La tua Casa a Latronico

One thing about the Odjo’s, we don’t shy away from a great adventure. That’s why when my son Jonathan told me he wanted to buy a house in Italy and asked me to do some research, I immediately went to task, and within 6 months our family become the proud owners of a house in Italy, We had to sort through a lot of unclear information about the One-Euro house programs that are going on all over Italy until we stumbled upon a CNN article about La tua casa a Latronico - not one euro but within reach of the average buyer. The site was rich with clear information and resources, nonetheless we wanted to make sure the program was legit, and that we would not get in over our heads. I reached out to a few of the buyers featured in the CNN articles which gave us great confidence to proceed. But the true gems of this program are Vincenzo and Mariangela, the program managers. They responded immediately to our inquiry and within a few weeks we had a video conference with them. They were quick to provide information about the houses, the community, and the legal and financial processes required to buy a house in Italy. They understood our needs and concerns and guided us expertly. We bought our house sight unseen, but we never felt in the dark: they were right beside us throughout the whole process. They provided us with videos and additional information needed about potential properties. After the purchase they coordinated contracts with local companies and craftsmen to start the renovation work we needed to do in our house. Now that we are in Latronico, they are always just a phone call away. Whether it’s for a quick ride to the next town to look at used furniture, or making sure our trip to Pompei is going well, Mariangela and Vincenzo are right beside us. We are confident that we made the right choice and can’t wait to become part of this wonderful community.

Vincenzo and Mariangela did so much more for me than I could ever imagine. I thought I was buying the keys to a dilapidated hovel in a picturesque town, but I got so much more.
They walked me through the entire process, took immeasurable time out of their lives to show me not only my soon to be amazing retreat but the beautiful town of Latronico. I couldn't not recommend purchasing a place here to live or at least spend some time at.
The entire process has been seamless and endlessly rewarding.

My wife and I so fell in love with Latronico that we are buying three homes there. Imposing Monte Alpi forms a beautiful backdrop to this hilltop town located inside Pollino National Park, Italy’s largest. Latronico is the “City of Wellness,” with enchanting cascades and thermal spas. Despite its almost 3,000-foot altitude, Latronico is just 29 miles from the great sea towns of Sapri and Maratea, the latter presided over by the world’s second largest Christ the Redeemer statue. Seemingly, everything one needs can be found in Latronico or the adjacent towns. The town folk have proven incredibly welcoming. And of great practical importance, Deputy Mayor Vincenzo Castellano, who oversees the initiative to attract foreign investment in local homes, has proven a tremendous resource, easing our path through the challenges of purchasing a home in an unfamiliar country.

We stumbled across a story about Latronico on one of our many searches of the popular articles about 1€ houses for sale in Italy. I was drawn to the humor in Vincenzo Castellano's interview and felt like this was the solution to our dream of owning property in Italy. I contacted the office and heard back several days later. We chose a property based on the pictures from the website and decided to visit. Vincenzo and the townspeople were so welcoming and seemed genuinely excited that we were there. We toured a beautiful property and decided to go in to contract. The houses for sale here are not 1€ but actually an even better value. The properties are ready to move in with little or no work. This was very important to us because it removed all the guesswork of how to even start a renovation in a foreign country. We have found everything we love about Italy in Latronico and the surrounding area. Imposingly beautiful mountains, clear thermal waters, olive groves and grape vines, the jingle of bells from animals of local shepherds and a short drive takes you to the amazing Mediterranean waters. It's a truly charming community that still has great roots in treating people the old fashioned way. Vincenzo has been especially helpful and so easy to work with. I appreciate his knowledge of English and of the local laws. I can't imagine a better experience than the one I've had here!

I initially became aware of and interested in buying a house in Italy when the 1 Euro house program was launched several years ago. I tried to delve deeper into the program but was unsuccessful, I suspended my search but never lost interest and in 2021, I read the first CNN article about the La Tua Casa a Latronico project. I immediately contacted the municipality (I believe I was one of the first ones to do so) and was pleasantly surprised when I received a response back, answering all my questions. My primary concern was in the details - the process, tax and other obligations surrounding a home purchase in Italy, any conditions that this project had around buying a house in Latronico etc. Deputy Mayor Vincenzo and Mariangela were incredible in that regard. Vincenzo even sent me a detailed video of the house that I was interested in. I was hesitant to buy a house sight unseen and in the following months I had countless follow up questions which were patiently answered. I ended up traveling to Latronico in November of 2021 and was met by Vincenzo and Mariangela. They spent the next two days taking me around to see the houses. We met with architects since I had questions about renovations, to a furniture store to see what options I had for shopping in Latronico and even met with a local carpenter because I happened to mention that I want doors of a particular type that were unique to that region.
Any questions I had, they either had an answer or tried to find an answer. Vincenzo and Mariangela are genuinely interested and enthusiastic about the project and that enthusiasm was contagious - I am now the proud owner of a house in the old part of town! I wanted a house that was centuries old, structurally sound but needed some renovation and that's exactly what they helped me find.
I had no hesitation about the purchase after meeting and spending time with Vincenzo and Mariangela because any concerns I had, about purchasing and renovating a house that was thousands of miles from where I live, were laid to rest since I knew I could count on them. Latronico itself is beautiful, peaceful, safe and everyone knows each other, I could not ask for more. I look forward to renovating the place and spending time in Latronico!

Love, Love, Love our new home and this beautiful city, Latronico! The people who made it possible are the most incredible dream team around; Deputy Mayor Vincenzo and Ms. Mariangela. After hearing the stories of how my Great great grandfather came to America and fell in love with an enslaved woman with whom he purchased and lived out the rest of his days with in America, I always felt a connection to Italy. As a soldier stationed in the region many years later, I vowed to return. Years more, my husband and I brought our children over to see where they hailed from. Finally, we ran across a CNN article about the La Tua Casa a Latronico project. Immediately we sent an email to the Deputy Mayor, and he contacted us; I believe it was the next day. We set up a video call after he sent us a video of our selected home. The video call sealed our fate! He and Ms. Mariangela were so genuine we felt that we had to support this project.

How often do you find young people who could be off doing what young people do, so committed to the growth of their hometown and adopted hometown? Yes, we bought our house sight unseen and at the dream team’s professional opinion, and the rest is history! We cannot express the joy we feel being here and owning a piece of history in our return to our roots home!

Thank you, Deputy Major and Ms. Mariangela. May your days be full of gladness, and life brings you all your heart’s desires.

Kim, Nadine, Lorenzo & DeNae Dawkins The Retired Military Family, Indiana, USA

We are a family of Argentines, who learned about the "Your House in Latronico" project thanks to various local and international media websites. This was the beginning of a journey that led us to realize a dream. The first thing we did was send an email, to which we immediately received a reply from Vincenzo Castellano (the creator of the project). Right from the start he kindly provided us with all the information on the project and on the houses available for sale. This has created a lot of trust in us, since the project has an official website and the person who gave us feedback is a reliable and well-known person in the community. After some conversations via email, in which we asked him several questions (which he took care of answering one by one), we decided to make two video calls where we met Vincenzo and Mariangela, who is running the project together with him. They are super kind, serious people with whom a relationship of trust is easily established. This encouraged us to move forward and we made great strides once we found the house we liked. For all the rest of the bureaucratic procedures related to the purchase of the house, we have always been guided by them who have always respected our times even if there were any delays or hitches, demonstrating flexibility and ability to understand our needs.

And it is thanks to this that today we own a house in the historic center, surrounded not only by a lot of history, but also by incredible landscapes and nature that makes us dream of being there as soon as possible. I can only recommend this project to all those who want to buy a house in Latronico and who want to help revitalize a beautiful country, whose inhabitants are ready to welcome you with open arms. I conclude this with a special thanks to Vincenzo and Mariangela for their patience, professionalism and for being the architects of the realization of our dream.

What an adventure! Working with this amazing team in this beautiful place I never imagined! Vincenzo and Mariangela are the perfect combination of professional and family. Not being a seasoned international traveler, their wisdom and knowledge helped us with every step! Above and beyond on every occasion they made our experience exceptional!

I decided to move to Latronico from London to be close to nature and get away from the hectic, busy and polluted capital city. The house prices are very affordable and I found it unbelievable that I can be a homeowner without needing to get a mortgage or have any debt. This is a fantastic project run by Vincenzo and his colleagues who are experts in their field and their help and support has been invaluable for me to make this move possible. I strongly recommend to whoever is thinking of a move for similar reasons.

I think my story is similar to most of the others who came to Latronico to really see what these low-cost houses from the La Tua Casa in Latronico project were. I had seen the story on CNN and Forbes and in the end the curiosity was too strong. On my first visit, my sister and I completely fell in love with this small village and its inhabitants. Everyone welcomed us with open arms, in particular Vincenzo and Mariangela, the creators of the project. We immediately felt at home and bought a house. Vincenzo and Mariangela were immediately a wonderful help. Not only did they know how to translate for us, but they were very helpful in explaining how things work in Italy and even became good friends. Before starting my initial visit, Vincenzo showed me some houses that might be of interest to me. I ended up buying a second home with a breathtaking view in the beautiful old town. Vincenzo and Mariangela were my eyes and ears throughout the process as I returned to the United States giving me continuous input and coordinating everything with extreme professionalism. Can't wait to go back and spend more time in Latronico, this city is wonderful.

La Casa Tua in Latronico made our dream of owning a place in Europe a reality. Thanks to Vincenzo and Mariangela we were able to find an apartment that met our needs within our budget. We never could’ve navigated the paperwork without them. They’re now helping us with renovations and are extremely responsive; we have to ask them to go to sleep or not work on Sundays! They are always positive, patient, fun and friendly. Vincenzo and Mariangela seem to have many clients, but they make us feel like we’re the only ones.

Buying a home in a foreign country was never something that was on our radar. When my husband came across this website on Facebook, we both had a “why not?!” moment. The idea was immediately appealing, but then all the anxiety about how set in. Vincenzo and Mariangela made this process completely painless. Above and beyond is adequate to convey the help they provide in the purchase process but also in the arranging out visit, managing renovations, and even taking us to the furniture store. We have not regretted our decision at all, and eagerly await our next visit to this beautiful and quiet region.

Buying our house here has been an incredible experience. Latronico not only gives us the quiet, more simple lifestyle we want, it provides a healthy one too. The people here have been friendly, welcoming and very accommodating Deputy Mayor, Vincenzo Castellano has been extremely helpful in making sure we accomplished the things we need to make it our home.

Working with Vincenzo and Mariangela to find my home was easy and both of them are a blessing!! I want to retire early, and to create generational wealth for my 4 children. Owning property in a safe, pleasant, cultured and friendly environment is very important to me. I explained to Vincenzo what I was looking for and he was upfront, honestly and found me exactly what I both needed and wanted. Now my early retirement is secured and my children have an amazing 2nd home whenever they need it. I truly feel like I was led by God to this beautiful town with such amazing and friendly people. You honestly cannot go wrong with having a home here, from the mountain views, fresh air, friendly and gracious people and neighbors, to the refreshing waterfalls, laughter and contentment in the streets, safety and calmness. from the bottom of my heart I want to say thank you to Vincenzo and Mariangela for extending me so much kindness, sincerity, love, friendship and the wonderful feeling of having a second family❤! My home away from home has been everything that I needed and wanted and because of all your help my vision has come to completion and the next level of my journey in life can begin!

We read about the homes for sale in Latronico from a CNN article and immediately started looking through the website. Vincenzo and Mariangela helped us every step of the way, from making an offer and getting the deed. They met with us on zoom to answer our questions and have been overseeing the renovation process–sending photos of the progress on our new home. They are incredible to work with and wonderful to get to know. The town itself is charming, stunning and well-situated. We love its location next to the Pollino National park and have begun exploring the area by foot, bike, and car. There are so many gorgeous hiking trails and views of the mountains. The town is complete with restaurants, grocery stores, farmers markets, cafes, bars, shops, and so much more. We have enjoyed every minute of our visit there and can’t wait to return and spend more time in our new home. Because the homes are affordable, our close friends also bought a place a few minutes away. Thank you Vincenzo and Mariangela for guiding us through this incredible adventure!

We fell in love with Italy on our first visit to the country on a Valentines Day, when we went to the Tuscany region and visited Pisa, Lucca and Florence. We loved our time so much we have visited Italy every year since. We decided that we would like to live in Italy, so we spent some time looking at the different regions in Italy and researching options for buying a property. We sent off a few emails to various local Mayors, but sadly received no responses. For a period of time we put our search on hold, until one day we came across an article on CNN about Latronico and Carrega Ligure, which included a link to the project La Tua Casa a Latronico. We studied the website for a few days - there was so much information about the project, Latronico, the surrounding area and the houses that were for sale, that are interest was piqued, so we sent an email, but never really expected a reply. However, we received a prompt reply from the then Deputy Mayor of Latronico, Vincenzo Castellano, the project manager. After many emails passing to and fro, we once again flew to Italy and travelled down to Latronico to meet Vincenzo and Mariangela. We first met Vincenzo on a rather wet day in March, but despite the rain, Vincenzo took us to view all the properties we had requested to see and also one he thought we might like - well we both knew instantly that this house was for us! Vincenzo and Mariangela were able to answer all our questions about buying ‘our home in Latronico’ and what was required to move to Italy. They have helped us navigate the legal process for purchasing a house in Italy, gave us advice and guidance throughout, shown us around the local area, helped us set up a bank account and a mobile phone account, they have obtained quotes from local businesses for renovation works we requested and can put you in contact with local workmen. A WhatsApp group was set up so we could correspond easily and keep us up to date, every step of the way with photographs of any work carried out that we had requested. Without their help and knowledge the whole process would have been far too daunting. We must also mention the local people, known as Latronishesi, who are such very warm, welcoming people, that immediately make you feel ‘at home’. Where else would you be offered an espresso whilst shopping at the supermarket - we can not wait to be back in Latronico.

We’re a couple from Argentina that was looking for a place in Italy to rest and enjoy our vacations. And we found OUR PLACE in LATRONICO! The experience of buying a house there was nice and simple, thanks to the great help of Vincenzo and Mariangela who accompanied us in the whole process From the day we met them up to now, they’re always by our side, ready to help, not only with the purchase but also with the repairs and more! Present at all details to make us feel confident and relaxed…We’ll be soon there again to spend some time in our house for the first time, eager to meet these two friends who helped so much to make our dream come true! Thanks for your dedication, Vincenzo and Mariangela. You're part of a wonderful project! 10 out of 10 🙌

We came upon "your house in Latronico" after reading a CNN travel article & it has changed our lives for the better! Although we had previously read about many of the programs with 1 euro houses in Italy, when we made inquiries we never received any response. There was also very little information and few pictures online for those initiatives. In contrast, the Latronico site had much more information on the houses as well as the surrounding area. My husband & I independently looked at the website and both fell in love with the exact same house. We sent an email with low expectations for a reply, however, we were pleasantly surprised when we got a prompt response from Vincenzo Castellano - the deputy mayor of Latronico. Soon afterwards we found ourselves on a plane to Italy! Vincenzo and his colleague Mariangela Tortorella have been incredibly welcoming and helpful throughout this entire process. We made the deposit as soon as we saw the house - it was even better than the pictures! Vincenzo and Mariangela have also served as cultural ambassadors and introduced us to the local customs, cuisine, and sights. Vincenzo has been instrumental in navigating the legal & financial processes involved in purchasing and owning foreign property. Thanks to his assistance it was even easier than buying our house in America! Although the house we purchased was move-in ready, we decided to make some updates (mostly cosmetic as the house was in very good condition). Again Vincenzo & Mariangela have come to our aid and helped us coordinate home improvements across the Atlantic and feel confident that results will exceed our expectations. We recently stayed in our home and did not want to leave! The peaceful surroundings, beautiful scenery and friendly community gave us a much needed respite from our usual hectic lives. We could not be happier with our entire experience and highly recommend working with Vincenzo and Mariangela to find your dream house in Latronico!

The question I get alot is: "hey man, you keep going on and on about how great the people and town of Latronico is but you never show up your damn flat....what's up with that?" Fair enough...you can see it here: https://youtu.be/0vKsdkLaH54 I will actually start on it in a couple of months...need to settle on a contractor. I guess the most impressive part of buying my Latronico house was the ease of the entire procedure. This was made possible by the hard work and dedication of Vincenzo Castellano and later, Mariangela Tortorella. As a team, this Dynamic Duo has taken the house buying process and made it an ART FORM. They have smoothed-out the ridiculously tedious paperwork, clumsy, outdated banking system and inept bus service (I mean, first, you have to be able to GET to Latronico). It all started with the easy to navigate website, then their replies to emails in a timely manner, then the welcoming meeting at the bus stop and lastly, gaining the cooperation of the residents and merchants of Latronico. I hope Latronico appreciates this Duo because if the right people catch wind of this charismatic couple, they will be stolen away by producers of a show called "MALIBU BEACH HOUSE HUNT with those crazy Italians: VIN & MAR".

In a similar fashion, and afflicted with the same crazy/romantic notion of domestic tranquility in Italy, I was drawn in, like many others, to the “La Tua Casa Latronico” website after seeing it mentioned and reading about Latronico in various media (CNN mostly). While the “€1 Italy home” landscape was peppered with dark corners and dead ends, and inquiries with real estate agents went unanswered, an email to “La Tua Casa Latronico” received a swift reply! Vincenzo Castellano was immediately helpful, and I was encouraged to make a trip to Latronico to see the town and surroundings in person. Long story short, I made a short trip there in May 2022, and Vincenzo welcomed me with open arms and was extremely generous with his time and his knowledge, and we probably broke a record for the number of homes I saw and the many topics we discussed in regards to home ownership and home improvement in Southern Italy, all within less than 48 hours! This experience and the concern and intelligence shown gave me great confidence in not only the legitimacy of the project itself, but also the demonstration of genuine desire to revitalize the area to the benefit of the town and townfolk, the region and the country. I felt like an honored guest while there, and was greeted warmly at every turn. And to top it all off, the surrounding scenery and the journey there was beyond compare, with stunning vistas in every direction! I first met Mariangela Tortorella during a video conference with her and Vincenzo once I had decided to proceed with a purchase in fall 2022. Her kindness and warmth were immediately evident, and I felt like I was in very good hands with a process that would have been much more difficult (impossible?) to complete without the assistance of this dynamic duo. Vincenzo and Mariangela may not have invented this concept of marketing rural Italian homes to non-Italians, but they have clearly perfected it! The next steps, while not necessarily straight forward, were clearly delineated by this team, and they were very good about answering questions and keeping me up to date with the months-long process, proving their trustworthiness all the while. While there were some bumps and difficulties along the way, I believe the issues that we encountered became learning experiences for all involved, and it seems evident that Vincenzo and Mariangela have used these experiences to further refine their methods, making a lengthy process even smoother as well as gaining a better understanding of the various needs and expectations of potential visitors / purchasers from around the world. During my return trip to Latronico in Spring 2023, I was welcomed back quite enthusiastically, and I received exceptional assistance from Mariangela and Vincenzo, not only with obtaining household items and visiting hardware stores, tile shops, etc., but also with arranging for various contractors and workmen (so many incredible tradesmen!!) to continue rehab projects, some having been done weeks earlier under the watchful eyes of these two, sending photo updates all along the way. Advice I received about how to proceed and which approaches they recommended was spot on, and they were happy to facilitate some work I did myself! While I worked (seemingly non-stop!) on my new Italian home during the three weeks I was in town, these two remained vigilant and concerned with all the different things happening in and about the house, and made sure that I was able to accomplish quite a bit during the time I had, even keeping tabs on me during the Easter holiday! Vincenzo and Mariangela turned a far-fetched notion into a bold and sublime reality, and I hope to enjoy the environs and the region for years to come! Thank you!!!