A woman who is a mother of three has dramatically renovated six dilapidated Italian villas, which she purchased for merely £5 each, with the intention of letting her friends and family reside there.
In April 2019, Rubia Daniels, aged 51, acquired six properties in Mussomeli, Sicily, at a rate of only one euro per home through a municipal initiative aimed at revitalization.
motivate individuals to revitalize neglected houses
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Administrative expenses, agency commissions, and deed charges escalated the cost per property to 4,000 Euros (£3,400), summing up to a total of 24,000 Euros (£20,500).
Several of the properties were bought with fully collapsed roofs and infrastructural issues such as no water and no electricity.
But Rubia - a planning consultant by trade - used her 16 years of experience in the construction industry to break down the walls and renovate the properties.
Now, some of the six homes are reaching completion and she hopes her family and friends will move to the Mussomeli area to work and retire.
Rubia was keen to make the most of the council scheme and was one of the first to buy the homes - signing three for herself and carrying out the paperwork of one for her adopted daughter and two for her aunts.
Her two aunts, Marilu Ferreira, 70, and Marua Fatima, 82, plan to move into their homes in Mussomeli permanently for the rest of their retirement.
Rubia, who hails from Brazil but has been residing in San Francisco since 1996, stated: "In April 2019, we purchased all six of them. By June, I completed all the necessary documentation and received the titles later that same summer."
I filled six suitcases with all my tools and even brought along a generator; subsequently, I traveled overseas with my spouse and my brother-in-law from Brazil to collect the keys.
'The house was fully collapsed, but now it's fully renovated and has a beautiful marble bedroom.
After the roof was repaired and made watertight, the remainder quickly came together.
'I've had this passion, and I genuinely feel connected to these homes and the entire neighborhood.'
Rubia feels confident that her skills make her well-suited for transforming a neglected property into an exquisite Italian-style residence.
She stated, "I feel quite at ease with the concept of reinventing elements and tearing down barriers. Whenever I observe something completely demolished, I can envision how it will appear, though this perspective may not be shared by everyone."
For instance, my spouse gets anxious whenever I look into taking on projects like these, whereas for me, it brings together feelings of excitement and happiness.
Yet, you must look past the initial appearance of a location and envision what it will become eventually.
And my 'one-euro' home is just as I envisioned it, and I feel a sense of pride because it required only a modest investment.
Rubia invested a total of 60,000 euros into refurbishing her initial acquisition in Mussomeli, aiming for it to be maintenance-free for the next half-century.
However, she remains hopeful that she can complete every remaining one within this budget.
She stated, "My plan is to transform one of these spaces into a wellness center where individuals can participate in activities such as yoga and meditation—this initiative would be an excellent way to contribute positively to our local community."
My niece’s renovation is nearly complete; we undertook a comprehensive overhaul. Mine requires some additional modifications, but our primary focus right now is encouraging my aunt’s projects forward.
I'm quite delighted I ended up getting them and purchased them shortly after coming across an article about the project, as currently around 30 individuals are eyeing just one house – their appeal has grown significantly.
Initially, when I shared the news with my friends and relatives, they were quite incredulous... They assumed I was joking around when I mentioned purchasing as many as six.
'It might seem daunting, but essentially you’re acquiring the house at no cost, and you have the freedom to transform it however you wish. It’s truly an exciting endeavor—especially when your spouse and whole family pitch in with the physical work.'
We acquired all the furnishings locally; every item comes from that quaint town—the kitchen setup, the floor materials, the mirrors, even the bathtub and sink.
'However, our aim was to approach this project considering the community. We adore being here; it’s far more pleasant compared to California.'
'When people inquire about your well-being, they genuinely intend to hear your response, and it’s this social element that truly drew me to the region.'
No one is hurrying about, and everything is budget-friendly. You can enjoy good meals without spending much; a coffee paired with a croissant will cost you just Euro 1.50.
'In California, the atmosphere is highly stressful, and everything tends to be quite superficial.'
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