Italy’s villages: an investment opportunity and chance to enhance the country’s cultural heritage

The redevelopment of Italian villages is driving a real renaissance in the country’s artistic, historical and cultural heritage.

Immersed in nature and boasting a wealth of history and art, these villages have suffered significant depopulation over the past decade, having failed to keep pace with the structural and digital evolution seen in more touristy locations.

The shifts in mindset brought about by the new smart-working model imposed on us in recent years allowed many workers to seek out arrangements in places surrounded by nature, far removed from the chaos of the city. The key requirement was an internet connection.

Enhancing Italy’s local areas

Thanks in part to this new trend, the opportunity arose to enhance Italy’s local areas through building renovation projects that focus on the sustainability and digitalization of historical villages: breathing new life into old houses, abandoned farmhouses and barns and neglected land, without robbing them of their original beauty. Sites that deserve to be appreciated and visited, as they represent a national treasure. This enhancement project is also an opportunity for those wishing to invest in Italian heritage.

PNNR funds and the crowdfunding platform for the villages

Italy’s heritage of small villages is being revitalized thanks to major investment by the PNRR (Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan), which has set out total funding of €1,020 million.

The sole lending-based crowdfunding platform involved is ITS Lending. Launched in 2021, it is a subsidiary of ITS ITALY, a London-based company that supports community growth and future real estate investments in Italian municipalities and historical villages.

ITS Lending lets people invest in the villages via lending-based crowdfunding, from which it profits. Under the proposed model, the investor simply acts as a lender and does not acquire ownership of the property: the real estate company offering the opportunity has already purchased the properties to be renovated, and already has a buyer. This is what makes them secure investments, attracting investors from Italy and abroad.

 To date, the company has completed 22 real estate transactions in the South and Center-North of Italy, in locations served by a good internet connection, making them suitable for working.