Deux-Sèvres: a municipality cuts the prices of its plots to attract first-time buyers

Mairé-Levescault in the south of Sèvres, its school, its bakery, its wind turbines, and its eleven serviced plots for sale. It is ready to build, but for ten years, there is no buyer in sight. The village is shunned due to an unattractive employment pool and geographical isolation. The first town is 20 kilometers away, so the municipality has decided to cut prices. “This year, we decided to make the plots at 7.50 euros for first-time buyers”says Pierrick Marquet, 1st deputy mayor of Mairé-Levescault.

The goal: revitalize the village of 530 inhabitants, a level below which the town hall is careful not to fall, “otherwise we will lose state grants”, says Pierrick Marquet. Another issue: the village school. With its 40 students, the establishment came close to closing last year, so the director hopes to take advantage of newcomers. There is no demand at the moment, but the municipality will soon start the construction of collective housing, hoping to encourage the first buyers.