While many communities around the world wondered what to make of Donald Trump’s presidential re-election, a village on the Italian island of Sardinia sniffed a potential opportunity.

Like many other places in rural Italy, Ollolai has long tried to persuade foreigners to move in to revive its fortunes after decades of depopulation. He sells dilapidated houses for a euro – just over a dollar – to sweeten the deal.

Now, following the result of the November 5 vote, he has launched a website aimed at would-be American expats, offering several cheap homes in the hope that those upset by the result will rush to snap up one of their empty properties.

“Tired (sic) of global politics? Are you looking to embrace a more balanced lifestyle while securing new opportunities?” ask the site. “It’s time to start building your European escape in the stunning paradise of Sardinia.”

Mayor Francesco Columbu told CNN that the site was created specifically to appeal to American voters following the presidential election. He says he loves the United States and is convinced that Americans are the best people to help revive his community.

“We really want and will focus on Americans above all else,” he says. “Of course we can’t ban people from other countries from applying, but the Americans will have a quick procedure. We are counting on them to help us revive the village, they are our trump card.”

“Preferential treatment”
Columbu says the village now offers three levels of accommodation: free temporary homes for certain digital nomads, one-euro homes in need of renovation, and ready-to-move homes priced up to 100,000 euros ($105,000).

The mayor says he has established a special team to guide interested buyers through every step of the purchase, from arranging personalized private tours of available homes to finding contractors, builders and navigating the necessary paperwork.

He says photos and floor plans of available vacant properties will soon be uploaded to the site.

Over the past century, Ollolai’s population has shrunk from 2,250 to 1,300, with only a handful of children born each year. Many families left the village during hard economic times in search of work and a better life.

In recent years, the population has further decreased to barely 1,150 inhabitants.

While the village may be desperate to lure newcomers in an attempt to stave off depopulation, the offer of “preferential treatment” to Americans, as Columbus describes it, may seem a little controversial.

The website does not list a US passport as a prerequisite, but the mayor says US citizens will be favored over potential applicants of other nationalities.

“Of course, we can’t specifically mention the name of an American president who was just elected, but we all know that he is the one that many Americans want to get rid of right now and leave the country,” Columbo adds.

“We specifically created this website now to meet the post-election relocation needs of the US. The first edition of our digital nomad scheme which was launched last year was already exclusively for Americans”.

The mayor says the mayor’s website has recently been flooded with 38,000 requests for information about the houses, most of them from the United States.

“So we were really looking to create a platform that would appeal to American citizens and bring together our different projects,” Columbu says.

A distant paradise
Ollolai has previously tried to attract new residents with attractive housing schemes.

In 2018, as CNN first reported, the city hall began selling dilapidated empty houses for one euro. He then proceeded to rent out empty workspaces for a token euro.

Finally, starting last year, it launched a “work from Ollolai” program for digital nomads. So far four Americans have been accommodated in fully equipped housing for a symbolic euro. Instead, they had to create something for the community, such as a work of art or a book.

The city pays to rent the homes from local families for remote workers, paying around €350 a month for multi-storey, two-bedroom homes. Utilities, bills and council tax are also covered.

But the revival plans did not go as local authorities had hoped. Since 2018, only 10 homes have been sold for one euro and renovated, says Columbu.

“The village remains half empty, we still have about 100 unoccupied cheap houses potentially for sale, ready to move into. We’ve mapped and listed them all, and soon photos will be online for buyers to take a look at.”

Most of the buildings are located in the historic center and are of different sizes.

They are picturesque dwellings of farmers and shepherds, made of local granite rocks. Some turnkey properties are even furnished and equipped with modern comforts.

There are zero demographic requirements for US applicants; they can be people of all ages, retirees, remote workers or entrepreneurs who want to open a small business in the village.

Ollolai is off the beaten track, ideal for those who want to disconnect and live a simpler life.

Located in a wild mountain region, it rises on a patch of pristine land where ancient agricultural traditions live on. It boasts fresh air, no pollution, few crowds and great views.

In autumn, during an event known as cortes apertas (open courtyards), the ancient stables and turf taverns are open to the public, offering wine, ham, cheese and other delicacies. The area is famous for the locally produced Casu Fiore Sardo cheese.

Another highlight of Ollolai’s calendar is a masked carnival with goat costumes and archaic rituals, held in February each year.

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