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They bought a house in Italy for only US$10,300 and transformed it (with elevator included)

2022-08-06T02:24:32.978Z


Massoud Ahmadi and Shelley Spencer, are the first to complete the renovation of an abandoned house in Sambuca di Sicilia.


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Italian Hideout: Massoud Ahmadi and Shelley Spencer, from Montgomery County, in the US state of Maryland, bought and renovated an abandoned house in the Italian town of Sambuca di Sicilia.

Look at the rest of the photos to know your project.

(Credit: Massoud Ahmadi) →

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A house at a bargain price: the couple got a 100-square-meter palace, one of 16 properties that local authorities put up for auction for a symbolic euro in 2019 in an attempt to revive the depopulated town.

(Credit: Silvia Marchetti)

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New neighborhood: "It was love at first sight," Spencer tells CNN.

"Sambuca is very clean, with nice old stone sidewalks reminiscent of [Washington's neighborhood] Georgetown, and the street lights at night are very romantic."

(Credit: Silvia Marchetti)

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Big project: When they found out that their offer of €10,150 (about $10,372) had been accepted, they quickly went to work giving the property a spectacular facelift.

(Credit: Silvia Marchetti)

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Spectacular transformation: two years later, and well before the three-year deadline set by the local authorities, his Italian home is complete.

The couple say they spent $250,000 on the renovation work, which includes fixing the original stairs.

(Credit: Massoud Ahmadi)

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The Elevator: The most prominent feature of the house, situated in the old Saracen quarter of Sambuca's historic center, is an interior elevator.

(Credit: Massoud Ahmadi)

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Comfort first: "We thought it would be great to be as comfortable as possible by avoiding all those narrow steps, and not having to go up and down four windy stairs multiple times a day," Spencer says of the added accessory, which has a camera. security and a phone installed inside.

(Credit: Massoud Ahmadi)

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A picturesque town: "We love the tranquility of Sambuca," says Ahmadi.

"Our street is very quiet and we enjoy the slow-paced life philosophy of the town."

(Credit: Silvia Marchetti)

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Complete Makeover - One of the rooms in the historic home prior to the remodel, which was completed in two years.

(Credit: Silvia Marchetti)

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Elegant interior: the house also features a living area with an open kitchen, a sitting area, a guest suite, several balconies and a panoramic terrace.

(Credit: Massoud Ahmadi)

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Slow pace: The couple plan to spend about six months of the year in Sambuca, along with their daughter and her grandchildren.

(Credit: Silvia Marchetti)

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Extensive work: a view of the 100-square-meter palace façade before the renovation works.

Credit: Massoud Ahmadi

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Bottom line: "Italian artisans are amazing," says Spencer.

"It's amazing how they have transformed this space into something new. It was a shell, now it looks like a Renaissance house."

Credit: Massoud Ahmadi

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Dramatic transformation: Ahmadi and Spencer say they have already received back the 5,000 euros (about $5,100) deposit they initially gave as part of the purchase agreement, which stipulated that the renovations had to be completed in three years.

Credit: Silvia Marchetti

(CNN) --

In recent years, buyers around the world have snapped up dilapidated Italian homes at rock-bottom prices, as many depopulated cities and towns try to revive their declining communities by offering real estate bargains.


While the prospect of major structural improvements, coupled with the red tape that often comes with buying a home in a foreign country, may put some off, others have jumped at the chance.

Of course, each buyer will have a different view of their new renovation project.

Some choose to keep things as simple as possible, focusing on making the house livable again while keeping costs down.

And there are also those who decide to throw the house out the window.

Massoud Ahmadi and Shelley Spencer, the first to complete the renovation of an abandoned house in the Italian town of Sambuca di Sicilia, fall into the latter category.

italian hideaway

Massoud Ahmadi and Shelley Spencer bought an abandoned house in the Italian town of Sambuca di Sicilia back in 2019. Credit: Silvia Marchetti

The couple, from Montgomery County, in the US state of Maryland, was one of those who took advantage and bought a historic home in Sambuca, located deep in Sicily, after local authorities put 16 abandoned houses up for auction. with prices starting at a symbolic euro, approximately one dollar.

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Ahmadi and Spencer were already interested in buying property in Italy, and had been considering looking in the Sicilian region when they read about the plan on CNN back in 2019.

"It was love at first sight," Spencer tells CNN.

"Sambuca is very clean, with nice old stone pavements reminiscent of Georgetown [Washington, DC neighborhood], and the street lights at night are very romantic."

They were delighted when they learned that their offer of 10,150 euros (about $10,372) for a 100-square-meter palace had been accepted, and they quickly went to work giving the property a dramatic makeover.

Two years later, and well before the three-year deadline set by the local authorities, his Italian shelter is finished.

Ahmadi and Spencer, who work on global development projects, spent about $250,000 to transform the dilapidated property into a lavish home, which they say looks like "a Renaissance house."

The couple plan to split their time between the US and Italy, spending about half the year in their two-bedroom home, along with their daughter and grandchildren.

The renovated house has beautiful marble bathrooms, but its most outstanding feature is undoubtedly an interior elevator that the couple uses to go up and down its three levels.

What made you decide to install an elevator, complete with security camera and phone, on the property?

The addition of the elevator

The couple had an interior elevator installed in their 100-square-meter palace.

Credit: Massoud Ahmadi

"We want to grow old here, do yoga every day and have coffee on the deck overlooking the misty lake," explains Spencer.

"So we thought it would be great to be as comfortable as possible by skipping all those narrow steps, and not having to go up and down four stairs several times a day."

Although a quarter of a million dollars may seem like a considerable sum for such a project, they believe it is actually less than the amount they would have spent on something similar in the United States.

However, an interior elevator is not a typical feature of homes in this small town, and its glamorous interior design has caused quite a stir among the locals.

The couple say they have received visits from several residents eager to see up close the transformation of this previously dilapidated house.

"The locals greet us with cakes and come to my house curious to see what we've done with the ruin," says Spencer, before revealing that they were recently given a "nice bottle of wine" at the local bar.

In addition to the elevator, the house has a relaxation area, a guest suite, a master bedroom and a living area with a modern open kitchen.

There are also several balconies, as well as a panoramic terrace with views of the hills and Lake Arancio, situated near the ruined Moorish fort Fortino di Mazzallakkar.

Ahmadi and Spencer say the 5,000-euro (about $5,100) deposit they initially gave as part of the purchase agreement, which stipulated that the renovation work be completed in three years, has already been returned.

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idyllic lifestyle

$250,000 was spent renovating the house, which features a living area with an open kitchen.

Credit: Massoud Ahmadi

Currently, the couple is enjoying a pretty idyllic summer in Sambuca.

In the mornings, they take the elevator down to the ground floor for a morning cappuccino and cupcake at the local bar.

They then go out for a walk, before heading back home for a day of remote work.

"It's a smarter house than we have in the US, with an alarm system and surveillance cameras," adds Spencer, explaining that they can manage their US-owned devices and alarms from Sambuca.

After buying their new house, they bought an unused 100 square meter section of their neighbor's house for €5,000, which they have already renovated and connected to their property.

"We love the tranquility of Sambuca," says Ahmadi.

"Our street is very quiet and we enjoy the city's slow lifestyle philosophy, symbolized by a snail sculpture in the main square."

While some travelers choose to use Sicily as a base to explore more of Italy, as well as the rest of Europe, the couple focuses on exploring the region.

They have already visited the city of Marsala, in the province of Trapani, and the salt pans of Trapani, and love to take long drives along the narrow country roads to visit the local food markets and try different delicacies, including snails.

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New Adventures

"In the United States, highways are everywhere. But there's no rush here," says Massoud.

"Traveling slowly allows us to revel in the magnificent views."

"To drive only nine kilometers, and go through the hills, it took almost two hours, but that's what makes the adventure so special."

Although they were able to complete the renovation in a relatively short space of time, which is particularly impressive considering the various problems brought about by the covid-19 pandemic, there were a few minor hiccups along the way.

Getting the furniture through the narrow doors and windows of their 300-year-old palace proved to be one of the biggest challenges (the sofa went up in the elevator) and finding suitable furniture was also time-consuming.

"As Americans we have access to many stores in the United States, where we can buy things at all kinds of prices," says Spencer.

"But finding good quality fine furniture here in Sicily that you really like can be a problem. You have to know where the right place is to find traditional top quality wooden pieces, antiques and second hand shops. Also, some pieces are in catalogs but they are not available".

Although the structure of the building has been renovated, they decided to keep the original windows, along with the gold-colored torn stone walls, majolica ceramic floors and vaulted ceilings, in order to preserve some of the historic elements of the house.

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Massoud and Spencer also chose to keep some items left behind by the previous owners, which they discovered during their first visit, including a 1967 calendar still hanging on the walls.

His house is one of several in the Sarraceno neighborhood that were abandoned after the catastrophic earthquake that shook the Belize Valley in 1968 and devastated the area.

The city council was overwhelmed by the interest of hundreds of foreign buyers after offering 16 of the homes in 2019, and went on to auction 10 more buildings in 2021, this time for a symbolic price of 2 euros each.

While some of those who participated in the second auction ended up buying their house without seeing it due to covid-19 related restrictions in place at the time, Massoud was able to fly to Italy with his brother in 2019 to view the property and check out the property. Sicilian city before your offer.

"Accompanied by my husband, I sent my brother-in-law ahead on a scouting mission to see what the city was like," says Spencer.

"He is an engineer and he said that the foundations of the town and the houses in Sambuca are very solid, despite the earthquake."

shocking transformation

It took the couple just two years to transform the dilapidated property into a luxurious home.

(Credit: Silvia Marchetti)

Massoud is very grateful that both the sale and the renovation went so well, explaining that the council helped them with the paperwork and legal issues, helping them to overcome the language barrier.

Although he notes that they had to apply for an Italian tax code, or social security number, and open a bank account in the country before buying the house, which meant the process was not entirely "pain-free," he is pleased. with how things turned out in general.

"In the US, I have to deal with the subcontractors myself, but in Sambuca it was much easier," says Massoud, who supervised all the work, along with the architect.

"I was lucky to find a good architect and I contributed to the electrical work, designing the location of the luminaires."

The couple was impressed by the quality of the work of the local craftsmen and builders, which they considered far superior to anything they had encountered in the United States.

"Italian artisans are amazing," says Spencer.

"It's amazing how they have transformed this space into something new. It was a shell, now it looks like a Renaissance house."

However, the final bill was somewhat of a shock to them, as they had not realized that 10% VAT would be added to the construction costs.

Before embarking on the renovation of their home in Italy, Massoud and Spencer were often warned of the risks that come with buying and improving a large home abroad.

But they say they fully trusted the Sambuca housing scheme, which aims to support local economic development, and are delighted with the end result.

"I could pinch myself," Spencer says.

"We've been really lucky. I could be recounting a bunch of nightmares, but I'm not, because it all worked out pretty well. Much better than it would have been in a small town in America."

Italy

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2022-08-06

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