For the price of an apartment in Barcelona. In Spain, they are trying to sell a village “cheaply” again
In the north-west of Spain in Zamora, the small picturesque village of Salto de Castro is located, which is for the third time put up for sale. According to the seller, auction bidding has already begun. But was it really possible that the first buyer who purchased it last year could not fulfill all the conditions?
The picturesque but abandoned village in northwestern Spain of Salto de Castro is back up for auction. Last year it was already purchased by a Spanish businessman for $275,000, which is cheaper than the average cost of an apartment in Barcelona.
The village of Salto de Castro is an abandoned settlement that consists of 44 houses, one hostel, a bar, a swimming pool and a sports area. Plus, if desired, a church, pharmacy and police station can be located here.
The village is located in the stunning natural environment of the Meseta Ibérica UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, home to protected species such as the Bonelli's eagle and the Iberian wolf. Situated close to the Portuguese border, Salto de Castro also offers magnificent views of the Duoro River.
Salto de Castro was built in the 1940s by the electricity company Iberdrola as housing for workers building a nearby dam. But by the 1980s, people were leaving in droves to find work in big cities. Since 1989, the village has been completely abandoned. In 2000, the village was sold to an investor with the aim of turning it into a tourist destination, but the plans did not come to fruition - the global financial crisis of 2008 stopped the project, and in 2022 the village was back on the market.
It is worth noting that the future investor must also take into account the costs of restoring the village. When the property was sold last year, real estate agents estimated that restoration work to make it a tourist attraction would cost about $2.1 million.
By the way, now the starting price of the village has more than doubled, the bidding price starts at $610,000.
