According to a popular vlogger, these three cities are willing to pay big bucks just for the move.
Sarah Adekola @millennialwealthsarah shares financial tips and travel hacks on her TikTok account. In one of her latest videos, the girl told an unusual way to make money by moving and changing her place of residence with profit.
Albinen, Switzerland
A mountain village in Switzerland at an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level has been suffering from an outflow of population for many years. Despite the picturesque view of the Rhone Valley, the inhabitants of the “mountain pearl” of the canton of Valais are becoming less and less. Schools are closing and many houses are empty or converted into hotels. Over the past 80 years, the population has greatly decreased, more than half are elderly people. Even the local school closed due to a lack of students. The remaining five school-age children now take a 20-minute bus ride to neighboring villages every day. Today only 250 people live in the village.
The inhabitants of Albinen found an unusual, but simple and effective solution to the problem – to pay everyone who agrees to choose their village for permanent residence. 94 people signed the relevant legislative initiative, which is almost half of the total number of residents. The initiative was registered with the mayor’s office and received the full support of citizens. According to the initiative, each new resident will receive financial support to repair or build a house. For each adult, a payment of 25 thousand francs is provided, for each child – 10 thousand francs. Only persons under 40 years of age who are ready to move to the village for at least 10 years can receive money. Each foreign family of four will receive 60,000 euros for the move.
Antikythera, Greece
The island between Crete and Kythira in the Aegean also lures new residents with financial benefits. New residents will be paid €500 each month for the first three years of residence. The lucky ones will also receive a house and a significant piece of land in exchange for a move.
At present, Antikythera has a permanent population of 24 and 40 during the summer months, and the Diocese of Kythera is particularly interested in attracting people to occupations such as baking, construction, or fishing. Families with children are a priority.
“We need at least three young families with lots of children to breathe life into Antikythera and fill it with children’s voices,” the island’s president, Andreas Harhalakis, told Iefimerida.gr.
Presicce, Italy
A picturesque town in the sunny region of Puglia attracts foreigners with a tempting offer. Officials say they are willing to pay up to 30,000 euros to buy empty housing. The houses put up for sale as part of the deal cost 25,000 euros. Like other cheap properties for sale throughout Italy, they have long been abandoned.
“We offer up to 30,000 euros to people who want to move in and buy one of the local abandoned dwellings. Payments will be divided into two parts: part of the funds will go to buy an old house, and the rest – to renovate it, if necessary,” said CNN local council member Alfredo Palese.
As a bonus, the picturesque nature of Salento is offered, close to clean beaches and the crystal clear waters of Santa Maria di Leuca. The Presicce authorities hope the cash incentive will breathe new life into their depopulated city, where fewer people are born every year.
“In the historic center, there are many empty houses built before 1991. It’s hard to see how our old neighborhoods, full of history, beautiful architecture, and art, are slowly emptying,” Palese added.