultural holding which seems to good to be true. What am I missing?

Geordieborn

How much land is it? You are already asking the right question "what am I missing" Ask also, why is it being sold, why does no Italian want it? The cost of buying it (taxes etc) will probably set you back a large chunk of 10k....

eightbadgers

The price for the 8330sqm is 2500 euros. It’s the first one I enquired about I didn’t believe the price, which he later confirmed. I will follow up with, what can I expect the total cost to complete to be. He also said based on this size I could put a building on to the size up to 83sqm. It has a steam close by that runs in winter but dry in summer, so I would have to get some means of water to it.

slightly bigger plots cost more and have olives, or olives, trees and almonds, so there is choice. I’m just going of other threads but it seems Sicilians / Italians just don’t have an interest in farming land and it’s status. But am wary of other reasons for the sale.

philat98

Have you thought of a Euro1 house? At least they could have water and electricity.
https://www.businessonline.it/intrat...re_n66030.html

eightbadgers

Don’t these normally come with clauses that require as certain amount to be spent in some cases 100k and that local tradesman are used. I want a hobby low maintenance holding to potter on not a home from home. Thanks for taking the time to reply to me though I do appreciate the suggestion.

modicasa

Few pointts: 1. If teh minimum lot to build is 1 ha, then you cant build anything. The agent is blithely saying stuff that you need to check unless they give you eveidence. Then, can you build - what is the classification of the land, is it in a red/green/white zone. Evenifyou can build, on 8000mq you can build 240mc - which isnt much. It must be built legally with all building concessions and permissions, geologist, engineer, health and safety etc etc - You are looking at around 100K for the build.
There is no obligation for ENEL to supply you with electricity, and if you have to pass someoneelses land, you may have to build lffgrid (about 20000). Same with water - and there isnt alot around Cianciana so if you want a well it could cost you 20K.

Houses for 1 euro - (which aren't) do not necessarily comes with water and electricity and all that is at the cost of the buyer.

Most Sicilians would kill to have a small bit of land to grow olives and almonds, but if its rocky, difficult to farm, has no water then ovbviously the agricutlural value is virtually nil. And if you cant do anything with it, it becomes pointless as you must keep it clean and not let it be a fire hazard.

morpeth

Sicily can be a gorgeous place to spend time apart from the heat in July/August, it is also a minefield of typical Italian bureaucracy and over-charging foreigners. Whatever the agent is telling you about building, double the cost of building, and double or triple the time required for a more accurate estimate.

philat98

Have you ever met anybody personally who has actually bought one of these Modicasa?

modicasa

Not met physically, but had correspondence with, yes.

philat98

It is not obvious to me whether the plan is to cynically extract cash from naive foreigners or a genuine effort to restart a failing comune.
In Umbria there are lots of small villages that are almost abandoned where property can be bought for very little.

eightbadgers

Thanks for all the contributions, it’s great to get different view points and suggestions. Once we are post lock down, I will definitely visit the area with the agent, chat through the challenges, what can, can’t be done. Then make a decision. Maybe I’m naive to think it could work on a budget, but it’s worth exploring.

can I erect a small dwelling, i wouldn’t even call it a house. I need local advice on this, what does local law allow.
can I get by without power in the short term? For me to decide how off grid I can be for a few days at a time.
do I have access to water to irrigate the land? Most import, like the points mentioned above, without it it will be a costly waste.

thanks again everyone. If anyone knows anyone who has land in the area I’d love to reach out to them.

best wishes all

Geordieborn

You might be able to put up a tent, but then you will have the snakes and scorpions and others to contend with!

Margaret M

Caravan maybe?

modicasa

A dwelling is a house. If you want to erect a shed, then it depends what it’s for. If it’s more than 1.8 m high you need permissions. If you want a toilet then things get complicated. If you want water and/or electricity there are problems if you don’t have a house. Buildings regs are national or regional. There is no local custom to follow.

modicasa

Philat - i don’t think the house for 1 euro is cynical way to grab money, but I think it’s a bit of scam to draw people in letting them think they’re getting a bargain when they’re not. People tend to lose their powers of reason if someone offers them a house for 1 euro. They forget location location location, they forget resale and they forget that a house for 1 euro is impossible. But by then you’ve signed and you start losing money.