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Sicilian Mayor Selling Houses For €1 Each.
How would you like a house in Italy for one euro? The house, it should be pointed out, will be not just dilapidated but near collapse, and probably need at least €100,000 (£80,000) of structural repairs.
This "offer you cannot refuse" comes from Salemi, a town south of Palermo in Sicily. Its new and eccentric mayor, the art critic-turned-politician Vittorio Sgarbi, believes that selling off property at knockdown prices could be the way to save Salemi's exquisite old quarter.
Since an earthquake in 1968 Salemi's ancient centre, parts of which date back more than 1,000 years to the Muslim occupation, has become depopulated.
"There are 3,700 houses owned by the council, almost all in the old town, that are in danger of falling down - of crumbling and dying," Sgarbi had said. He initially offered the houses, free of charge, to anyone from Salemi agreeing to do the renovations. But today, courting celebrities, Sgarbi hands the first to football boss José Mourinho's new employer, Massimo Moratti, chairman of Inter Milan.
"We're thinking of people who have the sensibility and economic resources to embark on this adventure," Sgarbi was yesterday quoted as telling Corriere della Sera. "In exchange for a token payment of one euro we will offer them one of these houses and ask that they undertake to restore them within two years while respecting their original characteristics."
Sgarbi said the idea was the brainchild of his friend Oliviero Toscani, the photographer behind the Benetton clothing adverts, who is creativity adviser to Salemi council. Sgarbi has also put a prince in charge of heritage and town planning while a performance artist is "adviser on nothing". At first an anarchist, Sgarbi became an admirer of Silvio Berlusconi and had a post in the government of 2001. He was removed a year later. He founded his own "Beauty party" before linking up with the centre-left and then the right. How would you like a house in Italy for one euro? The house, it should be pointed out, will be not just dilapidated but near collapse,... more -
Triple Threat; Hannah, Ike, & Josephine Brewing Up Trouble
MIAMI (CBS4) ― Tropical Storm Hanna continues to blast the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and Haiti with gusty wind and torrential rain.
At 2 p.m., the center of Hanna was located about 420 miles southeast of Nassau; at latitude 20.6 north, longitude 72.9 west.
Hanna has drifted to the west-southwest for much of Tuesday. The storm is expected to begin moving to the northwest Tuesday night or Wednesday. On this track it will move over the southeastern Bahamas Tuesday evening and central Bahamas on Wednesday.
Hanna grew into a hurricane Monday but was downgraded Tuesday morning.
Maximum sustained winds have decreased to 70 mph with higher gusts. Hanna could regain hurricane strength Wednesday or Thursday.
Hanna's path is uncertain. One forecaster at the National Hurricane Center says "it could hit anywhere from Miami to the Outer Banks of North Carolina."
A hurricane warning remains in effect for the central and southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the northern coast of Haiti from Le Mole St. Nichoas to the northern border with the Dominican Republic.
Hanna is expected to produce 4 to 8 inches of rain over the southeastern Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos and eastern Cuba; some isolated areas could receive up to 12 inches. Rainfall of 6 to 10 inches is possible over the Dominican Republic and Haiti which could cause life threatening mud slides and flash floods. Swells from Hanna are expected to increase the risk of dangerous rip currents along portions of the Southeast coast over the next couple of days.
NASA has delayed the move of the space shuttle Atlantis from an assembly building at Florida's Kennedy Space Center to the launch pad by at least one day. The move had been scheduled for Tuesday in preparation for an October mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.
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TS Ike Strengthens In Central Atlantic
MIAMI (CBS4) ― The ninth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, Tropical Storm Ike, has strengthened a little over the central Atlantic.
At 11:00 a.m. the center of Tropical Storm Ike was located about 1,110 miles east of the Leeward Islands, near latitude 18.9 North and longitude 45.0 West. The storm is headed west at 18 mph, with maximum sustained winds near 60 mph with higher gusts. This general motion is expected to continue during the next two days.
Some strengthening is forecast in the next few days. Some models show the storm becoming a hurricane on Wednesday.
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Tropical Storm Josephine Forms Off Africa
MIAMI (CBS4) ― Along with Tropical Storms Hanna and Ike, South Florida now has to keep an eye on Tropical Storm Josephine.
The tenth Tropical Depression of this year's hurricane season has formed into Josephine in the far eastern Atlantic.
At 11 a.m., the center of Josephine was about 120 miles south-southwest of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands; latitude 13.2 north, longitude 25.3 west. The system is moving to the west near 15 mph and is expected to track to the west and northwest over the next several days. On this forecast track the center of TD 10 will remain south of the Cape Verde Islands and pass them Tuesday night.
The system's maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph and some strengthening is expected in the next 24 hours.
The next update on Tropical Storm Josephine will be at 5 p.m. MIAMI (CBS4) ― Tropical Storm Hanna continues to blast the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and Haiti with gusty wind and torrential rain. ... more -
McCain Housing Crisis - Obama, McCain Fight with New Ads
Hours after a report that the Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting didn't know how many homes he and his multimillionaire wife own, Democratic rival Barack Obama launched a national TV ad and a series of campaign stops aimed at portraying McCain as wealthy and out of touch. Hours after a report that the Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting didn't know how many homes he and his multimillionaire w... more
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Market town houses cost more
Homes in two-thirds of English market towns sell for more than those in neighbouring towns in the same county, according to Britain's biggest mortgage lender Halifax.
House price growth has also been faster in many market towns, with just over half of the 112 towns recording price rises of more than the 55% seen across England as a whole during the past five years. Homes in two-thirds of English market towns sell for more than those in neighbouring towns in the same county, according to Britain�... more -
World's most expensive house!
Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich's new home has become the most expensive house on earth, after he paid a whopping 250 million pounds for it.
The Russian billionaire recently picked up the majestic hilltop villa overlooking the French Riviera after falling in love with it during a private viewing along with his girlfriend Daria Zhukova.
The villa, called La Leopolda is know not only to have the best sea views in the south of France, but it also sits on 10 acres of immaculate grounds that run right down to the resort of Villefranche. Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich's new home has become the most expensive house on earth, after he paid a whopping 25... more -
£80,000 home now worth £1
A Mother of three bought the Norfolk home in 1987 for £20,000, the house grew in value to around £80,000 based on the prices of houses of a similar size. At the time of purchase the house was 400 meters from the sea and now 20 years later, the house is just 60m from the sea thanks to 'chronic costal erosion'.
"We were angry and frustrated when we were told it was worth £1" said Ms Archer. "It is so unfair, because when we came here the policy was to maintain the defences".
If anyone has 50pence, do you want to go halves? We can live it up for a few years before the big crumble... A Mother of three bought the Norfolk home in 1987 for £20,000, the house grew in value to around £80,000 based on the prices of houses... more -
Las Vegas called "mortgage fraud ground zero"
Since late 2004, the real estate market in Las Vegas has "crashed", down about 20% - 40% from its highs just a couple of years ago to pre-2004 prices in most areas. Over-building, exaggerated enthusiasm, bad mortgages, a terrible economy and huge FRAUD combined to create the perfect storm pressuring millions of homeowners to fold and lose big. These very sad times for millions are now causing increases in crime, and overwhelming physical and mental illnesses from stress. Here is an article typical of the Las Vegas Newspapers everyday lately. Since late 2004, the real estate market in Las Vegas has "crashed", down about 20% - 40% from its highs just a couple of yea... more
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Cracking the Code - Architect builds puzzle house for occupants to decipher
"The architectural designer Eric Clough embedded 18 clues in the Fifth Avenue apartment of the Klinsky- Sherry family, leading them on a scavenger hunt through the rooms of their home."
Great, move into a house and already you have complex problems to figure out.
But seriously, this is an awesome idea and would be an AWESOME way to move into a new place. "The architectural designer Eric Clough embedded 18 clues in the Fifth Avenue apartment of the Klinsky- Sherry family, leading th... more -
Rachel Hunter's deluxe doghouse
Supermodel Rachel Hunter has splashed out on a mansion - for her pet dogs!
The deluxe doghouse is a scaled down version of Rod Stewart's ex-wife's own Californian home.
She commissioned La Petite Maison, which makes homes for pampered pooches for up to £25,000, to build it with terra cotta floors and wrought iron balconies. Supermodel Rachel Hunter has splashed out on a mansion - for her pet dogs! ... more -
The Seegers Family Edifice Venture. (The History and Beginning)
The Seegers Family Edifice Venture is a documentary of a family that is turning an old church camp activities center into their future home. One of their goals is to show practical construction methods that will turn this building into an efficient green dwelling.
The History & Beginning is the first webisode of The Seegers Family Edifice Venture. In this episode you will meet the Seegers family, see us close on the building, learn its history and see the new roof go on. You’ll also get a tour of the building with an explanation of how they plan to renovate it. The Seegers Family Edifice Venture is a documentary of a family that is turning an old church camp activities center into their future... more -
Solar Decathlon
Eighteen college teams competed to show the world (and the judges) that solar energy is a viable alternative to power our everyday lives. The Solar Decathlon teams built fully-functional houses on the National Mall to showcase their ideas about how to integrate solar power into everything from washing a load of laundry to making the drive to the grocery store. But even though the competition took place down the street from Congress, the government may not be the best option to bring solar energy into the mainstream. Eighteen college teams competed to show the world (and the judges) that solar energy is a viable alternative to power our everyday liv... more
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Foreclosures filings set sail to 60% in February
Foreclosure filings nationwide jumped 60% in February compared with the same month last year, but they decreased slightly versus January, according to a report released Thursday.
RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosure properties, said 223,651 homes got hit with foreclosure filings last month, which include default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions. 46,508 of those were lost to bank repossessions, which more than doubled over last year. Foreclosure filings nationwide jumped 60% in February compared with the same month last year, but they decreased slightly versus Janua... more -
Chugwater, WY
Can't afford to buy a house or apartment? It?s time to pack up your car and head to Chugwater, Wyoming, a city that is giving away plots of land for One Hundred dollars. Can't afford to buy a house or apartment? It?s time to pack up your car and head to Chugwater, Wyoming, a city that is giving awa... more
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Britney Custody Battle: Man With Dollhouse For A Hat Speaks
*Finally* someone might make some sense of this whole sorry mess.
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9 Creative Staircases
Sure, staircases could just get you from down to up and back down again but a slide is so much more efficient.
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The Green Dream Home
"If the International Space Station and a Toyota Prius were to mate, the Wired LivingHome would be its offspring - a mix of space-age technology and earth-friendly design that makes the effort to save the planet seem, at first glance, a little less austere.
The five-bedroom, four-bathroom house is a joint project of Wired Magazine and the architectural firm LivingHomes and was constructed out of eleven glass and steel prefabricated modules on a sloping canyon lot in the exclusive Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.
The concept is to show that connectivity and sustainable living don't have to be mutually exclusive. "
That's cool and all, but at a whopping $4.3 million, by the time I save enough to buy the damn thing the Earth will be over and done with anyway. "If the International Space Station and a Toyota Prius were to mate, the Wired LivingHome would be its offspring - a mix of space... more
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