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Topics: Travel
Lisa McLoughlin
Topics: Travel
Are you looking for a permanent change of scenery? Perhaps even a change of country? If so, the Sardinian government is offering grants of up to €15,000 (£12,700) as an incentive to get more people to move there.
Officials have ring-fenced an eye-watering £38 million for the scheme, which aims to bring new life to the island's rural areas and pump money into its shrinking local economies by affording homebuyers’ considerable financial aid.
Lying to the west of Italy, Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean and has long been considered a natural gem with a rich cultural history with sandy beaches and picturesque port towns.
Sardinian President Christian Solinas said in a statement: "Thanks to these contributions to [homebuyers'] first houses, [Sardinia] becomes fertile ground for those who will move there or decide to build a family.
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"There can be no growth without a real enhancement of the territories, of the interior and most disadvantaged areas, which must pass through new policies for their repopulation.
"We have created the conditions for young people to decide to stay and develop the economic fabric of the most fragile territories."
And if this sounds like something you’d be up for, there are some pretty important T’s and C’s that you may want to consider before taking the plunge.
Firstly, the grant money can only be used to fund the purchase or renovation of a home on the island, according to Schengen Visa News.
Also, the amount of the cash given by the government can’t surpass more than half of the price of buying or renovating the home, so homebuyers will still need to shell out considerably more from their own pocket.
Not only that but the property must be situated in a town that has fewer than 3,000 inhabitants as these are the towns that are most in need of an economic boost.
Finally, you can only take up the offer if you plan to live there full-time and buyers must register for permanent residency in Sardinia within 18-months of your arrival.
The attractive grants come as part of a nationwide scheme designed to encourage people to buy ageing houses, renovate them and start new businesses to rejuvenate small communities in the Italian countryside.
Last August, the town of Maenza, less than two hours south of Rome, introduced a similar initiative, selling homes located high on the Lepini hills for €1.
The €1 house scheme was launched in Italy in 2019 as the country sought to revive deserted towns because of the mass exodus to cities.
Some of the towns that have signed up to the scheme include the seaside city of Taranto in Puglia and the town of Laurenzana, located a few hours south of Naples.