A riverside European village is selling houses for just 11p, in a bid to attract people to the area.
Legrad, the pint-sized town in question, has seen a gradual decline in inhabitants over the past 100 years.
The beauty spot in northern Croatia now has a population of just 2,000 – so has launched various home-buying initiatives over the years to whip up interest in the area.
After the success of the first scheme in 2018, the government has just announced a new wave of houses that are on the market for less than a packet of crisps.
Legrad has a lot to offer potential residents, too. The tiny Croatian town lies on the Drava River and borders Hungary – so, due to this riverside setting, has lots of banks to laze on during the summer months, as well as plenty of green space.
Those worried about rural village life, fear not. The town may be small, but there’s still access to doctors, dentists and shops – so the essentials are covered.
However, there are a few things in the small print.
Applicants must be under the age of 45, and be in a relationship – either married or otherwise.
They also can’t have any criminal record, or own any other properties.
Although, it’s unclear whether this restriction applies only in Croatia or globally.
It’s also worth pointing out that these low-cost homes may need a little TLC (what do you expect for 11p, after all).
Legrad mayor Ivan Sabolić told local media: ‘A total of five houses ready for occupancy have been sold.
‘Three families have already moved in, and what delights us is that all three families welcomed a new member during their move-in.
‘This has increased the number of children in the daycare centre.’
Back in 2021, the town put up 19 empty houses and abandoned construction sites for sale at the price of 1 kuna (Croatia’s currency at the time) and 17 were sold, according to Reuters.
But this kind of European property initiative is nothing new.
Italy was one of the first countries to introduce a scheme like this. Over the past few years, several small Italian towns have hit the headlines for selling off vacant houses for just €1.
Numerous countries have since followed suit, with the likes of Spain’s Ponga paying up to £2,600 to every person who moves over.
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