Have you ever dreamed of owning a house on the Istrian peninsula? A historic town in Croatia is hoping to attract new residents by selling outdated city-owned buildings in its medieval center. Buyers can defer payment for up to two years if they commit to moving to this city and renovating the apartment. The costs of the works will be deducted from the purchase price of the object.
The historic Croatian town of Vodnjan is located on the Istrian peninsula. Once there were about 10,000 inhabitants, now there are less than 6,000 left.
Until World War II, the area was part of Italy and was mostly inhabited by Italians. But after the war, the town, then called Dignano, became part of the former communist Yugoslavia and suffered the consequences of depopulation. The number of inhabitants continued to decline even after Croatia gained independence in 1991, and in recent years the population has been shrinking by 5% per year. The streets are now empty and residential and commercial buildings stand empty.
The city council decided to attract new residents and businesses. Following the example of other European cities, publicly owned buildings that have been neglected are now being sold at low prices in Vodnjan. Buyers are allowed to pay nothing for two years while they commit to moving in and renovating the purchased property. The city will even deduct the costs of the work from the purchase price of the property, which in many cases can be almost free. For the first 14 buildings put up for auction, 140 applications were submitted immediately.
“The whole idea is to promote the growth of the city. From the 100,000 inhabitants that it once had, we now have 5,850. So although there were fewer buildings about 70 years ago, the number of people was then twice the current population.”says Edi Pastrovicchio, mayor of Vodnjan.
He says the city can offer much more than just low-priced properties.
“There are opportunities here, there is tourism. Many people decide to stay and work here. We have young people who have their own small businesses, many of which are related to tourism. We also have the agricultural sector, in particular the cultivation of olives. There is potential for more in a new business area that has yet to open. So there is room for growth.”says Mr. Pastrovicchio.
The town of Vodnja also has a relaxed pace, residents say.
“It's good to live in Vodnja. I like the quiet pace of life and have never been attracted to big cities, with all their noise and chaos. Vodnja offers a pleasant way of life, with a calm and simple pace”says resident Marino Morozin.
The town has an attractive rural panorama and is located about 10 kilometers from the port of Pula and 5 kilometers from the coast. Matija Debeljuh is an artist and owns a gallery. He says the proposed scheme is not enough.
“The city's idea to offer the buildings it owns is a step towards creating a better future for young people. The biggest disadvantage is that you have to go to Pula for everything. The city needs to do more to include young people, all year round, for young families, for children. So that people who decide to stay in Vodnjan, after solving the housing issue, have some activities they can follow”says Mr. Debeljuh.
For now, the city of Vodnjan hopes that the new estate scheme will serve as a fresh start and restore the city's former energy.
