Abandoned Spain: houses without owners

Madam Maria's house in Roelos de Sayago, an overseas village of 100 inhabitants, feels like a journey through time, bowing under dizzying webs. A prayer necklace hangs by the image of the Virgin Mary to bless the bed where the remnants of a half-destroyed roof lie.

A jar of expired mayonnaise greets a kitchen covered in dust and littered with flies and bird droppings. The residence ceased to be inhabited in the summer of 2002, and since then it has begun to decline. Mrs. Maria left her home due to health issues and never returned; neither did her heirs. The family did not maintain the property, and it has already become part of the census of lifeless Spanish houses, which make up 14.4% of the total and are gradually increasing in rural areas. In the desolate regions of the Iberian Peninsula, there is a paradox: few who want to leave the cities and settle in these villages and hamlets on the brink of disappearance face difficulties in finding well-preserved housing.

This house, like many others in the Sayago area of Zamora, has been without electricity for decades, which is a criterion used by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) when assessing the number of vacant properties in Spain over the past 20 years. The report shows two trends, with Madrid, the Basque Country, or the Mediterranean coast having high occupancy rates compared to the depopulation of the plateau or the northwest quadrant of the peninsula. In coastal or mainly resort areas, there is also a lot of infrequently used property, but not due to demographic factors.

Julio Cesar Moralejo, a 51-year-old advisor from Roelos de Sayago, walks among abandoned houses, collapsed roofs, and overgrown vegetation. "When a grandfather dies, people forget everything," complains the advisor, who is also a professional plumber and well aware of the needs of these neglected homes. The residents of Sayago are trying to stop the demographic decline by forming an association to gather information about available houses for new residents, but they face two problems: either some houses are inherited and cause family conflicts regarding the inheritance process, or the owners ask for exorbitant prices for small villages. The result is the same, as the tension or waiting leads to forgetfulness, and when the owners decide to sell, the property becomes a complete ruin or a partial wreck.

“Family homes are not sold out of respect for the elderly's property and are losing value,” says the advisor. These forgotten houses are priced between 6,000 and 20,000 euros, but they require repairs costing up to 40,000 due to their terrible condition. Buyers are “looking for deals” and expect sellers to understand that, despite the property being large or having a significant land area, they will not get the price they demand. This dynamic is also noticeable in the rental market, with limited options making it difficult for individual residents, such as temporary teachers, to rent in rural areas.

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