How much can you buy an abandoned village in Spain for
The most recent announcement of the sale of the town of Camarasa in Catalonia for almost 1 million euros made a lot of noise. It reminded me of endangered villages and ghost towns.
The announcement of the sale appeared in July on several real estate portals at once, the village was put up for sale by fincascos agency, specializing in the sale of rural houses, masias and fincas, many of which are abandoned or in need of repair.
What can you buy for a million euros
For 990,000 euros, you can buy an entire ghost town with a dozen buildings, a park, a swimming pool and tennis courts. The story of prosperity and decline is very revealing, and this example shows how quickly progress can change our lives, both for good and for bad.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was here, at the confluence of the Noguera Pallares and Segre rivers, that the Riegos y Fuerza del Ebro electric company decided to build one of the first dams and a power plant that would supply electricity to Catalonia.
The rise and fall of the power plant
The power plant was built in 1912, and a small town appeared nearby, where the company's management and maintenance staff lived. The houses in the town were built in an unusual English style for this area, with warm bathrooms and electrical appliances. The streets were illuminated in the town, there were sports grounds, a swimming pool and courts, a school was organized for children, to which teachers were invited.
In many ways, it was an elite place. And along with the English administration, English rules reigned in the town. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, the city bell announced that it was time to drink tea. Yes, the Five o'clock Tea tradition was followed here.
And the contrast with what the town turned into after only 100 years is so striking. Many houses are de-energized and abandoned, and some have broken windows. And only inscriptions with a reminder of private property protect them from looting.
With the modernization of the power plant in the 1980s, some of the staff left the town, since the 90s it has been completely empty. Although the power plant continues to operate now, you can go on a guided tour and see how tons of water are dumped through giant concrete barriers.
Is it possible to earn money by buying a village in Spain
Houses have been abandoned for almost 30 years, engineering networks and communications need to be updated. So, before you start earning, you will have to invest quite seriously in infrastructure and restoration.
Those less real estate market experts look at this proposal in a positive way. Yes, this is "long" money and you will have to invest significantly at first, but the place is very promising from the point of view of tourism development, and with the growing demand for country houses and rural routes.
Tourism is very developed in the region: water, mountain, hiking. and the municipality hopes that the new owner of the town will breathe a second life into it, put it in order and make it a center of tourist attraction. After all, those who go to the mountains or kayaking, do not mind taking a break for a couple of nights.
Adds optimism and the interest of the municipal authorities in the development of the town (Camarasa). They promise administrative and information support on their part.