Brit reveals what it's really like to buy a 85p house in Italy – and the amazing secret he found inside
George Laing, 32, was handed the keys to the abandoned four-bed house in the
Advertisement
2
George found an 18-carat gold chain, which was valued at £851 at the home in Mussomeli
Credit: George Laing
2
He also unearthed a 19th-century 14-carat emerald stone ring
Credit: George Laing
It was part of Italy's popular €1 homes scheme, set up to encourage the renovations of crumbling, yet beautiful, properties.
When he moved in he realised very quickly that he had his work cut out.
The electrics, plumbing, bathrooms, structural repairs and roof update all needed doing.
He told The i Paper: "It wasn't liveable at all when I bought it.'
Advertisement
read more on italy
However, after a few years of hard graft, George is now able to live in his Italian dream house while he works on the renovations.
He has almost finished the whole top floor of the property.
In an attempt to save the pennies, he is doing up the entire house on his own.
He has estimated his final costs to be between €5,000 and €10,000.
Advertisement
Most read in Travel
Latest
"Someone else renovating the exact same property could have easily spent €40,000 or more,' he said.
The house spreads over 1,291 square feet over three floors.
Watch the video to see inside the family-of-seven's caravan home
It has two bathrooms and a small balcony with views over the town.
He stumbled across some hidden treasure tucked away in various nooks of the house.
Advertisement
A purse filled with gold jewellery was stashed in a bedside table drawer.
Then he came across a padlocked chest in the kitchen, which had a biscuit tin inside.
However, it wasn't filled with biscotti - it carried eight ring boxes.
The most valuable pieces were an 18-carat gold chain, which was valued at £851 and a 19th-century 14-carat emerald stone ring with pearls valued at £595.
Advertisement
Despite keeping a few pieces aside for himself, he auctioned around £2,127 of the stash.
As well as jewellery, there were plenty of antiques, including a vintage 1950s hen clock, a collection of postcards, religious statues, crystal vases and an antique gilded mirror.
Italian law states that as the new owner of the house, George is the rightful owner of the antiques.
The house has been abandoned for decades and the heirs of the property had no interest in personal belongings left in the house.
Advertisement
So under Italian local law, the contents of the house were included with the purchase.
George decided to move to Italy after becoming fed up with the soaring cost of living in the UK.
He said: 'I was spending well over £1,300 a month for my small one-bedroom flat.
"The private water and electricity companies have increased their rates by 400 per cent over the last five years.
Advertisement
"The UK taxes me 40 per cent on my wages. A cup of coffee is £5.
'Once you add this all together I was just about surviving in London even though I was working full time and doing other projects on the side to make money."
He said that he decided he needed to make a change and wanted to "thrive, not survive".
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Strictly's Tasha Ghouri looks incredible as she goes make-up free and strips off to a bikini in Italy
The former Strictly and Love Island star looked amazing as she soaked up the sun abroad STRICTLY STUNNING Strictly's Tasha Ghouri looks incredible as she goes make-up free and strips off to a bikini in Italy STRICTLY star Tasha Ghouri looks incredible in a new make-up free snap while enjoying the sunshine in Italy. Stripping off to a tiny bikini in the process, Tasha, 27, looked sensational as she showed off her natural beauty in the makeup free photo. 5 Tasha Ghouri went totally makeup free for a series of snaps shared from her Italian getaway Credit: tashaghouri/Instagram 5 The former Strictly star showed off her washboard abs in the process Credit: tashaghouri/Instagram 5 She showed off her natural beauty in the makeup free snaps Credit: tashaghouri/Instagram 5 She also wore a bikini top which looked as though it was held up by luck alone Credit: tashaghouri/Instagram Sharing an array of snaps from her Italian getaway on her Instagram page, Tasha looked amazing as posed for the camera and shared snapshots of her vacation with her 1.4million Instagram followers. In the first photo she shared as part of the carousel she uploaded, the blonde beauty could be seen sitting by the sea while drinking a glass of white wine. With her hair swept off of her face, Tasha looked sunkissed as she appeared to ditch all traces of makeup for the candid selfie. She wore an ornately beaded bikini with a lobster embellishment, and smiled for the camera while relaxing. The next snap she shared was if a romantic-looking eatery, and the next was a video of her pouring a glass of Whispering Angel wine Tasha uploaded a black and white photo of her posing in a black skirt and polka dot top for the next slide. The fourth offering was a plate of pasta, and the next was a photo of Tasha donning a lemon-coloured minidress with a zip up the front. She shared a snap of a stunning coastal view before thrilling her fans with a bikini snap. Lounging on a yacht, Tasha showed off her enviable figure as she rocked a zebra-print bikini which looked as though it was held up by luck alone. She shared several more location snaps before posing without any trace of makeup once again. Love Island's Tasha takes a savage swipe at ex Andrew for behaviour during Strictly - and breaks silence on new boyfriend More photos of the location in which she was staying were shared, before Tasha grinned in yet another black and white outfit snap. The reality star, who was previously in a relationship with Andrew Le Page, later showed off her toned figure again as she lounged on a sun bed by the sea. Fans were quick to comment on the selection of sizzling snaps from Tasha's sunkissed holiday. One person wrote: "It's good to see you happy and glowing." A second penned: "It looks like you've had one hell of a wonderful birthday which you so deserve hope you have been thoroughly spoilt. "The Amalfi coast is the most romantic and beautiful place." "So beautiful and natural. Lovely to see," added a third. "Living the dream," penned a fourth. While a fifth said: "Just gorgeous." And a sixth added: "Beautiful girl and a beautiful view." Meanwhile, one concerned fan speculated whether or not she was alone on her trip when they said: "Are you on your own as your photos are always just you." Tasha competed in series 22 of Strictly Come Dancing, which aired in 2024. She was partnered with Aljaž Škorjanec, and they placed as runners up on the series.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
The Yorkshire town that's been dubbed the ‘Italy of England' with historic viaduct and river boats
Check out where to visit from a Sun writer who grew up in the town LITTLE ITALY The Yorkshire town that's been dubbed the 'Italy of England' with historic viaduct and river boats IN Yorkshire is one of the UK's most beautiful towns - and it's even been compared to Italy. Knaresborough has waterways and plenty of boats, so it's not too hard to see the comparison, especially in the summertime. 4 Knaresborough is a beautiful town in Yorkshire Credit: Alamy 4 It's even been compared to looking like Italy Credit: Alamy Advertisement On social media, one visitor recently called Knaresborough "the Italy of England." It showed visitors paddling along the River Nidd looking up at the towering viaduct, and tourists pottering around the town's winding streets. In Knaresborough, you'll also find riverside cafes, steep little streets, and plenty of historic attractions too. It's widely considered one of the most beautiful places in the country. Advertisement Read More on UK Holidays HOLS HACK My little-known tricks for cheap tickets that top UK attractions DON'T advertise On the social media post, another person commented: "It's one of my favourite places in the whole world." Knaresborough is known for its stunning natural beauty, particularly along the River Nidd where locals and tourists can hire out boats and paddleboards - much like they do in certain Italian destinations. The town is known for having a huge viaduct which carries the Harrogate line over the River Nidd. It's a big attraction that draws in lots of visitors every year. Advertisement Knaresborough is also home to the oldest tourist attraction in England, Mother Shipton's Cave. The cave is the birthplace of England's most famous prophetess, Mother Shipton. The UK towns with such magnificent scenery they're known as 'Little Switzerland' 4 There are plenty of riverside cafes and restaurants Credit: Alamy Mother Shipton predicted lots of historical events, including the great fire of London and the black death. Inside the cave is a Petrifying Well, where objects can be seen turned to stone. Advertisement The attraction sits on the banks of the River Nidd and tourists have been charged to go inside since the year 1630. Knaresborough also has a ruined fortress which lots of visitors have said is the best place to get views "over the town, river and viaduct." Find out more about Knaresborough from someone who grew up there. She has all the top tips including where to hire out a boat to take it down the River Nidd. Her favourite riverside cafe is called Marigolds and she has a suggestion of pubs around the town. Advertisement One of her favourites is Carriages, which she described as having a "cosy atmosphere and tasty food". In the summer, it's a great spot for pretty views of Knaresborough train station. Plus, discover the UK's best seaside destinations revealed – with a small English resort making the top 10 for the first time. And see more quaint British villages with toy-town cottages, car-free roads and cosy pubs – handpicked by our travel writers. 4 The Yorkshire town of Knaresborough has been compared to Italy Credit: Alamy
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
The seven mistakes you're making on holiday that make you look classless & common & you won't realise you're doing them
Plus, how you should always avoid being tempted to ask for ketchup HOL-D ON The seven mistakes you're making on holiday that make you look classless & common & you won't realise you're doing them THERE is nothing wrong with being relaxed on holiday — indeed, that's the point — but there is a fine line between being carefree and appearing "common." An etiquette expert has revealed her golden rules for avoiding looking lower class as you unwind away from home. 6 There are some telltale signs you look 'common' when you are away Credit: Getty 6 The Queen of Etiquette Laura Windsor shared her advice for not looking lower class on holiday Credit: Supplied Laura Windsor, the Queen of Etiquette, shared seven things you should immediately stop doing, according to Laura, if you want to look more upper class… 1. FLIP FLOPS For those of you who like city holidays it is a huge no no to walk around in flip flops. Flip flops should be reserved for areas such as the beach, swimming pools, locker rooms and for apocalypse scenarios. It also shows poor dress sense and a lack of situational appropriateness - restaurants do not pair well with ingrown toe nails, hairy and/or non-manicured toe nails. More on holidays HOL NO Mum who booked luxury cabin holiday discovers it's really an unfurnished 'shed' 2. HOGGING LOUNGERS Avoid saving sun loungers for your friends. It's similar to letting your friends jump the queue and is something one would do at school. It was annoying then, it's annoying now. You are all grown up now, there is no excuse. It also shows that you need to exercise some respect towards others and yourself. Moment holidaymakers sprint for sun loungers at popular tourist destination 6 Sun lounger wars are not 'classy' according to the expert Credit: Getty 3. SPAGHETTI WITH A SPOON Eating spaghetti with a spoon and fork - this is a huge no no. If you are ordering spaghetti you should eat it like an Italian - with just a fork. Twirling pasta round a fork does not require extra cutlery. It's just screaming 'tourist' and is an international signal for 'charge me double' plus a 20 per cent service charge on top of the cover charge. You should also avoid stacking plates for the waiting staff, adding salt to food before trying it, and putting your napkin in your collar. 6 If you order spaghetti, don't be tempted to use a spoon Credit: Getty 4. EARLY DRINKS When it comes to holidays, some people start drinking early - be it at the airport Wetherspoons or at the all-inclusive bar. Avoid drinking early morning and making a fool of yourself from that moment forth. Excessive drinking can put you in compromising situations especially on social media; do we really want to see you stumble to your seat and be in a catatonic state? Or sweating alcohol from your pores to the point that you are flammable or engage in innocuous behaviour such as talking or laughing too loudly, or being handsy with your partner, it certainly won't go unnoticed. Most Southern Europeans will sip their alcohol rather than gulp it down and accompany it with a proper meal! 6 You should avoid drinking in the early morning when abroad Credit: Getty 5. REQUESTING KETCHUP To be culturally ignorant is another big no-no. There is nothing worse than travelling to a country and expecting the local restaurants to provide you with your favourite sauces - ketchup, mayonnaise, chilli oil, daddy's sauce and other such monstrosities- eat what is offered as if you were a local, otherwise you might as well save your money and stay at home. Nothing screams 'ignorant tourist' than someone who does not follow or read up on the customs of the country they are visiting. Respect local customs - if the locals queue in a way that is considered unacceptable in your culture, instead of tutting and complaining; it's the time to follow the 'when in Rome' rule. 6. SOCKS AND SANDALS Socks and sandals should be avoided at all costs. You can spot a British person a mile away! 6 Socks and sandals should be avoided Credit: Getty 7. CLAPPING AS YOU LAND Applauding as you land? For what reason? Yes I can understand the incredible skill involved in landing a flying metal tube but no one died or saved a kitten. Are you lucky to be alive? Yes of course you are but then applaud every day. You are more likely to die crossing the road than travelling by plane. It gives the impression that you haven't flown a lot. No one is particularly impressed with an amateur tourist.
