The first step for anyone in China who fancies purchasing a million dollar property on the other side of the globe, could be as easy as ordering a shirt online.
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An auction of Italian real estate started Tuesday on Taobao.com, one of China's largest e-commerce platforms. According to the company, a 27.9 million USD castle in Valpolicella will be auctioned on 21 May with a starting price of 100 million CNY (16 million USD).
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At the same time, 103 apartments in Milan will go under the hammer.
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Online buyers can browse the apartments' basic information and fees before paying a deposit to join the auction.
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It is the first time a castle has been the subject of a Taobao auction. Previous overseas property auctions included four islands in Fiji and hundreds of houses in the United States.
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Taobao plans more diverse auctions for consumers such as Australian ranches and French chateaus.Â