Latest news with #GeorgeLaing
CBS News
4 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Contra Costa fire captain explains how fire conditions vary across county
On Saturday, temperatures in some inland areas were forecast to hit triple digits. The hot weather comes on the heels of a government report last week that said the state's above-average snowpack is melting at a record-breaking pace. It's raising the possibility of drought and an early start to the wildfire season. Contra Costa County has one of the most diverse land masses in the Bay Area. So, when things start heating up, it can present significantly different timelines when it comes to wildfire. On a hill above San Pablo, overlooking San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa Fire Captain George Laing walked along a path, surveying the golden grasses swaying in the wind. "So, if you grab this grass, this is dry," he said, pulling up a handful of the arid weeds. "You can hear it's dry, it feels dry except for there's a little bit of surface moisture on it because it's kind of humid out here." Laing can tell fire danger simply by feeling the grass. In San Pablo, the temperature was in the high 70s with an ocean breeze that made it feel even cooler. Laing said fire could still happen there, but it would move a lot slower. "But the further east you go in our jurisdiction, the more sustained the warmer conditions are and the drier conditions are," he said. "So, you'll see areas that are completely dry and ready to go." One of those areas would be Brentwood on the eastern edge of the county. There, the temperature was hovering near 100 degrees and at the Three Nunn's produce farm, Ana Valencia's lemonade stand was doing booming business. "For sure," she said. "Yeah, a lot more. I think double what I usually sell because everybody's trying to stay cool." Just across from the farm, the hillside is blackened, the scene of a recent grassfire that, thankfully, was contained to a few acres. But in Brentwood, they know that 99 degrees is not the end of the hot weather. "No. Way hotter than this. It's just starting," said Valencia. "So, it's going to get worse, I know it's coming. This is just the start of it." But did the heat ever make her worry about wildfire? "Oh, for sure, 100%," she said. "Because there's a bunch of grass out here and the majority of it, some of it, is dry. And there's a bunch of land here, so it can just catch on really quick." "What you need to have fire is for all the moisture to burn off the cellulose material," explained Laing. "Once that ignites, then you have a fire. The sooner the moisture evaporates from the grass, the more readily it ignites." With a territory that stretches from the cool of the Bay to the heat of Brentwood, Con Fire's "fire season" can begin as early as May in the east, to as late as July or August nearer the Bay. But Laing said there is no place that is immune to the danger. "This is the prevailing wind. This is coming off the Bay," he said. "It's cool, it's moist, you can still see there's a little bit of the marine layer over there. It's when the winds come from the other direction, and they're dry and they're hot. And the very strong winds can actually blow down these slopes and create significant problems for firefighters because it's not something that you would normally expect." These days, no one is sure what to expect in the way of weather. But the science remains clear. Hot weather dries out the grasses, opening the door for the fires to come.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Sussex man who owns 85p Sicily home besieged with advice requests
A man who bought a house in Sicily for 85p says he has been inundated with thousands of requests on social media asking for his advice on how people can buy their dream home at an affordable Laing, from Eastbourne, East Sussex, bought a three-storey house in the town of Mussomeli in December 2022, and is just two months away from finishing renovation 32-year-old said since he shared his story, he has received between 30 and 40 messages a day across his social media platforms - even from as far afield as said: "I have never expected to get so much attention from people asking advice on how to buy bargain properties. "I was even contacted by someone from Bondi Beach who said living in Sydney has become virtually unaffordable and they want to buy a home in Mussomeli."Mr Laing said most people who contact him were hoping to buy their dream homes in Italy for between €20,000 and €50,000 (£17,000 to £42,000), which require little renovation to the UK House Price Index, as of February 2025 the average property cost in this country is £268, cheap homes in Sicily are part of an initiative across Italy to sell unused properties to attract new residents to poorly populated Laing said while his Mussomeli property itself cost just 85p, the other associated costs included agency fees, legal costs, an energy certificate and notary costs which came to a total of £4,000. "Living in the UK has become increasingly difficult. Many people are struggling to keep up with their mortgage and bills," Mr Laing said."People just want to have a better quality of life and not be trapped in a cycle where they can't enjoy life." Mr Laing said he planned to buy between 15 and 20 properties in Mussomeli over the next five years to rent out."I also hope, at some point, to purchase an abandoned village in Italy, convert rundown homes so they have capacity for self-running electricity and water," he added."These homes are for people who need help, they can live in them for free. In return they do community work such as farming, so the village can be self-sustaining."
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Brit buys Italian house for one euro - and has people queuing to rent it
A British man who bought a house in Italy for the bargain price of just €1/85p has revealed he now has hundreds of people desperate to rent it out. George Laing, 32, bought the derelict three-storey property in Mussomeli, a town in Sicily, in December 2022. The Brit purchased the bargain home under a renovation scheme set up by the council. Once George had paid for admin fees, agency costs and energy certificates, the purchase price came to €5,000/£4,300. And George, who works as an antiques trader, now splits his time between Mussomeli and Eastbourne. He says he spent less than £10,000 renovating the home, despite it requiring a lot of renovations. George had to fix the home's leaky roof, set up electricity and have the water supply reconnected. The enterprising Brit did nearly all of the improvements himself but admits there were some difficulties along the way, including when a storm hit and 'buckets of water' came in the house. George reveals: 'I wouldn't say it's a completely glamourous lifestyle, but it's definitely a rewarding one.' The antiques trader has been sharing the journey on his Instagram (@george_laing_) and claims that more than 500 followers have requested to rent the home. He says: 'It's been the best decision I've made. I've got a waiting list of more than 500 people waiting to rent my home out. 'I just use my website and a booking form, I don't have to use or Airbnb - it's edging up to nearly 600 people now.' George has now bought a second €1/85p home in Mussomeli, due to the positive reaction he's had. The Brit believes that his new property, which is just a five-minute walk from the first, will be easier to renovate and has said it 'won't take too much work'. He explains: 'I got pretty lucky, it's structurally sound, it's huge and it won't take too much work. That project will start in the next two or three months.' Under the one euro scheme, George must renovate the house within three years or face a fine. He says: 'Eventually in the long term I do want to buy a countryside house in the UK, but property is so expensive, and there's such a disparity between wages and property prices' George has said that his 'long term goal' is to purchase 'whole rows of one euro homes' and build his own 'community'. He is even considering opening an antiques shop in Mussomeli, which will be much cheaper than doing so in the UK. The antiques expert revealed that a shop in Mussomeli would cost just €5,000/£4,300, compared to £200,000-£300,000 in the UK. He says: 'Eventually in the long term I do want to buy a countryside house in the UK, but property is so expensive, and there's such a disparity between wages and property prices. 'I'm in a position where I am savvy enough and not scared of taking risks and could come here, but life for most people in the UK is unbearable right now. 'No one is thriving, everyone is just surviving, taxes shouldn't be getting to 40 per cent and after rent, bills, national insurance, the UK has become crazy expensive. 'A coffee costs £5, a pint is £8, it's £10 to travel around London, nobody can afford anything - the average person is struggling.'
Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Brit finds £4k treat in one euro holiday home - now 500 are lining up to stay
George Laing, 32, who splits his time between Mussomeli, Sicily, and Eastbourne, East Sussex, bought his derelict, three-storey home for 85p in Italy, back in December 2022 A British man bought his first home for just 'one euro' and now he's got queues building up of people keen to rent it. George Laing, 32, sealed the deal on his run-down, triple-level abode for just 85p in Mussomeli, Italy, as of December 2022, all thanks to a local council initiative aimed at reviving forsaken properties. Adding in admin charges, agent fees, and energy certificates bumped the final tab to 5,000 euros (£4,300). Yet George – splitting his time between Mussomeli, Sicily, and Eastbourne, East Sussex – has deftly kept refurbishments under his £10,000 'shoestring' cap. He's tackled everything from a leaking roof, sorting out the electricity and restoring water, doing up most of the home himself. George has shared his renovation story on social media, especially his Instagram page @george_laing_. He says that a hefty 500 of his social media followers have lined up via his webpage to book a stay. He enthused, "I love it, it's been the best decision I've made. I've got a waiting list of more than 500 people waiting to rent my home out. I just use my website and a booking form, I don't have to use or Airbnb – it's edging up to nearly 600 people now. "It's the power of social media. It was about a year ago that I launched my Instagram – I've got 164,000 followers there and 70k followers on Facebook. I think it's a load of people who are saying that they're following my dream and want to rent it out when it's finished. "You can do it without a lot of money behind you, but the backing from social media has definitely helped, because I also make money from content creation. Now, I'm in the process of buying another one euro home. It's a five minute walk from mine, and overall it will cost me four grand – a similar price to the first one. "This one should be slightly easier. I got pretty lucky, it's structurally sound, it's huge and it won't take too much work. That project will start in the next two to three months. Whether I go for another property on top of that depends on how much money I make from the first one. If I have the money I would love to have whole rows of one euro homes – I could buy a whole community, that's the long-term goal." George faces a requirement to complete the renovation of the property's facade and roof within three years under the one euro home scheme; failure to comply within this timeframe could lead to a fine of up to 5,000 euros. Despite the looming deadline, George – an antiques dealer after a pandemic-related redundancy – remains optimistic. He views the rule as a safeguard to prevent foreigners from buying up properties only to abandon them. George is determined to see his project through. He sees the scheme as a chance to restore beautiful homes at a low cost, thanks in part to the power of social media to bring attention, and hopefully, income, to his restoration ventures. He's keen on ensuring his ventures contribute positively to the community and is already eyeing up another business opportunity in Mussomeli, this time outside the property sector, which he believes will benefit the local area. George revealed: "Another venture is that I'm going to open up an antiques store." George's home wasn't just cheap, it contained unexpected treasures. "Funnily enough, in my one euro home, there was about £4,000 worth of things – I found an 18-carat gold solid chain which I'm keeping, but I could get at least a grand for it," he said. "I found an 18th century 14-carat gold ring which is also being kept. But I have sold an antique clock, and 1920s gold earrings. I've made roughly £2,500 which I got for free with the house – from the beginning it was self-generating cash. I've had so many people asking me to clear out their properties and I have accumulated a great collection of wonderful antiques from that too." Despite his successes, George faced challenges early on, recalling a particularly tough moment: "At the start, it was two o'clock in the morning, and there was a torrential storm and there buckets of water coming into my house – I managed to salvage it, but that definitely got me stressed". "The only light was from the moon, it was freezing cold and there was no electricity, I hadn't had a shower for a few days, there was no running water, and so it was baby wipes instead of showers for seven or eight days. I wouldn't say it's a completely glamorous lifestyle, but it's definitely a rewarding one. But at least the leak gave me a shower." George still insists that life in the UK is 'unbearable' and favours the Italian way of living over the British struggles with the cost-of-living, particularly with the support he gets from the Agenzia Immobiliare Siciliana, who manage many of the 'one euro' projects. He expressed: "Eventually in the long term I do want to buy a countryside house in the UK, but property is so expensive, and there's such a disparity between wages and property prices. I'm in a position where I am savvy enough and not scared of taking risks and could come here, but life for most people in the UK is unbearable right now. "No one is thriving, everyone is just surviving, taxes shouldn't be getting to 40%, and after rent, bills, national insurance, the UK has become crazy expensive. A coffee costs £5, a pint is £8, it's £10 to travel around London, nobody can afford anything – the average person is struggling. "When you go to Sicily, the difference shows in how slow everyone walks. It's nicer to take your time and enjoy life. It's a shame because the UK has a lot to offer, but it's almost like the government doesn't want people to succeed, as everyone's struggling."
Scottish Sun
28-04-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
I bought a house for just 85p – it's now a beautiful holiday home with hundreds wanting to rent it already
Plus, other people that bought homes for less than a pound MAKE CENTS I bought a house for just 85p – it's now a beautiful holiday home with hundreds wanting to rent it already Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BRIT who bought his first home for €1 now has hundreds of people wanting to rent it out. George Laing, 32, bought his derelict, three-storey home for a bargain price of 85p in Mussomeli, Italy, back in December 2022. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 George Laing bought his home in Italy under the one euro scheme Credit: SWNS 5 The house needed lots of work and had no electricity Credit: SWNS He bought his home under a council scheme that encourages people to renovate abandoned homes. With admin fees, agency costs, and energy certificates added, the total cost was €5,000 (£4,300). However George, who lives between Mussomeli, Sicily, and Eastbourne, East Sussex and works as an antiques trader, has managed to keep the renovations less than £10,000. There was lots to do from fixing the leaky roof, the property also had no electricity and had to have the water supply reconnected. George did the work almost all on his own but hit some hurdles along the way like when a storm hit early one morning and "buckets of water" fell into the house. He said: "I wouldn't say it's a completely glamorous lifestyle, but it's definitely a rewarding one." George documented his project on social media, and now claims more than 500 followers have signed up through his website to a queue to rent the home in support of his journey. With the response to his first project being so positive, he bought a second €1 home in the Mussomeli area in April 2025. George said: "It's been the best decision I've made. I've got a waiting list of more than 500 people waiting to rent my home out. "I just use my website and a booking form, I don't have to use or Airbnb - it's edging up to nearly 600 people now." Tiny Italian town in Sicily is selling homes for just 85p – but there's a catch 5 Renovation costs have been kept below £10,000 so far Credit: SWNS 5 After following his progress on social media more than 500 people want to rent it out Credit: SWNS George added that his second €1 home is a five minute walk away and it will likely cost him the same as the first. But it should be slightly easier to transform as the house is "structurally sound, it's huge and it won't take too much work". George's long-term goal is to buy a "whole rows of one euro homes" to have his own "community". One condition of the €1 home scheme is a three year deadline to renovate the facade and the roof. If the owner does not carry out this work within 36 months, a fine of up to €5,000 can be issued. But that didn't scare George, and now he's even looking at opening p an antiques shop too with Mussomeli being the perfect place. What is the €1 house scheme? 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 George explained that for €5,000, he can buy a 200 to 300 square foot retail shop, which in the UK could be between £200,000 and £300,000. So far there aren't any antique shops in Mussomeli so he believes it could be a good business venture. It wasn't just the one euro house deal that persuaded George to head over to Italy, the cost of living was also a big factor. George said that prices of living in the UK has become "crazy expensive". He'd love to buy a property in the countryside, but would struggle to do so at the moment because of the "disparity between wages and property prices." This woman bought an 85p house and turned it into her dream home – it even has its own spa and wine cellar. Another businessman quit the UK and bought a house for 85p in a sunny holiday hotspot.
