Free Houses in Sicily

We recently wrote about municipal governments offering free houses in Japan in an effort to stabilize the population of rural areas. Well, a similar offer is available with a Mediterranean flair. Sambuca, a town near the southern coast of Sicily, is offering homes for €1 to new residents who promise to fix up the properties within 3 years. The town dates back to the ancient Greeks, and has a variety of historical influences. Although we’re

Free Houses in Japan

Small towns in Japan apparently have so many vacant homes that they give them away. Of course, free is not really free. If you want one of the homes, then you have to commit to living in it after you invest in rehabbing the property. Demographics are driving the property giveaway, as Japan has an aging and shrinking population. Rural areas are under pressure as their long-time residents die off and their younger residents move

The Missing Domino: First-Time Buyers

Red House

I really enjoy watching a creatively placed set of dominoes fall down piece by piece. There’s a rhythm and organization to it all that is very appealing … I find it calming. Mind you, I’m not the one to set them all up, but that’s a different story. Real estate can be like knocking over dominoes. When people want to move within a town, they often will have to sell their existing home in order

Relocating to Hartford: Picking a Town

So you’re thinking of moving to the Hartford area? That’s great – it’s quite lovely here! Have you thought about which town you might want to move to – where to put down roots? Greater Hartford is made up of lots of small towns that each have their own character, strengths and weaknesses. The challenge is that what may be a strength to one buyer is a weakness to another. If you have a job