I left frantic UK life to buy 85p home in sunny paradise – now I'm building property empire for cost of two pints
AFTER years of enduring the rat race as a jewellery dealer in the UK, George Laing took a gamble on a new life in Europe - with just 85p.
With gruelling hard work and patience, the Brit is slowly transforming a derelict three-story building into his dream home - and he has another plan up his sleeve.
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He has just finalised the deal on a SECOND 85p house - and intends to purchase up to 15 more over the next three years.
When George snapped up his first home in Sicily for only 85p over two years ago, he was well aware of the long, painful and pricey process he'd have to endure during the renovation.
The property was in desperate need of an overhaul, with a hole in the roof and no running water or electricity.
Several wooden beams were rotting from both ends and worrying cracks lined almost every wall in each room.
The bathroom was a tiny box and the kitchen was simply a metal stove connected to a propane tank.
But beyond the gloomy exterior and lackluster interior, jeweller and business mogul Laing saw its potential.
And even with no prior background in revamping anything close to a three-floored home, George was determined to get stuck in.
He now spends two weeks a month at home in the UK and the rest in beautiful Sicily, working tirelessly to complete his future kingdom.
George even plans to open up an antiques shop in Mussomeli at the end of the year so he can continue his jewellery business in Italy.
Speaking to The Sun, the young homeowner has revealed just how far he has come in the past 12 months.
I left UK to buy 85p home - I get perfect weather, cheap booze & better neighbours
He said: 'It's surreal to see the first house coming together - we've got water, electricity, and now we're onto the exciting part: fitting out the kitchen and bathrooms with marble from a local quarry.
'I want the finish to be as beautiful as the bones of the building.
'Once the first house is finished, we're throwing a huge celebration — the mayor's coming, the neighbours are invited.
"It's not just a personal milestone, it's a community one.
"What started as a crumbling €1 house has now started to turn into a beautiful, liveable home."
Just 10,000 residents live in George's new hometown of Mussomeli.
The sun-soaked region of Sicily has long been known as a glorious haven for those wanting the laid back European lifestyle.
George, who lives in Eastbourne and used to work to London, says the drastic change in vibes is one of the key factors behind why he purchased the home.
He explained: "In Sicily, life is just a bit slower.
"You've got a different quality of life, and obviously the weather is 25-30 degrees everyday. And it's a beautiful place."
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Despite living in a foodie paradise, renovating the home hasn't been without its challenges.
He said: "It's been like a full-time job mixed with the most personal kind of DIY adventure.
"I've overseen everything from rewiring and plumbing to sourcing materials locally and working with Italian builders who don't speak a word of English.
"Navigating Italian bureaucracy without being fluent in Italian was definitely up there.
"Also, understanding the true structural condition of the property - it's not always obvious what lies behind the walls until you start breaking them open.
"And of course, doing all this on a tight budget meant I had to be hands-on with almost everything."
But George loves the lifestyle so much that he has just finalised the deal on a second 85p house.
BIG PLANS
He said: "It's a totally different challenge, and I'm already planning how to preserve what's special, while breathing new life into it.
"And I'm planning to purchase another three to five in the next year, another 10-15 over the next three years.
"I've learned so much and now I want to go even bigger and begin to grow my property portfolio.
"There's also something incredibly addictive about rescuing these abandoned homes.
"I'm passionate about bringing life back to these forgotten places and helping others do the same."
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From the first moment he arrived, George could tell he had entered into a tight-knit community.
The locals in Sicily are very different to what George is used to.
He quickly became friends with his Italian neighbours - although he admits he still has to use Google Translate to chat with them.
And being in his early 30s, George has been thrilled to find the price of alcohol is drastically lower in Italy.
He said: "It's just nice to buy things that are a lot cheaper.
"You get a beer or a cocktail in Sicily for €1.50 or a glass of wine for €2 - whereas it's £7.50 now in London for a pint.
"Even just living there day to day you spend less money, which is a nice bonus."
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Three spacious storeys of room to play with and a classic Italian balcony at the front were paired with a glorious marble staircase.
George is proud of his bold choice and says despite his pals being nervy about the move he is now confident it was the right choice.
One of the main reasons he left was the struggle to find a home in and around London on the cheap.
He said: "Financially getting on the property market in London or anywhere in the UK is incredibly hard. £5,000 in the UK isn't going to get you diddly squat."
Another key factor is not having to pay an astronomical mortgage.
Getting on the property ladder is notoriously hard in the UK due to the lack of available housing, surging house prices and rising bills.
In 2023, 42,000 Brits left their lives behind and moved to a new EU nation.
For George, when he heard Italy was flogging homes for less than £1, the bold move made sense - something others are now getting on board with.
He said: "Seeing something so neglected come back to life is incredibly rewarding.
"Also, becoming part of the local Sicilian community sharing food, stories, and wine with neighbours has made this much more than just a renovation.
"It's been a total life reset in the best way."
How does the €1 house scheme work?
DEPENDING on the region, a number of towns and villages across Italy have offered the cheap €1 properties to encourage people to move to the area.
There are around 25 regions who are taking part, each with a number of properties.
Many of the areas have a dwindling or aging population and hope to build the community again.
The properties range from small houses to larger villas, but are all in a very rundown condition.
The conditions for buying each property also vary, but the majority of them need large renovation works which are part of the scheme
According to Maurizio Berti, who runs the website casea1euro.it: "The houses are owned by private individuals who often want to get rid of them so as not to pay taxes and heavy taxes.
"We are talking about dilapidated or unsafe properties that need major renovations."
Conditions include notary fees, paying an additional three-year buying guarantee policy of €5,000 (which is refunded when it expires) as well as starting the project within two months once permits are given.
The houses are put to an auction where people can bid on them so they technically aren't all €1.
While some do sell for €1, on average houses sell for around €5,000 euros, although some are up to €20,000.
Some of the schemes even offer to pay you money for buying a home if you can boost the economy with a new business venture.
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